Why train dogs? What was it exactly that made me want to work alongside our canine companions and their people?

I have always been a dog lover since I was a child. Curious about their nature; their playfulness, how they could learn, and what we could learn from them. Then I became the owner of my own dog Blue. A huge part of the reason I do what I do now. We have a great relationship but it wasn’t always so great. I thought of myself as a  ‘natural’ with dogs. I was about to be given an important lesson that I may have known a little but there was a whole lot more I didn’t know about raising a dog.

We went through the motions of problems I help people with today. Chewed up shoes and clothes, toileting in the house, howling when I would leave for work. And I didn’t understand why! I found a lot of traditional and aversive information out there. The focus seemed to be on ‘alpha roles, hierarchy/ dominance’ . An emphasis on showing your dog who is ‘boss’ or punishing them to get results.

Without a full grasp on positive training yet, I knew this was something that didn’t sit right with me. Implementing some more gentle approaches with Blue, our relationship improved greatly with a few basic changes. Enrolling in a Dog Psychology Training Course I began to seek experience in different areas with dogs; shelter volunteer, assisting at a groomer, and working with individuals and families.

I had come across Victoria’s show ‘It's Me Or the Dog’ and I admired her use of positive methods and her ability to help people and dogs lead a happier coexistence. I enrolled in the Victoria Stilwell Academy knowing this was the type of dog training community I wanted to be a part of. Blue is 16 years old now and yes you can teach an old dog new tricks! More importantly, we have a relationship based on compassion, boundaries, respect, and a whole lot of history.

Now I help other people do the same with their dogs. I help dogs and people lead happier lives together. That’s a pretty great thing to do!
"Dogs do speak. But only to those who know how to listen" ~Orhan Pamuk