Meet Dr. Erica “Ricki” Jackson of Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Erica “Ricki” Jackson.

Hi Ricki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a child a grow up with dogs my whole life and got my first dog, my soul dog, Blue (who has since passed away from cancer) – he was a rescue pup that was my whole world my true soul dog through and through – I got him when I was still in undergrad at Sam Houston State University. I thought I loved dogs before but once I got Blue my life and love for dogs changed and became all consuming. After I graduated undergrad Blue and I moved to Wichita, Kansas where I started my Doctoral program at Wichita State University to become a (human) physical therapist. Blue supported me throughout undergrad and grad school – he was there when I was stressed out over a test or crying over a broken heart. He got me through the very tough doctoral program. I graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2014. I got my license to treat human patients in the state of Texas and was a human physical therapist for 11 years where I managed several orthopedic outpatient physical therapy clinics. When I moved back to Texas to work I decided Blue needed a sister, so I adopted my sweet Birdie from a kill shelter in Dallas. Blue and Birdie became my fur babies and my whole world. With adopting both Blue and Birdie I decided I wanted to give back to the Dallas rescue community and help more dogs find loving homes. I started volunteering in the Dallas rescue community doing the adoption photography to help the pups get adopted (I still do rescue photography my instagram is rickibpetphoto). At this point I was working in orthopedic outpatient physical therapy, volunteering with rescues, and being the best dog mom to Blue and Birdie I could be. Being with my rescue pups and helping rescues were my passions and I loved my life revolving around dogs. In July 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Birdie (she has since passed away from cancer), had surgery to repair her CCL (the equivalent of the ACL in humans). After her surgery the surgeon recommended that she do rehabilitation after surgery – when I found out that dog canine rehabilitation was a career field my mouth dropped and I immediately thought “Oh my gosh that is my calling!!”. Why wouldn’t I want my WHOLE life to be filled with helping dogs – working with dogs everyday sounded amazing! I immediately looked into what it took to become a canine certified rehabilitation therapist because I knew that is what I wanted to do next in my career. I received my certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (out of Missouri) – it involved online work, in person classes, hands-on work, tests, and an internship to complete the whole certification process. Once I was certified I began to work on my business, Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation in 2022. My husband and rescue pup Pepper were both supportive in me following my dream to open my own rehabilitation business and my husband has been my biggest cheerleader and I am so lucky to have him by my side. It was a PROCESS to get the LLC up and running – who knew so much went into starting a business and making it successful – I had no idea and I had my work cut out for me. Once the Pawsitive Impact was up and running, I slowly started to step away from the human physical therapy world and focus on continuing to build my business. I made the full transition from human physical therapist to canine rehabilitation therapist in January 2024 and I haven’t looked back! Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation is now a well established mobile canine rehabilitation business in the Dallas and surrounding areas. I work with all kinds of pups, dogs after surgeries (spine surgery, knee surgery, etc.), senior dogs with arthritis, and neurological dogs (dogs suffering from IVDD and other diagnoses). I absolutely love my job and to have my whole world be filled with helping dogs whether it is with rescue photography or with rehabilitation is the most fulfilling life I could ask for.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! I had no idea what I was doing starting my own business and had to reach out for help. I have two mentors, Francisco and Sonia, that have been with me from the beginning guiding me the whole way and helping me build Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation into the business it is today. They helped me from the start of the business and still help me to this day when I run into problems and I am beyond appreciative of them.

One of the more challenging parts of building my business has been navigating trust and awareness within a relatively specialized field. As a physical therapist working in canine rehabilitation, I operate alongside veterinarians, and while we share the same goal—helping dogs live healthier, more comfortable lives—rehabilitation is still an emerging area in veterinary medicine. Because of that, it can sometimes take time to build relationships and demonstrate the value of what I do within a collaborative care team.

Another challenge has been helping pet parents understand that meaningful, lasting improvement often comes from a thoughtful, consistent rehabilitation process rather than quick fixes. Many people are understandably drawn to solutions that promise fast results, so part of my role is education—guiding them to see the long-term benefits of a structured, individualized approach and helping them feel confident trusting that process with their dog’s care.

Overall, these challenges have really shaped how I communicate, collaborate, and advocate—for both my patients and the profession—and have pushed me to continually build trust through results, relationships, and education.

We’ve been impressed with Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Pawsitive Impact Rehabilitation is a mobile canine rehabilitation practice focused on helping dogs move better, feel better, and live fuller lives through thoughtful, individualized care. As a physical therapist by background, I bring a human orthopedic and neurologic lens into the canine space, which allows me to approach each case with a deep understanding of movement, function, and long-term outcomes.

I specialize in working with dogs recovering from neurologic injuries like IVDD and ANNPE, post operative recovery from knee and hip surgeries, as well as those dealing with mobility challenges, weakness, or age-related changes like arthritis. A big part of what I do is bridging the gap between injury and true recovery—helping dogs not just “get by,” but regain strength, confidence, and independence in a meaningful way.

What sets my practice apart is the level of personalization and the in-home model. I’m able to meet dogs in their own environment, which reduces stress and allows me to tailor treatment plans that are realistic and sustainable for both the dog and their family. I also spend a lot of time educating pet parents so they feel empowered and confident in supporting their dog’s progress between sessions.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the trust I’ve built. My work is rooted in conservative, evidence-based care, and I’ve created a space where pet parents feel supported, heard, and guided—especially during what can be a really overwhelming time. I want people to know that there is a thoughtful, non-invasive path to recovery, and that progress doesn’t have to come from quick fixes—it can come from consistency, patience, and the right plan.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to give dogs the best possible quality of life and to help their families feel confident that they’re doing the right things for them.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I think all of life is made up of good and bad luck – for my business I had the good luck of adopting two very amazing and loving rescue pups that gave me the motivation to have my whole world revolve around helping dogs like them. If it wouldn’t have been for Blue and Birdie I’m really not sure where I would be in my career – probably still managing orthopedic outpatient physical therapy clinics and experiencing severe burn out like most health professionals feel. I don’t think I would feel as fulfilled in my career if I hadn’t had made the change to owning my own business to help dogs live long happy lives.

I wouldn’t necessarily call it “bad luck,” but shifts in the broader economy have definitely influenced how people make decisions about their pet’s care. Canine rehabilitation is still a relatively specialized service, and for many families, it falls into a category of care that requires extra planning and consideration.

What that has taught me—and ultimately helped shape my business—is how important it is to meet people where they are. Every pet parent wants the best for their dog, and sometimes that means navigating real-life constraints like time, finances, or uncertainty about what will truly help. It’s pushed me to become a better educator, to clearly communicate the value of rehabilitation, and to create care plans that feel realistic and supportive rather than overwhelming.

In a way, that challenge has strengthened my business. It’s helped me build deeper trust with clients, focus on long-term outcomes, and ensure that when someone does choose to work with me, they feel confident, informed, and fully supported in that decision.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pawsitiveimpactrehab.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pawsitiveimpactrehab/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089609226585

Image Credits
These are all pictures I took and I have permission from the owners to use the pictures