My journey
My best friend gained her wings
My dog, Mandy, crossed the rainbow bridge and got her wings. That’s her and me on the photo watching the ducks. She was my soul dog, she saved my life more than once and she left me so brokenhearted that I swore I would never, ever, get another dog because I couldn’t go through that again.
Mandy and I did everything together
We did loads of things together.
IGP training (obedience, tracking, and protection), fun challenges, and Nosework, long walks in the woods, and she often came to work with me.
Life was changed forever after she was gone.
A new lease on life – and dogs…
But then, I started volunteering at a rescue in Pennsylvania, USA, and every day my heart was breaking a little bit more but also healing through the help I gave these dogs. Dogs being abandoned, left to die in the woods, dumped at the shelter or just given up, because “she doesn’t get on with the other dogs”, or because they were being young and a bit rambunctious. Here are just a few of “my” dogs. From left to right it’s Ronnie, Arlo, and Sarge. Below is Ghost (now Freddie).
Volunteering in Pennsylvania
I discovered that I was good at handling the difficult dogs
I was a dog walker, did training, and I was an adoption counselor. I was good at it and got several dogs rehomed while I was there. I’ve stayed in touch with some of the adopters, and the dogs are doing great!
Some dogs were hard to handle, some were mouthy, jumping up, and pulling like freight trains when walking them. Your normal adolescent dogs.
Some had resource guarding issues, or were reactive, and some had separation anxiety. The first dog I adopted out was one of the latter. I tried to help, but I just didn’t know enough at the time. I had already done some short dog
training courses, but then I decided to sign up for Victoria Stilwell Academy Dog Trainer Course (VSA-CDT) and a 3-year behavior course through The School of Canine Science.
I needed to know more!
I did several other courses and webinars from different providers. Among other things I’ve learned the importance of meeting your dog’s needs, about reactivity, about Nosework, Freework and so much more.
I have also now obtained my Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behavior Consultant status and I am finishing up my level 3 AIM Qualification behavior course with The DoGenius Institute.
We moved to England and I got my new dog, Sadie.
It was hard for me to live without a dog, especially when working with them so much. So we picked up Sadie. She was a cute puppy that turned into a land shark, a frenzied snapping monster, who drained my energy. I had gotten her because I wanted to learn to raise a puppy, so I could help others. And boy, did I learn!
I learned that puppies bite for several reasons. That having to go the toilet, being touched, playing too much, not playing enough, not getting to go into the gate to the park, or even being looked at could instigate a crazy biting session. I learned that giving them an outlet helps!
I signed up for Puppy Lab with the School of Canine Science to help me out. It was fantastic! I’ve since helped with both puppy classes and puppy home alone training as well as adolescent dogs and hyperactive dogs for Cotswold Hound in Cheltenham.
I’ve been where you are…
I’ve worked with different types of dogs as well as different behavior and training issues. But, I have also dealt with my own dog having different issues through her adolescence. Adolescent dogs go through fear stages and Sadie definitely did.
She had separation issues
At around 8 months of age, Sadie was fine being left alone for a few hours. But after her first season she suffered a phantom pregnancy that caused – among other things – some separation issues. I had to start over with her home alone training, but by then I had more knowledge and a certification as a Separation Anxiety Pro. That helped so much and she is now fine being alone for up to 5 – 6 hours.
A period of reactivity
Another issue that came especially after the first phantom pregnancy and through her fear stages was reactivity.
It meant I had to do a lot of research on things like pattern games, impulse control, figure out whether it was fear or frustration. to learn more I shadowed a great trainer/behavior consultant near Bath, Adam Daines from Avon Dog Services (Channel 4 The Dog Academy and also a Victoria Stilwell faculty member). I learned so much and am continuing to learn more on reactivity.
Pulling, barking, jumping up!
High drive, easily aroused, and at times easily frustrated dogs can have all these behaviors that make them difficult at time. Barking, pulling, jumping up.
Sadie has had all that and we have worked through it. Some of it we have to work on continuously, which is why I signed up for two masterclasses about frustration and impulsivity in dogs to learn even more. (With Lighten Up Dog Training).
My reasons for working with dogs
These are just some of the dogs that I owe my story and my journey to. The reason for becoming a dog trainer and behavior consultant.
Mandy
Heart and soul dog. Forever missed and loved!
To this day I still cry when I think about her. But I can also smile at the memories. My sweet girl.
Nova
Heart dog. Rescue dog from Pennsylvania and the last dog I got adopted out from there.
Also very missed but I know she has a great life and I am still working with her adopter on some of her behavior issues.
Malakai
Dumped and left to die in the woods. Brought to the rescue old, emaciated, and sick. Probably the dog I’ve cried the most about after Mandy.
He got adopted by a lovely lady in New Jersey and had his happy ending though.
Daisy
Severe behavior issues and bite history. She was misunderstood and in danger of being euthanized. Her handler, I, and some others worked with her. She is now adopted by a behaviorist and lives a happy life with her handler from the rescue visiting her every day.
I also owe so much to this amazing girl Sadie my teacher, my business sidekick, my shadow. Of course she is also a heart dog and my emotional support!
Get in touch for a 30 min free Zoom consultation!
Contact information:
Email: tina@tinashappyhounds.dk
Message through https://www.facebook.com/tinashappyhounds (Facebook) or @sadieandtina (Instagram)
Or go to HOME, scroll down and send a message via the contact form.