Victoria Stilwell Positively

Victoria joined hostess Susie Essman, Jerry Seinfeld, comedian Larry Miller and actress Taraji Henson on a recent episode of "Curb: The Discussion" - a new show which features panelists discussing an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm".  On this episode, the panel discusses 'The Doll', and the discussion ranges from locks on bathroom doors to 'gifted' children and beyond.

Victoria is proud to announce the premiere of her new Victoria Stilwell Positively Podcast series. 

With the launch of the inaugural episode in June, 2010, Victoria will regularly provide fans and dog lovers around the world with unique insight into her life and work throughout this fun, educational and lighthearted podcast series.  Joined by co-host (and It's Me or the Dog alum) Holly Firfer,Victoria is excited to have the opportunity to interact with fans through this intimate platform.

"I'm really thrilled about the launch of the new Positively Podcasts, and I can't think of a better co-host for the show than Holly," says Victoria.  "Not only is she a funny, dog-loving, consummately professional on-air talent, she is also a good friend.  We met when I worked with her and her husband Shawn on the Monstrous Mutts episode during the first US season of It's Me or the Dog."

Positively Podcast Co-host Holly Firfer

In addition to tackling the hottest dog and pet-related topics of the day in each episode, the Positively Podcasts will feature such recurring segments as:

• Ask Victoria  -  Listeners and fans of the show get their questions answered by Victoria on the air.
• Victoria's Animal Academy  -  Victoria quizzes Holly on dog trivia.
• Doggie Did You Know?
• Fascinating Furry Facts.
• Victoria's Secrets  -  Victoria dishes the inside scoop and provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her TV show, events, and private work.
• Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer profiles.
• Celebrity Interviews and much more.

Fans can listen or download the free episodes on the main Podcast page (www.positively.com/podcasts), and they can subscribe to the free podcast series on iTunes.

Victoria interviewed on BBC Radio London.  Download or listen here: 

Victoria is teaming up with O - The Oprah Magazine to offer a free training session to one lucky reader in the Atlanta area. As part of the magazine's Makeover section, Victoria has agreed to provide a dog behavior 'makeover' which will be featured in an upcoming issue of the popular womens lifestyle magazine.

Submissions are now being accepted to enter the contest and win the free training session with Victoria.  In order to enter, you must:

• Be a woman
• Live in or around Atlanta, GA
• Be available for a training session makeover on June 10th, 2010
• Be willing to be featured in O - The Oprah Magazine
• Be an O - The Oprah Magazine reader
• Attach a recent photograph of yourself to your submission

If you match all of the above criteria and would like to enter, please send an email to oprahcontest@positively.com with ALL of the following information:

• Your Name
• Your Atlanta address
• Your Phone Number
• Your Age
• A recent photograph of yourself
• A brief description of the type of problem you are having with your dog(s).

Please note:  If you do not attach a photograph of yourself to your email submission or if you do not live in or around Atlanta, your submission will not be entered into the contest.

The It's Me or the Dog casting team are currently in the NY tri-state area seeking dog owners from a variety of backgrounds, with extraordinary circumstances, who are desperate for help! 

If you are the owner of one (or more) out-of-control dogs and need Victoria to come help restore order to your household, come to one of the open casting calls listed below or click here for more information about how to apply to be on the show.

Upcoming NYC casting events:

Thurs 5/20 @ 3-8pm
Hoboken Unleashed
716 Clinton St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 798-6300
www.hobokenunleashed.com

Friday May 21st 5-7pm
Sutton Pets
311 E 60th St
New York, NY 10022

Sat 6/5 @ 7-9am
June Coffee Bark
FIDO In Prospect Park
www.fidobrooklyn.org

Victoria is excited to announce that she will be bringing her dog training TV show, It's Me or the Dog, to the New York metropolitan area this summer.  The upcoming season of the hit Animal Planet show will be filmed in and around New York City beginning in June, 2010. 

"I'm really excited to be coming back to New York City, where I lived and worked for several years before I began filming It's Me or the Dog in the UK," Stilwell explains.  "I gained a lot of invaluable hands-on experience as a trainer by working with rescue dogs from many of the area's fantastic rescue groups in New York, and I'm thrilled to be able to return there now with the show to help dog owners in and around the city through some of their dog problems."

Stilwell says that she's a better trainer today because she had to overcome many of the challenges of working as a dog trainer in New York City.  "Starting my own dog training business in New York City was daunting," Stilwell says, especially for a young woman from the leafy suburbs of London.  "I volunteered as a behavior counselor for several of the rescue groups that went into the toughest part of the city to get dogs out of pretty terrible conditions - fighting dogs, abuse cases and the like.  So a lot of the dogs I worked with there were some of the most extreme cases I've ever seen, but that was really valuable experience for me as a trainer." 

Stilwell also says that seeing the progress that even such damaged dogs could make was inspiring.  "My passion as a positive reinforcement trainer was really cemented by seeing how effectively positive reinforcement techniques were in dealing with these amazingly resilient dogs.  I'm really excited to be coming back to New York to continue to spread that message."

The casting team for It's Me or the dog has begun an extensive search to find the most unruly, boisterous and out-of-control dogs in the New York metro area. 

For information about how to apply to be on the show in New York, click here.

Victoria is proud to be offering a free, in-home training session to one lucky winner of a new sweepstakes contest promoting the upcoming Marmaduke motion picture starring Owen Wilson.  Entries can be submitted to the "Live Large & In Charge" sweepstakes between April 28 and June 4, 2010, and a winner will be drawn at random on June 7th.  As the grand prize, Victoria will fly to the winner's house and conduct a complementary training session with the dog and winning family.

For information about how to enter the Marmaduke sweepstakes, click here.

Victoria joined Martha Stewart on Thursday, March 4th to help train her new Chow puppy and several other dogs.  Watch the video here.

At a ceremony in New York on February 13, 2010, Victoria was honored as the 2009 Trainer of the Year by Dog World® magazine at the 55th Annual Purina® Pro Plan® Show Dogs Of The Year® Awards Presented By Dogs In Review®. The 2009 Trainer of the Year award recognizes a trainer who exemplifies excellence in canine behavior modification.  Read the press release here.

Victoria Stilwell was included in the 100 Best & Brightest  feature in the February/March 2010 issue of The Bark.  In the section entitled, “Bark 100 Teachers B+B,” Victoria was praised for her no-nonsense positive reinforcement-based approach to dog training.  Read it here.