06/07/2025
5 Years ago as we were figuring out what the heck was going on with covid I had just graduated from The Academy for Dog Trainers in April and was no longer able to travel to the US to do my other work leading expeditions for NOLS. I had not planned on starting my own business so quickly after graduating but with encouragement from Sarah Pennington, an Academy mentor who also lived in Vancouver, starting this business became a "covid project." At the beginning of June I saw my first clients. By the fall I was running three puppy classes a week because so few people were actually doing in person training and there were so many new dogs, by the next spring I had a waiting list.
...And here we are 5 years later! A new location, an office for clients to visit, more class offerings and a lot of hours of work with a wide variety of dogs, humans and behavioral challenges along the way.
What people forget sometimes is that working with you and your dogs is probably actually what I spend the least time doing (unfortunately). As a small business owner with no employees I spend a huge amount of time also as a:
Web Designer
Accountant
Administrative Coordinator
Driver
Marketing specialist (ok specialist is very generous)
Inventory Manager
Strategy Manager
Sales Associate
But what I still love doing the most is working with you. Watching you watch your dogs learn and feel proud of them, helping provide you with relief from challenges big and small and a path forward, being a listening ear and shoulder to cry on when it just feels REALLY DANG HARD and laughing when these creatures we adore are just so silly.
Thank you to everyone who has worked with me and supported me over the years. Whether we have been in the trenches for tens of sessions, had 1 online consult or a few classes together. Remember - I don't only want to hear from you when you need more help, I want to hear your successes too! So if its been a while and I have not heard from you let me know what you and your dog have been up to lately! How are things going? What do you love doing together? I would love to hear from you - That would be the best way to celebrate 5 years of this journey.
With love,
Jane
