Meet Your In-Home Dog Trainer
Over 10 Years of Experience Living with and Learning from the "Difficult" Dogs
In 2016 I got a Saint Bernard puppy with the goal of using her as a therapy dog. What I didn't know at the time, however, was the same mistake that many of my clients make-- that a dog's personality and temperament are not "all in how you raise them". Rather they are a combination of genetics, learning, and environment. Fast-forward ​to about a year and a half later, when Dinah was now reaching social maturity.
​
In the dog training world we recognize that social maturity is the time that you really begin to learn "the dog that you have"; not just the goofy puppy that you've been raising. While Dinah had been very social as a young dog, around this time I began to see early signs of aggression and reactivity. I "tried it all" with her before I was willing to admit I was in over my head: e-collar training, prong collar, harnesses, head-halters, force-free training, compulsion training, increased activity, dog sports. Believe me when I say we have been through it all together. ​​​​​​​
Where the "Reform School" comes in.....
After quickly realizing that for some dogs, obedience commands DO NOT change behavior and mindset, I flew with Dinah down to California to stay at The Michael Ellis School for a few weeks to get a better grasp on dog behavior, obedience, and aggression. At this point it was clear that Dinah not only displayed territorial aggression; she was also displaying handling aggression at the veterinarian, resource guarding, stranger-directed aggression, and dog-directed aggression. We joked that she needed to go to "reform school".
I will never deny that she was an unsafe dog at this time, in large part because I was an inexperienced handler who had no confidence with a dog of her temperament. While at the school, surrounded by people who not only understood aggression in dogs but also didn't vilify it, I began to learn how to handle, interact with, and respect my dog for who she is. The fear I had over her behavior disappeared, and was replaced over the coming months with a level of confidence that I aim to instill in all of my clients who live with "difficult" dogs.
The more we know about our dogs and their behavior, the better equipped we are to help them navigate the world safely with the skills they need. I remember being at that school and watching people walk their dogs (serious dogs) around on just a slip leash and thinking I would never be comfortable having my dog on such minimal equipment. Dinah and I's relationship and handling have changed so much since then. I continue to use many of the skills I learned there with client dogs today. ​
Taking a hard left turn......
While I taught group classes and took on private behavior-mod clients, I continued to take part in regular training opportunities specifically focused on aggression and reactivity. Through these trainings and with clients, I helped many individuals who were exactly like me several years ago-- struggling with dogs beyond their abilities and skill level. I found many of these people also struggled in another area of life with their dogs, and that was how dogs like ours can receive medical care safely. Many pet and working dogs are "one-person dogs". Shortly out of grad school, I took a sharp career pivot and became a veterinary technician to better understand (and help) those dogs who struggle so much in a care setting. This not only greatly improved my handling and reading of scared, stressed, and aggressive dogs in general, but also expanded my knowledge of Cooperative Care training. I also continued to learn about the often direct connection between physical health and behavior, which is regularly overshadowed by the safety concerns of bringing these dogs into a vet hospital. Nothing makes me happier as a trainer than going to veterinary appointments with an owner, with a plan in place, and setting the dog up for success so that they can see what their dog is actually capable of accomplishing. Having done training in both Fear-Free and Sophia Yin's Low Stress Handling, combined with years of working in the veterinary setting, I have become incredibly knowledgable in how to provide care to the dogs who struggle the most there.​
It's a dog's life.....
After almost five years in the veterinary field, and almost ten years as a trainer specializing in behavior modification, I recently knew it was time for a change. I now work in the shelter world, as Greenhill Humane's Behavior Coordinator in Eugene, Oregon. This job captures every facet of my knowledge and puts it to use for the betterment of dogs and my community. I am still very active in the training world, but now take on a limited number of private clients who have often been to several trainers prior and are still struggling with behaviors like reactivity, aggression, and fear. I also take clients who have working breed or "higher need" puppies, who want to ensure that they are doing everything that they can to start their new family members out on the right foot. All of my training, both in the shelter and out, is centered on relationship as a catalyst for change. Without the proper relationship in place, there is no hope that we can change how a dog sees us and, by extension, the world around them. I pride myself on integrating my knowledge of play, neurobiology, the nervous system, biologically-appropriate enrichment, and multiple training modalities into how I implement behavior modification plans with every dog I work with.
​
I just need you to know, you CAN have a better life with your dog !
