A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US
The Canine Cabin is owned by John and Steph Gerbig, natives of Stacyville, Iowa. Operated by the couple and their children: Jake Gerbig, Melanie Emerson, Kadence Gerbig, and son-in-law, Alex Emerson. Larry and Tenny, the families fur-babies, were the inspiration for opening the new pet resort and help manage the daily routines at The Canine Cabin.
Our team
JoHn GERBIG
Cabin Director
Steph Gerbig
Business Manager
John provides most of the general care of your fur babies while they are visiting The Canine Cabin.
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A little bit about John.
- Where did you grow up? Right here in my hometown of Stacyville, Iowa.
- What do you like to do in your spare time? Woodworking and (insert chuckle), make my wife happy by completing projects around the house. I love watching sporting events and especially those my children are participating in.
- What do you enjoy most about The Canine Cabin?Meeting all the visitors and making their stay as fun as possible.
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We are very fortunate to have such a gentle, pet-loving person, as John, to lead our team at The Cabin!
Steph is co-owner of The Canine Cabin with her husband, John. She resides in Stacyville and is employed by Valent BioSciences as an Accounting Analyst.
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- Where did you grow up? I was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and then at the age of five, my family made the move to Stacyville and I have not moved away since.
- What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to spend time with family and friends making memories. I also love to take photos and be crafty. I also enjoy working with my husband on home projects, coming up with a crazy plan that he always pulls off.
- What makes you the most excited about The Cabin? I really enjoy meeting our customer's fur babies and know we provide a safe and trusted place for your pets to come play and stay. It also makes me happy to be able to provide these services to our local communities and give back as opportunities arise.
- What did you complete to prepare for this adventure? I have completed a Veterinarian Assistant course and a Pet CPR and First Aid course. As Business Manager, I provide the support managing the budget of the building project and also purchase equipment and supplies.
JAKE GERBIG
Cabin Assistant
KADENCE Gerbig
Cabin Assistant
You will see Jake from time to time at The Canine Cabin, mostly on the weekends or Holidays. During the week he is employed with Marsh Floor Coatings, where he works to install gorgeous industrial epoxy floors.
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Let’s get to know a little more about Jake.
- Where did you grow up? Here in Stacyville, Iowa.
- What do you like to do in your spare time? I don’t have much spare time but when I do, I like to fish, hunt, bowl, spend time with friends, watch sports and of course take a nap.
- What do you enjoy most about The Cabin? Spending time with all the vacationing pets and making sure The Canine Cabin is their "Happy Place".
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If your dog(s) like to play, they will probably get to run and play fetch with Jake while visiting the kennel!
Kadence lives in Stacyville with her parents, John and Steph. She is currently attending St. Ansgar High School and participates in Choir, Drama, Cheerleading and Softball.
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- What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to be artsy, which could be doing anything from painting, diamond paintings, styling hair for others as well as doing their make up. I also like to watch movies and TV series such as Grey’s Anatomy.
- What do you enjoy the most about The Canine Cabin? I love to play with all the dogs. And I am also excited to have a job and work on building work experience.
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You will see Kadence at The Canine Cabin whenever she is not participating in school functions. Kadence is planning to take Grooming classes to become another one of our on-site Groomers within the next couple of years. We are excited to have Kadence on our team and to see what the future holds for us with her talents.
Melanie (Mel) Emerson
Cabin Assistant
Alex Emerson
Cabin Assistant
Mel lives in Stacyville with her husband, Alex, and their pup, Tenny. Mel and Alex welcomed their first baby girl in December of 2021, Hadley Jo.
Here is a little more about Mel.
- Where did you grow up? In Stacyville, Iowa.
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- What do you do in your spare time? Take a nap, anything sports related and of course make time to do things with my family.
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- What makes you the most excited about The Cabin? That we get to take care of all the pets! (Note about Mel… she has always wanted to live on a farm where she could have many pets. Although she lives in town, The Canine Cabin will allow her to spend time and love on all the visiting pets).
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- What have you been working on for this new adventure? I will be taking the Pet CPR & First Aid course and have been assisting with some of the administrative items, such as running booking software.
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Mel's full time job is with the St. Ansgar State Bank as a bank teller and still continues with her passion for the love of the game, as the Assistant High School Softball coach in St. Ansgar, Iowa.
Alex lives in Stacyville with his wife, Melanie, daughter, Hadley, and pup, Tenny. He is employed by Little Cedar Coop.
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- What do you like to do in your spare time? (With a smirk on his face) Listen to Frank Sinatra music, smoke Cuban cigars and sip whiskey. Everyone who knows Alex, knows that he always has a witty comeback for everything. He enjoys spending his spare time hunting and fishing.
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Alex is an excellent team member here at The Canine Cabin, always jumping in and helping with any task that is needed. He also serves the local community as a fireman on the Stacyville Fire Department.
You will probably see Alex on some weekends and maybe a day here and there during the week. We are happy to have him as part of the crew!
MASON BISSEN
Cabin Staff
Kinsey Anderson
Cabin Staff
Mason Bissen was one of the first to join our team - he is a great addition to The Cabin!
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A little more about Mason . . .
- Where do you live? I live in the country near St. Ansgar, Iowa with my parents, two brothers Dylan and Adyn, and my sister Ally. We have a dog named Coco, a puppy named Henry, and a kitten named Zazu.
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Mason is a student at St. Ansgar High School and is involved in football and track. In his spare time he enjoys woodworking and tickering around in the garage.
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- What interested you in coming to work at The Cabin? I love animals.
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- What do you enjoy most about working at The Cabin? Mason really enjoys being able to play with the dogs.
Kinsey Anderson is such a joy to have on our team! Let's get to know her a little.
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- Where do you live? Kinsey lives in St. Ansgar, Iowa with her parents and her sisters - Jadyn and Hali. They have a dog named Jersey and a cat named Coco.
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Kinsey is a student at St. Ansgar High School and is involved in volleyball, basketball, track, softball. She’s also part of Big Red, the student council, is a stat girl for St. Ansgar football and works part-time at DeMaris Hardware in St. Ansgar. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with friends.
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- What interested you most about joining The Cabin team? I love dogs!
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- What do you enjoy about working at The Cabin? Playing with the dogs and the stress free environment.
Sigourney (SIG) Gosen
Cabin Staff & Groomer
Sigourney (aka Sig) is such a beneficial member of our team, here is some more about her.
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- Where do you live? I live in Stacyville, Iowa with my husband, Jacob. We have four pets named Hagrid, Pikachu, Mr. Pickles, and Elfo.
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Sigourney also babysits her three nephews in addition to working at The Cabin. In her spare time she enjoys playing video games, home improvement, craft painting, and gardening.
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- What interested you about working at The Canine Cabin? Sig says her dogs are her babies and loves all kinds of dogs. Sig is certified in Grooming Services and is taking appointments now!
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- What do you enjoy about working at The Cabin? She enjoys coming to her very own “work family” and meeting the new pups, along with the friendly environment.