Training Adventure Dogs

I have been a life long lover of animals and my journey to the dog training world began like so many others… it was inspired by a dog who changed my life. My heart dog, Tucker, a black lab who is now eleven years old, came into my life when I was twenty three. At the time, I had zero background in training, I was fresh out of college, living in a studio apartment and working as an Operations Manager for a day spa and salon. Tucker was found abandoned in a dumpster by my landlord, at the time, and quickly became very sick with Parvo. Thanks to the help of my grandparents, I convinced my landlord to give me ownership and was able to pay the vet bills to help get Tucker healthy. It was at that time, I realized I did not want to leave him home all day while I worked so, I literally quit my job at the spa and took a job managing a dog daycare, boarding and training facility so that Tucker could come to work with me everyday.

A year and a half later, my ambition for working in the dog industry grew and I moved to the Bay Area to accept a better paying job at a larger facility. Six months into my new job in Oakland, it began to sink in that sitting behind a desk and managing a 60 dog run facility was not my dream job. I wanted to make a difference, I wanted to feel like I was truly helping dogs. So, I started researching dog training courses; I found a Master Trainer’s Course in Ohio that peaked my interest and I applied. A month later, my application was accepted and I cashed in all of my paid time off and spent my savings to road trip to Ohio with Tucker to become certified as a trainer. It was an amazing experience to be fully immersed in the dog training world. I learned so much about puppy development, behavior, aggression, working dogs and service dogs. I remember the day I graduated and how I felt like I was ready to take on the world, I was so confident in my newfound ability to begin changing dog owner’s lives through training.

Well, one of the most important lessons you can learn as a trainer is that you are ALWAYS a student. That there is always something to be learned from every dog that you work with. So, let’s just say that the dog training world humbled me very quickly. Upon returning to the Bay Area, I accepted a full-time position as a trainer offering private lessons and board and trains. I would call this company home for the next five years of my life as I built my resume as a trainer through attending continuing education seminars in multiple countries and several states. I gained invaluable experience working with hundreds of dogs of varying breeds and ages.

My most memorable dog being my very first human and dog aggression case, a half Shepherd / half cattle dog, named Kit. She was a size week board and train and I remember feeling completely in over my head with this incredibly independent and aggressive dog. One of these days, I’ll tell you her story but for now; I just want to share the second of the most important lessons that dogs teach us – you get the dog you NEED, not the dog you want. Kit chose me, she is now almost twelve years old and is the reigning old lady of my pack. I have been able to help so many behavioral cases in the past decade as a result of everything Kit has taught me.

Throughout my time working for this company, it was a complete roller coaster ride in which I added four dogs to my life. When I was twenty seven, I imported my first malinois, Savannah, who has since become one of my greatest teachers to date. She is my ride or die, my demo dog for work and she loves training as much as I do. I absolutely fell in love with the breed and ultimately added two more malinois to my *now* pack, Vixen and Sloane after that!

When the company began changing directions and I ultimately felt it was time for me to move on. I had a unique opportunity to move to Texas where I would help start a program that trained ammunition detection dogs for the public school system as a way to help keep kids safe in the state with the highest rate of annual school shootings. I packed my life into a UHaul and loaded up all 5 dogs into my SUV and off we went for a new adventure in Texas. Little did I know that COVID would hit just a month after my arrival which stopped the program in its tracks given that schools were being shut down, funding was being frozen and long story short, I ended up stuck in Texas for ten months waiting for the world to open back up so that I could work. I made the most of that time alone in Texas and completed a grueling online course which included an in-person lab and multiple case studies through the University of Tennessee to become a Certified Canine Fitness Trainer. But, as you know, the pandemic would last much longer than that and this program ultimately never got off the ground. I was fortunate to find a full-time training position up in Boise, Idaho so, once again I packed my life and my dogs and headed North.

I found this log cabin in the mountains above Boise, set on several acres, to call home for the next two and a half years as I was once again training pet dogs through board and trains, private lessons and group classes. I found peace in Idaho, my pack and I got to be outdoors year round. We lived near a beautiful river and reservoir where we would hike, swim and paddle board. I learned how to slow down thanks to the winters here, we would get snowed in often which was always the perfect excuse to spend the day playing in the snow with my dogs and working on our canine fitness indoors. It was during this time that Vixen retired to a life of leisure and a surprise puppy came into my life, Slate.

In helping my dear friends find a reputable breeder for their next Labrador, they surprised me by bringing home a littermate to their puppy, for me! I had zero intention of adding a Slate is now four months old and has been so much fun to raise so far. He has brought a renewed sense of excitement and passion for my job and I am so grateful.

As my contract in Boise comes to an end, I have chosen not to renew it so that I can return home and be closer to my family. In looking to the future, I want to create a platform to share my true passion as a trainer and a dog mom, which is just to give each of my dog’s a full, healthy and fun life. With the Adventure Dog & Co, I want to show why trained dogs have more fun, why healthy dogs are the happiest and to create opportunities for dog owner’s to continue to enhance their life with their dog and make lasting memories. With this blog, my hope is to provide inspiration and ideas on how to implement training, build your bond and how to create healthy habits for your dog.