Our Story
Outdoor Dog Adventures was established in 2017 by lifelong dog lovers Mary and Theo Simon. They noticed the behavioral issues that were created when people had to work all day, and did not have time to exercise their dogs or give them some positive attention in the middle of the day. That need, as well as their great love for the outdoors, led them to found Outdoor Dog Adventures. This company is founded based on the belief that a dog walk can be more than just a chance for a dog to use the bathroom. It can be an adventure during which the person and dog are paying attention to one another, learning from other, and being present in the moment. At Outdoor Dog Adventures, we endeavor to better the lives of dogs and humans alike through the implementation of mentally stimulating walks and social interaction whenever the owners cannot be present. We strive to alleviate owner guilt during the workday, to provide healthy exercise for dogs, and to be part of the prevention of problematic behaviors resulting from boredom and loneliness in dogs.
Our Team
Mary Simon
Owner & Certified Professional Pet Sitter
A native of Mississippi, Mary spent her summers outdoors, hanging out with her family’s dogs and observing the world of nature. Mary moved to Boston after obtaining a BA in psychology in order to pursue a career in the field of mental health, and worked for years at one of the nation’s top psychiatric hospitals. After a year of doctoral studies in a graduate program, Mary decided to explore other passions. She studied professional organizing and worked with people diagnosed with hoarding disorder before finally discovering the joys of dog walking- a career which, it turns out, is similar to her childhood summers spent outdoors in Mississippi. Mary has been pursuing her passion of taking care of dogs full-time ever since she moved to Kentucky.
When she’s not working, Mary enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband, Theo, and their two rescue dogs- Winston, a standard poodle, and Wyatt, an Australian cattle dog/labrador mix. Mary and Theo also have an online shop, OutdoorDog, where they sell dog leashes and tags, painted pet portraits, and wood-burned bottle openers, all of which they make by hand.
Theo Simon
Owner & Business Manager
Theo was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Baylor University and graduated with a BA in Psychology. Following graduation, he moved to Boston, MA, where he worked for six years at one of the nation’s top psychiatric hospitals as a counselor for people diagnosed with severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and related disorders. Theo then decided to pursue a career in nursing, moved with his family to Kentucky, and graduated from Bellarmine University with a BSN. He now works in the Medical ICU as a RN.
When Theo isn’t working full time as a nurse or managing Outdoor Dog Adventures, he can be found making custom handmade gear and selling it in his OutdoorDog Etsy shop. In his free time, Theo enjoys watching baseball, cooking, camping, and learning how to do new things. He also loves dog training, and enjoys teaching everything he learns to his dogs Winston and Wyatt, who are both enthusiastic students and teachers.
Kate Bariteau
Team Member
Originally from the midwest, Kate Bariteau has a BS in Speech Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has a background working in higher education as an advisor and educator, as well as many years of customer service experience. Kate has found that serving in a customer care capacity brings her back to her farm roots, where she can troubleshoot problems and get her hands dirty. She brings with her over 22 years of experience fostering and training dogs. While preparing to bring a service dog into her own family, Kate strengthened her dog-work skills through intensive study of the Karen Pryor training methods. Her mission to help owners enjoy their pets makes her a natural fit for Outdoor Dog Adventures.
When not working at work, Kate is probably working at home, and is often happiest when she is fixing something. She and her husband have four children, two dogs, two cats, a foster hospice cat, and a revolving door of additional foster cats and dogs. Kate has been known to utilize the same positive training techniques used with dogs on her own children.
Jessica Titzer
Team Member
Jessica Titzer is originally from Newburgh, IN. She attended Bellarmine University, and now works as a full time registered nurse for Jewish Hospital’s transplant program. While at Bellarmine, she spent a semester abroad in Australia. Jessica has always had a love for animals and has worked with animals in a volunteer capacity off and on since she was young. She was the volunteer of the month several times at her hometown animal shelter, where she gained experience working with dogs of all backgrounds and personalities. She was particularly valued for her patience in getting shy and timid dogs to come out of their shells.
Jessica has two beloved pets: Parker, a spunky little mutt from the Kentucky Humane Society, and Phoebe the cat, who is also a rescue. When she isn’t at the hospital, Jessica likes to decompress through spending time with dogs as part of the Outdoor Dog Adventures team. If she is not working at the hospital or walking dogs for Outdoor Dog Adventures, Jessica can be found spending time with her pets, binge-watching Netflix, dabbling in indoor rock climbing and taking advantage of the wonderful parks of Louisville.