The Call of the Dogs – Heath Shuler’s Next Play

Story By Nathan Sparks  | Photography by Nathan Sparks & Molly Herb

Appeared in Cityview Magazine, Vol. 41, Issue 6 (Nov/Dec 2025)

I ‘ve spent my fair number of years in East Tennessee. I grew up here—driving down country backroads that wind and weave through hollers and hills, roads paved the old-fashioned way with tarmac and gravel chips, the kind that bubble up with tar spots in the summertime. No lines on these roads, just trust and timing. Two cars can pass, but it’s tight, and both drivers know it.

You wind past everything from million-dollar houses to single-wide trailers, sitting side by side as if money never mattered much out here. Little churches with hand-painted signs—Community Bible, Missionary Baptist, maybe even one that just says Jesus Saves—dot the bends. It’s a landscape stitched together with faith, grit, and
a kind of beauty that doesn’t need polishing.

It feels like home—East Tennessee through and through.That’s exactly how it felt the day we turned down a gravel lane toward what everyone simply calls the farm, to meet with an old friend and a living legend—Heath Shuler. We were there to talk dogs, business, and a life that’s wound its own share of curves. As we rolled onto the property, scanning for the right spot to shoot our cover photo, I had that quiet sense you get when you know the story’s going to be something special.

The air carried the clean scent of cut grass and the low, rhythmic hum of cicadas. A few retrievers trotted across the field beside us—tails high, eyes locked on their handlers. This was no ordinary kennel; it was a place alive with purpose. And as Heath stepped out of a pickup, hand extended, easy smile in place, it felt like I was catching up with an old teammate rather than interviewing a man who’s already lived three extraordinary lives. 

The Boy and the Dog Named Spot

Before the roar of Neyland Stadium or the debates of Capitol Hill, there was a boy in the Smoky Mountains and a dog named Spot.

“She had one spot right over her eye,” Shuler says, smiling. “We’d spend hours roaming the woods behind our house in Bryson City. She’d chase squirrels and rabbits and keep me company before my brother was old enough to tag along.”

That companionship—simple, loyal, and wordless—would foreshadow a lifelong connection between Shuler and dogs. Even now, decades later, it’s easy to trace a line from that childhood bond to his latest venture, Pet Resorts, a thriving business built on love, discipline, and teamwork. 

Growing Up in the Mountains

Bryson City was—and still is—a place where the natural world wraps close around you. “You didn’t have to walk far to be in the woods,” Shuler recalls. “We spent a lot of time hunting, fishing, just being outside.” His father led many of those outings, teaching both sons the rhythms of the mountains and the lessons that only time outdoors can give.

“There was always something to do—squirrel hunting, grouse hunting, fishing on Fontana Lake,” Shuler says. “That’s where my love for the outdoors really started.”

It’s also where his competitive streak took hold. By high school, his athletic ability had caught national attention—and the recruiters followed. 

Choosing Tennessee

When it came time for college, Shuler could have gone anywhere. Notre Dame, Alabama, Miami, Florida—all came calling. “I’ll never forget my trip to Alabama,” he says. “I had a lot of respect for Coach Gene Stallings and Coach Woody McCorvey. I almost committed.”

But family played a role. “My parents said, ‘You promised you’d visit Tennessee,’” he laughs. “So I went. And honestly, that trip changed everything.”

The warmth of the people, the proximity to home, and the sincerity of coaches like Phillip Fulmer and David Cutcliffe sealed the deal. “I wanted my parents to be able to come to games,” Shuler says. “It was an easy drive from Bryson City. And I just felt at home in Knoxville.”

That feeling never left. “Running through the T for the first time,” he says, pausing, “I’ll never forget it. It’s one of those moments—like getting married or seeing your first child born. It’s emotional. To this day, when I watch them run through the T, I still feel it.” 

Orange Glory and Brotherhood

Shuler’s years at Tennessee were filled with electric moments—gritty wins, loyal teammates, and lifelong friendships. “The Florida game in the monsoon stands out,” he says. “And that win at Georgia, between the hedges. But really, it’s the relationships that stay with you—the guys you played beside, whose kids now play together. That’s the legacy that lasts.”

Those relationships, he says, shaped how he later led—on the field, in Congress, and now in business.

The NFL and the Turning Point

The jump to the NFL was natural but not easy. “The pros weren’t as much fun,” Shuler admits with a chuckle. “It’s all business. And then the injury… well, that tested my faith.”

He doesn’t linger on the setback. “I think God had a different plan,” he says simply. “At the time, I didn’t understand it. But looking back, that door closing opened others. And I’ve had some incredible opportunities because of it.”

Politics and Public Service

After returning home, Shuler turned to business development, but his sense of duty soon led him elsewhere. “There were 88 in my high school graduating class, and 27 went into the military,” he says. “That kind of service leaves an impression. I wanted to give back in my own way.”

So he ran for Congress—and won. Twice.

“Politics is a contact sport too,” he laughs. “You take hits, but the goal’s the same—move the ball down the field and make your community better.”

As chairman of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, Shuler found what he calls “the closest thing to a team environment in Washington.” Late nights in the cloakroom reminded him of locker-room banter—except now the stakes were national. “We didn’t care who wrote the bill, as long as it helped the country,” he says. “That’s what I miss most—the teamwork.” 

From Capitol Hill to Corporate Boardrooms

After six years in Washington, he’d had enough. “I wanted to spend more time with my family and less time on planes,” he says. His business background—dating back to his first car wash at age fifteen—pulled him naturally toward the private sector.

He joined Duke Energy as senior vice president, eventually helping lead the largest utility company in the United States. “It was an incredible education,” Shuler says. “And then I started my own business consulting firm, working with executives and companies all over the world. Forty-eight partners—many of them former CEOs. I tell people
I earned my MBA from experience.” 

The Call of the Dogs

Still, something was missing. When Shuler learned that PetSafe Village—the longtime Knoxville pet boarding and training facility—was for sale, it felt like a sign.

“I’d been helping companies restructure,” he says. “And I thought, why not take something I love and build it the right way?”

He bought the facility, renamed it Pet Resorts, and brought in his longtime friend and dog-training legend Mike Osteen, whose reputation in both civilian and military dog training circles is second to none.

“Mike’s the best dog trainer I’ve ever been around,” Shuler says. “He just connects with dogs in a way that can’t be taught.”

Winfield Roots and a Vision for Knoxville

The two men’s history goes back decades—to Winfield Plantation, Shuler’s former quail operation in Georgia that once managed over 100 dogs and earned Orvis’s Lodge of the Year distinction. “We had pointers, setters, German short-hairs—a real kennel of champions,” Shuler recalls.

When the distance made managing Winfield tough, he sold it. But when he moved back to Knoxville, opportunity came knocking again. His brother spotted a property in Loudon, and soon “The Farm” was born—a sprawling new facility blending training, family, and community.

“My dad works here,” Shuler says proudly. “My closest friends are here. Sometimes I take conference calls from the cab of a tractor.” 

Training That Transforms

Pet Resorts now runs full-scale operations in West Knoxville, Loudon, and a North Knoxville location under construction. The Loudon farm specializes in everything from basic obedience to elite field trial and hunt test training.

“We want a dog you can take anywhere,” Shuler explains. “Walk into Home Depot, sit quietly at your feet, ride calmly in the car, or relax at home. It’s about creating structure—for the dog and for the owner.”

Training programs can last weeks or months, depending on the goal. “We’ve raised dogs from puppyhood through full training,” he says. “We even do crate training and house manners. It’s all about creating that perfect companion.”

The Masters Behind the Mission

The Pet Resorts team is a family in itself. Osteen’s sons, John and Grant, now manage and train alongside their father, while rising star Caleb has become one of the region’s most promising young trainers.

“Mike’s trained some of the best dogs in the world,” Shuler says. “He helped develop the U.S. military’s IED-detection program—hundreds of dogs that went on to save lives. And now he’s teaching that same discipline and communication here.”

The results speak for themselves. “People travel from all over—Connecticut, Virginia, South Carolina—to train here,” Shuler says. “It’s becoming a destination.”

A New Kind of Daycare

The West Knoxville facility, meanwhile, hums with activity each morning. “Between seven and nine a.m., it’s like elementary school drop-off,” Shuler laughs. “People who don’t have kids bring their dogs. They come for daycare, socialization, and structure.”

Unlike most traditional kennels, Pet Resorts dogs don’t sit in crates all day. They play, exercise, and even learn manners through supervised interaction. “They learn how to behave—just like kids on a playground,” Shuler says. “It’s about teaching respect and confidence.” Having a well trained dog makes pet ownership more enjoyable for owner and pet alike. 

Building Legacy—Again

When asked what drives him today, Shuler gives a familiar answer: teamwork, family, and faith. “Whether it’s football, business, or dogs, it’s all the same formula,” he says. “You bring together good people with a shared vision and give them the freedom to be great. That’s how you build something special.”

And with Pet Resorts quickly growing into a regional brand, it’s clear Shuler’s not done building. His fields may be quieter than Neyland Stadium these days, but the sense of purpose—steady, loyal, and strong as a retriever’s heart—feels every bit as powerful. 

Author’s Note: Racing the Sunset

After the interview wrapped and the photos for our cover were made, the light began to fade fast across the Loudon hills. We raced against time, cameras slung over our shoulders, the sun dropping low and gold across the fields. Someone suggested, “Let’s bring out a few of the dogs—get them in the water.”

Within minutes, they were splashing through the shallows, arcing after training dummies that cut through the orange light like comets. The water glowed. The dogs, sleek and focused, surged forward in perfect rhythm. My team and I shot until there was nothing left of the day but the hum of cicadas and the soft sound of paws in the water.

Then it was over. We took a few last photos of the team together—Heath, Mike, John, Grant, Caleb—each of them smiling, shoulders squared, dogs pressed tight at their knees. And then we all just stood there.

No hurry. No talking. Just that mutual feeling of gratitude—for the work, for the day, and for the chance to be a part of something done right. We shook hands, each thankful for the other.

And as I packed up my camera, I thought about those old East Tennessee roads again—their twists and turns, their simple beauty, their honesty. Heath’s story, in its own way, feels a lot like those roads. Winding, yes. But always leading home.