When Karen Hauer was finally able to settle down, the first thing she did was find a dog. She had been desperate to own one but the busy lifestyle of a dancer didn’t allow it. When she was growing up, her family’s dogs had represented stability, joy and loyalty. Being unable to have a pet had left a hole for more than two decades.
Today, she lives in the countryside just outside Preston with four rescue dogs, Betty, Phoebe, Marley and Joey – feeding off the positive energy they bring to her life.
“Every day is an adventure with them,” she says. “They make me smile. Like when they want to join in when I’m doing my face mask in the morning, or they’ll want to participate with me when I’m stretching or learning steps. There’s always something to discover with dogs – they give me something to think about. Everything is new and exciting to them.”
Born in the Venezuelan city of Valencia, Karen grew up surrounded by dogs. Her mother worked for a local veterinary practice and kept four dobermans, plus whatever needed nursing.
Life was turned upside down at the age of eight when her family moved to New York, leaving the dogs behind in new homes. Living in a small apartment, then experiencing the nomadic life of a performer, would make it impossible to have a pet for another 25 years.
“It was all a huge shock,” she says. “Not only had I lost my dogs, I didn’t speak the language and we were thrown into the concrete jungle. It was a very tough time.”
Looking after four lively pups keeps dancer Karen on her toes –
and there are always new places to explore
When Karen Hauer swaps
dance shoes for walking boots,
her dogs are always ready
for adventure
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Steps to heaven
Karen Hauer with Betty and Joey
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It’s more than just a walk…
You lead,
I’ll follow
Paws to reflect
Two of her dogs, including Joey, are missing a leg, but that doesn’t hold them back
Photography: Dan Burn-Forti
It was dancing that proved to be her salvation. She won a scholarship to attend the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and went on to the LaGuardia performing arts school before turning professional.
Having been crowned world mambo champion at the age of 26, she toured as principal dancer in the hit live show Burn the Floor.
“Dancing gave me structure and self-expression,” she says. “I’m extremely grateful to do what I do for a living and to have such a career doing something that I absolutely love. But I also craved some stability. Moving to the UK gave me that opportunity. And it meant I could finally have dogs.”
As soon as the opportunity presented itself, she moved for her first rescue.
“I never thought about buying a dog,” she says. “Not that there’s anything wrong with buying a dog, but there are so many strays out there that need a forever home.”
First to arrive was Betty, a terrier. She came through the global animal rescue foundation Wild at Heart, which found her on a street in Bosnia. Then, 18 months later, she inquired about Marley, a puppy found in a box in Greece.
“He was just a bundle of joy and it meant Betty had someone to play with, which boosted her enthusiasm. She became his big sister.”
Her biggest commitment was taking on Phoebe, a puppy that had been struck by a car in Greece and lost a leg.
“The foundation sent me a video of her and my heart just melted,” she admits. “I wanted to hug her and take care of her. She needed love and care badly.”
“Every day is an adventure. There’s always something to discover with dogs”
Taking Phoebe also meant nursing her back to health. As a dancer, Karen understood injury and rehabilitation, so she set about researching how to build up Phoebe’s strength with specific exercises, ensuring she didn’t set herself back by playing too much with the other dogs.
“Phoebe began to find her confidence and gain strength quickly – it was quite amazing to see,” she recalls. “And you’d be surprised how well a dog can cope with three legs. She’s a pocket rocket now. She can outrun all the others, which is incredible.”
The final member of the family – so far – is Joey, a Hungarian vizsla from Budapest, and also a “tripod”. He was born with a deformed leg which had to be amputated.
“I think he’s perfect the way he is,” she says. “And he adapted fast. He’s full of energy now – he’s become the alpha male of the pack. Phoebe is the guard dog, though: she protects the house and me.
“They are like brothers and sisters. When I come home from work, they all fall into line for attention because I’m the pack leader.”
“Even though they are energetic and need lots of exercise, they give me calmness and they make me laugh, because they’re so funny. I could just stare at them and watch them play. They bring a smile to my face. I’m just grateful to have them and to be able to care for them.”
Today, Karen still has a busy life but she relishes adventure when walking her pack in the Lancashire countryside, whether it’s playing in the local fields or a more strenous hike on Pendle Hill (find your local dog-walking adventures here). Her professional career continues to flourish, so her mother or a friend help out when she’s working.
If she needs a break to recharge, though, Karen takes her dogs on an adventure to Chewton Glen, a dog-friendly hotel on the edge of the New Forest known for its luxurious treehouses.
“I like to go away, but I like going away with my dogs even more because I have to leave them behind when I work,” she says. “That’s why it’s important for me to find somewhere that actually welcomes dogs. I want to enjoy my time with them. Everything’s much better with a dog, and that includes holidays.”
And whatever ups and downs life throws at her, Karen’s dogs are her rock, the thing she can always depend upon.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life, and if it wasn’t for my dogs I don’t know how I would have coped,” she says. “They got me up every morning and offered me consistency and structure. They give me unconditional love and they know when something’s wrong. They’ll come to you, let you hug them and it’s almost like they know not to cause any chaos or anything because you’re down.”
It’s clear how devoted Karen is to her dogs, but she has a strong emotional bond to one in particular.
“Dogs give me the flexibility to be vulnerable or strong. They help me discover things about myself,” she says. “That’s the emotional connection I have with them. But Phoebe is my soulmate. I’ll hug her sometimes and she’ll just stay there and put her head on my shoulder, breathing with me. And it’s just amazing to have that connection.
“She understands me completely, whereas the others would be wiggling around or trying to lick my face or bringing me the ball to throw. With Phoebe, it’s almost like she’s telling me that it’s going to be OK.”
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Looking after four lively pups keeps dancer Karen on her toes –
and there are always new places to explore
Taking Phoebe also meant nursing her back to health. As a dancer, Karen understood injury and rehabilitation so she set about researching how to build up Phoebe’s strength with specific exercises, ensuring she didn’t set herself back by playing too much with the other dogs.
“Phoebe began to find her confidence and gain strength quickly – it was quite amazing to see,” she recalls. “And you’d be surprised how well a dog can cope with three legs. She’s a pocket rocket now. She can outrun all the others, which is incredible.”
The final member of the family – so far – is Joey, a Hungarian vizsla from Budapest, and also a “tripod”. He was born with a deformed leg which had to be amputated.
“I think he’s perfect the way he is,” she says, “And he adapted fast. He’s full of energy now – he’s become the alpha male of the pack. Phoebe is the guard dog, though: she protects the house and me.
“They are like brothers and sisters. When I come home from work, they all fall into line for attention because I’m the pack leader.”
“Even though they are energetic and need lots of exercise, they give me calmness and they make me laugh, because they’re so funny. I could just stare at them and watch them play. They bring a smile to my face. I’m just grateful to have them and to be able to care for them.”
Today, Karen still has a busy life but she relishes adventure when walking her pack in the Lancashire countryside, whether it’s playing in the local fields or a more strenous hike on Pendle Hill (find your local dog-walking adventures here). Her professional career continues to flourish, so her mother or a friend help out when she’s working.
If she needs a break to recharge, though, she heads to Chewton Glen, a dog-friendly hotel on the edge of the New Forest known for its luxurious treehouses.
“I like to go away, but I like going away with my dogs even more because I have to leave them behind when I work,” she says. “That’s why it’s important for me to find somewhere that actually welcomes dogs. I want to enjoy my time with them. Everything’s much better with a dog, and that includes holidays.”
And whatever ups and downs life throws at her, Karen's dogs are her rock, the thing she can always depend upon.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life, and if it wasn’t for my dogs I don’t know how I would have coped,” she says, “They got me up every morning and offered me consistency and structure. They give me unconditional love and they know when something’s wrong. They’ll come to you, let you hug them and it’s almost like they know not to cause any chaos or anything because you’re down."
It’s clear how devoted Karen is to her dogs, but she has a strong emotional bond to one in particular.
Dogs give me the flexibility to be vulnerable or strong. They help me discover things about myself,” she says, “That’s the emotional connection I have with them. But Phoebe is my soulmate. I’ll hug her sometimes and she’ll just stay there and put her head on my shoulder, breathing with me. And it’s just amazing to have that connection.
“She understands me completely, whereas the others would be wiggling around or trying to lick my face or bringing me the ball to throw. With Phoebe, it’s almost like she’s telling me that it’s going to be OK.”