Canine Connection Training & Coaching (2025)

03/09/2025

One of the biggest things I coach people on is softening their expectations. 😳

Expectations can quietly rob us of presence, joy, and connection.

We often place expectations on our dogs… who we thought they’d be, what they “should” like. But expectations are rarely about them. They’re about our need for control, and certainty - to establish a sense of internal and external safety. ❤️‍🩹

We come in with ideas of how our dog “should” behave… how fast progress “should”happen… how our life “should” look.

But rigid expectations close us off to the potential of what’s actually unfolding.

When we try to shape our dog (or our partner, or ourselves or our reality) into a fixed idea… we miss the magic of who they really are or what is actually happening. ✨

What if we explored the potential in front of us, instead of trying to force an idea?
 What if you got curious instead of controlling?

What if we let go?

What if we met our dogs, our children, our situations, our loved ones and life as they are, not as we wish they’d be? Yes, this can be confronting and hard. It can require grit, pivots, forgiveness, self trust, adaptability…

Letting go is HARD. And scary.

AND, there is sometimes ease in surrendering to what’s actually in front of us. Even when it’s hard to accept. 💕

The dog we have might be more extraordinary than the one we dreamed of, if only we’re willing to see it.

Let go of the “shoulds.” Lean into what is.
You might just find that there is more to appreciate than you realized. 💛

30/08/2025

Sometimes we’re caretaking for others in a loving way, and in truth, sometimes we’re caretaking for other’s as a way of avoiding ourselves.

I’ve been reflecting on this lately, as I move through the day-to-day of being both a mother and a dog mom. It’s easy to think that I’m fully “there” for my son, my dog, or anyone I love… especially when I’m prioritizing their needs over mine. But what I’ve realized is the depth of our ability to hold space for others is limited by how deeply we hold space for ourselves.

As a natural tendency, I rush to soothe, to fix, to make sure Cedar, is comfortable or that my baby feels calm. It’s this deeply ingrained pattern of prioritizing their emotional state to feel my own sense of peace. But it’s a precarious balance, because it’s not sustainable. If I’m constantly putting my own peace on hold to regulate theirs, I’m not truly nurturing them, I’m simply operating from a place of scarcity.

There is no lasting peace in codependence.

If I neglect my own emotional grounding, I only perpetuate the cycle of anxious energy.

To truly show up for the ones we love, including our beloved dogs, we must first become willing to care for ourselves… to create a foundation of calm from which we can then act, not react.

It’s not about ignoring their needs or emotions… it’s about noticing how often we neglect our own in the process.

I’ve learned that Cedar, like my son, is not only a companion but a teacher.

He’s helping me confront where I lean too far into fixing, into doing, into neglecting my own emotional landscape. These animals, our dogs, mirror the things we often can’t see in ourselves.

True care is rooted in balance. It’s grounded in self-awareness. And it’s not about fixing others, or ourselves, but learning how to hold the space where their emotions and our own can coexist, without losing sight of our own needs.

Taking care of you, really caring for you, is the foundation for everything else. And that, I believe, is the greatest act of love.

23/08/2025

One of the most tender lessons I’m learning in this season of life… being a parent to both a small human and a four-legged companion, is just how much of my own sense of peace has been tied to whether the ones I love are okay.

I notice it most in the little moments, like when my baby cries longer than feels bearable, or when Cedar, my sweet dog, looks at me with worry in his eyes because I’m anxious. My nervous system jumps into gear to fix it, before I even know what’s happening. And I’ve started to see how familiar that is… how much of my childhood taught me to regulate others in order to feel safe myself.

Despite popular perspective… codependency isn’t always about needing someone. It’s often about needing them to be okay so that we can be okay. That need runs deep in me. And if you’re someone who grew up trying to read the room to feel safe with a parent, trying to avoid causing conflict to keep the peace in your home… you might recognize this pattern of codependency too.

It doesn’t just show in human parenting, but it often shows up in how we care for our dogs. The urgency to soothe, to fix, to anticipate… to never miss a need.
To ensure they are okay before ensuring we are okay.
To fixate on their needs over our own.
To make them happy before making ourselves happy, or in order to make ourselves happy.
To be anxious and unsettled until their needs are met, as if they are all intertwined.

I’ve caught myself holding Cedar’s emotions and needs with the same intensity I hold my son’s AND mine. I can’t deny how the care I pour into my son & Cedar touches the same tender place in me… that deep desire to ensure those I love are happy & okay, for me to be happy & okay.

Caring for Cedar has been practice for how I’d learn to care for my son. It’s a practice in grounding ME, before grounding them.

I’ve learnt that our dogs often become a place we practice the kind of unconditional, attuned love we hope to give (and maybe never got). In that way, they’re more than pets. They’re teachers. They’re mirrors. They’re little rehearsals for the way we might need to learn how to show up for others, and ourselves.
What a gift ❤️

25/07/2025

With a full heart and a little lump in my throat… I have officially stepped away from my coaching work as I prepare to welcome a new little being into the world. ❤️

Becoming a mother is a journey I’m deeply excited for, and it’s also bringing up so much reflection about the work I do, and how profoundly connected I feel to it & all of you. ✨

Supporting overwhelmed pet parents emotionally… walking with you through the burnout, the guilt, the hard moments and the joy, it’s been my soul work. 🙏

I don’t know exactly how long I’ll be away. What I do know is that this heart-centered, safe support for pet parents is deeply needed and I’m going to miss it like crazy. 🫶🏻

If you want to work with me… and dive deep within, and get the grounding, clarity, and emotional resilience you’ve been craving in your life & with your dog, or get an intuitive reading… jump on my waitlist in the link in my bio. 💗

Whether you’re navigating their reactivity, your overwhelm or hopelessness, decision fatigue, or just trying to be the best pet parent you can be, I’ll be here for you again soon. 😍

Thank you for meeting me so vulnerably and openly, allowing me to do this “work”.

Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and your relationships with your dogs.

Becoming a Mom has already been one of the most spiritual experiences I’ve ever had. There’s been a deep sense of unbecoming — to become again. 🧘‍♀️

I haven’t met the newer me yet, but the space in between has been beautiful. Pregnancy for me has been just long enough to shed the old wings and grow the new ones. I cannot wait to see what is forged through the rite of passage that is motherhood.

Thanks for being here, and see you soon. ✌️💕✨

Ps - my training team is still in FULL OPERATION in Vancouver & the Comox Valley, so reach out to book training & we’ve got you covered!

23/07/2025

Ever notice how the unsolicited and sometimes even rude advice/opinion about your dog that really gets to you is the stuff that lingers in your chest for hours after hearing it?

The stuff that makes you want to pounce at someone with defensive rage? Or over explain yourself or your dog’s situation so you feel understood? Or shrink and disappear because someone said that one thing that you consciously or subconsciously worry might in fact be the truth about you (or your pup)?

Maybe someone tells you your dog needs more “discipline.” Or that you’re “too soft” because you prioritize connection over correction. And it irritates you.

Not just because it’s unsolicited, but because it touches something deep within you that already has a story attached to that thought… it’s like that person’s words gave permission for your hushed inner thoughts to get LOUDER. Your inner critic starts screaming “I told you so”. You might start to doubt yourself. Your truth. Your perspective. You approach. Your ideas.

That discomfort? It’s information. FOR you.

Sometimes, that irritation is a giant cue, pointing to your truth or stories you’ve adopted about you (and your dog), that might need your increased awareness. It’s someone else showing you what you might already (hide and) think about you (and your dog)…

So when someone really pi**es you off (haha, it happens), ask yourself:

✨ What are they saying that I might somewhere also believe?

✨ Why does this activate me so much?

✨ What about them or their perspective, reminds me of something about me or mine?

✨ Can I get curious about how I feel after this interaction instead of just angry at someone else for “making me feel this way”?

And hey, maybe they are totally in the “wrong” and what they said or how they said it was unfair, unkind, unnecessary, and untrue… and if that is the case… and you can get clear on that — you might find that the icky feeling after the interaction doesn’t in fact linger. Because you’re super clear on what is true for you, and your dog. ❤️

17/07/2025

Here is an ode to my best friend, as we transition into new territory — for both of us. ✨

He’s been an important friend to me.

I believe dogs are our mirrors — showing us truths that we do not always see. 🪞
Our wise teachers — yes, especially in the chaos. 🙏
Messengers for our highest self — reminding us to listen to our inner knowings. ✨

Cedar has been no exception.

To the dude who saw me through heart break & became my steadfast companion.
Who snuggled me when an empty bed was loud & painful.

Who sat with me through the traumatic loss of my father.
When both relief & sadness found a home in my heart.

Who was my wing man during the season of SO MANY dates.
When I lost trust in my judgement, I was thankful for his.

Who showed me when we found the right one.
When he laid on his feet and told me “his heart is our home”.

Who accepted me (and astutely avoided me) in all of my moments of short patience, frustration and anxiety.
When I didn’t know I needed to make changes, he showed me the way.

Who forced us to rest, find peace in nature, and honour that less really is more.
When the city was too loud, and the stimulus too much, he inspired a leap of faith into a quieter existence.

Who showed me that we’re allowed to change our minds.
When nurturing a family of my own became intriguing.

Who showed me that chronic pain impacts our reality.
And it doesn’t rob us of our joy.

Cedar shows me resilience.
Day in & day out.
He shows me that discomfort, and sensitivity don’t equate to less quality of life.
That our unique needs deserve to be met.
That beauty & joy can be found and experienced, even if it looks different than you imagined it would.
That adaptability is a super power.
That it’s better to try and fail than not try at all.
That every opportunity to chase what you want, is worth the risk!

I cannot wait to see how our friendship shape-shifts as we welcome a little human into our home.

But I promise him, and I promise me, that guilt won’t win. We’ll learn to adapt, and pivot, and find new ways of connecting. Just like we always have! 💗

What are you thankful for that your dog has taught you?

07/07/2025

Just because someone else’s method “works” for their dog doesn’t mean it’ll work for yours. And, don’t be afraid to say that out loud!

Don’t get me wrong.

I have strong opinions about not using pain, and physical discomfort, or threatening body language to achieve our goals with our dogs.

I don’t think it’s necessary. Or kind. Or effective, long term, a good chunk of the time.

But that also doesn’t mean my way, is going to be YOUR way. You get to make informed decisions. And you should!

Informed means slowing down. Listening inward. Ask questions. Remaining curious. Getting clear before taking action.

Just because a technique is popular, loud, or promoted by someone with a huge following… doesn’t mean it will feel good in your body. Or your dog’s. and certainly doesn’t mean it’s the “right” way for YOU!

Your truth & what is right for you is not a copy-paste template.

It’s a felt sense. An intuition. An inner whisper. A way of being that fits FOR YOU & YOUR DOG.

If something pinches, whether it’s a training tool, a mindset, or a suggestion from a well-meaning friend, I encourage you to loudly listen to yourself and politely say:
 “That doesn’t resonate with me.”

You are not failing because someone else’s solution doesn’t feel right for your dog or you!

You are not weak. You don’t need to change.

You are refining.
You are listening.
You are building a way that fits your unique connection, and that is something no external recipe can teach you.

Your relationship & intuition is your compass.

Trust it.

02/07/2025

This online community I’ve built over the last decade has been a (mostly) safe space to show up fully authentically me (and you’ve witnessed that evolution)… this has been my favourite place to support others, offer perspective shifts, and connect with like minded beautiful souls from all over the world.

I deeply value you. Your vulnerable shares. Your trust. Your openness. Your heart centred approach to raising your beloved dogs & exploring your relationship to yourself. 💕

Thank you for being here.

In one week I’ll be embarking on maternity leave for an undetermined amount of time. I have conflicted feelings about this.

I’m meeting a new me. A mother. 🤯

I don’t know when she’ll feel called back to this work.
I don’t know what her capacity will be.
But I do know her love of helping people isn’t going anywhere! Get on the wait list (link in bio) if you’re keen to work together when I’m back.

I’ll be on here sharing stories when and how it feels aligned to. ✨

Thank you to my growing local community for holding me, seeing me, celebrating me, honouring me, feeding me, and cheering me on as I embark on this next chapter of being.

And to my sister for flying out to see me sooooo many times this season, and for being my devoted birth partner in case my beloved doesn’t make it in time! I am the luckiest to have a big sister like you. ❤️

I feel extremely blessed to have connected to so many sisters nearby, in such a short period of time. 🥰

My heart (and belly) are full to the brim with gratitude for my local community, my soul sisters across the globe, and my online community. I am feeling all the love.

May you feel it bounce right back & land on each of you. 🫶🏻

24/06/2025

You’ve been showing up for your dog day in and day out… learning, practicing, doing the work. And then suddenly, it feels like everything’s falling apart. 🥵

Maybe your pup reacts in a way you thought you’d worked through.

Or you’re just tired and questioning if you’re even doing this “right.”

I see this all the time, and I want you to hear this clearly: that’s not failure… it’s part of the process of progressing!

Real progress doesn’t look like a straight upward line. It’s more like a loop, or up/down graph. We revisit old patterns/behaviours, not because we’re doing it wrong, but because that’s how deep learning actually works.

When your dog falls into an old pattern, or you do, your nervous systems/responses aren’t backtracking, they’re integrating.

You’re being invited to revisit the same lesson under new conditions, in a new state, with new awareness.

That’s not a step back. That’s THE work.

In fact, apparently the brain grows through what researchers call “desirable difficulties.”

We need small challenges to actually wire in what we’ve learned. Every time something doesn’t go smoothly (and boy, does it not go smoothly sometimes), your system and your dog’s system are being asked to stretch. Can we recover faster than we used to? Can we not dwell on this as long? Can we care less about what other people think? Even those are big signs of progress!

Remember:
✨ Setbacks aren’t the end of your progress. They’re often the beginning of real, embodied opportunity to practice recovery & moving through defeat differently. pssst, that’s a huge part of progress!
✨You and your dog are in relationship, not in a performance. So things are going to get messy sometimes. That’s normal.
✨ You’re not raising a robot. You’re building a connection & new coping strategies - together. And connection is a living, breathing thing that grows through repair, not perfection. Just like in our human connections!

You’re doing better than you think. Promise ❤️

06/06/2025

If you’re moving through your days feeling like something’s off, like you’re circling the same thoughts or stuck in behaviours that don’t serve you… pause.

Take a moment to check in.

What are you intending?
What do you truly desire?
And what behaviours might be quietly pulling you away from the reality you want to live in?

This isn’t about fixing something or judging yourself for the patterns that are hard to kick. Whether within your mind or your finger tips. It’s about noticing. And then adding something DIFFERENT!

Add one thought that feels more aligned.
Add one action that nudges you closer to the version of you that feels more at peace, more connected, more in alignment with what you desire to feel… or experience.

You don’t have to erase the old to build something new.
You just have to begin with ONE new thought or ONE new action.
Growth can be gentle!

This might mean taking a different walking route that doesn’t stress you out rather than “pushing through”.

Reaching for your phone and asking someone to listen to you vent rather than holding it all in.

Asking for help rather than doing it all yourself…

What are you hoping to get out of the pattern of?

Canine Connection Training & Coaching

03/09/2025

30/08/2025

23/08/2025

25/07/2025

23/07/2025

17/07/2025

07/07/2025

02/07/2025

24/06/2025

06/06/2025

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