My Story

When I was 16, I convinced my family to get a dog  - Harley, a miniature poodle.

We were first time dog owners, and boy were we in for a surprise!

I originally started following some famous TV dog trainers and their books, and found out pretty quickly there is a reason for the "don't try this at home" disclaimer.

Harley - the puppy I received at 9 weeks old - quickly began guarding bowls, beds, toys, and seemed totally uncontrollable when off-lead.

It was totally the opposite of what I was *promised* on TV.

Everything I did, seemed to do nothing, or made him worse.

Things got to the point where he had bitten a member of my family, ran across busy main roads, and we were living on eggshells around him. We loved him to pieces; we knew we had left things late, and we were running out of trust.

Following "famous" trainers had proven to be a recipe for disaster!

Luckily, I put my problem-solving hat on and with the influence of a local dog trainer- Denise Armstrong of Red Dog Training - we were set on a new path.

I stopped looking to be my dogs "boss" or "leader", and accepted that I needed to be his guardian and caregiver. 

It took patience, consistency, and a change in my expectations to help me, help my dog. 

In seeing him grow, learn, and relax - I found that I had a calling in life.

I want to help dog owners understand their dogs.

Harley passed away in 2023, aged 14 years, and is very missed in our home. My work is his legacy.