ALL ABOUT US

TLDR; I prioritize canine fulfillment and play to build strong relationships and clear channels of communication between dogs and people. 

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My Story

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I'm Emily, and that black and tan creature is Bowie. While I've had a love for dogs my entire life, it was Bowie who began my education (by necessity) into dog training. When I adopted Bowie, she struggled around other dogs and new people, which were tough to manage while living in a city. 

I began to educate myself about dog training through online courses, seminars, and sessions with different trainers. In my early days with Bowie, I focused on strict obedience when I really should have prioritized play first. Play builds strong relationships, confidence, and pure fun. The benefits of play-based learning are well-studied for humans, and the applications of play for raising happy dogs are beginning to be explored. 

Why play? Play teaches dogs how to emotionally regulate, which translates into recalling away from a moose or calmly trotting past your neighbor's barking dog. Play also builds authentic, cooperative relationships between dogs and humans. Nervous dogs learn to trust the intentions of strange humans when they play together. You can also build rock-solid obedience when dogs are properly motivated through play! Once I shifted to a play-based mindset for training Bowie, everything changed. I count Ivan Balabanov and Jay Jack as huge influences in my quest to make dog training as playful as possible. Today, living with Bowie is a pleasure, and I want to help other dog owners unlock cooperative, joyful relationships with their dogs.

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I also own a working line German Shepherd puppy, Blue, who I'll be training for the protection sport of Schutzhund. Blue is turning into a play monster, which I'm excited to channel into high level obedience. The insights I gain from dog sports have improved my work with all dogs. Having the objective yardstick that sport provides motivates me to train to a high level. Outside of the sport world, I am constantly evaluating and integrating new information into my training. 

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My Training Philosophy 

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At its core, my training philosophy prioritizes:

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1. Uncovering dogs' needs and finding ways to fulfill them.

2. Developing clear communication strategies and building a functional, genuine relationship between owner and dog. 

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When dogs are fulfilled and understood, they thrive. Fulfillment looks different for every dog- some thrive on long runs, others at agility competitions, while some are happiest when nose-down, sniffing. I don't have a single method or tool I use for every dog. I use harnesses, prong collars, treat pouches, retractable leashes, frisbees, e-collars, balls on ropes, slip leads, tug toys suspended from trees, and personal play in training sessions. The one commonality in all of my training sessions is play.

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If you're looking to build a strong relationship based on trust, love, and fun (yes! Training your dog, at least how I do it, is crazy fun!), I'd love to help you along that path.