Why Instinct Canine Training

Instinct Canine Training didn’t begin as a business plan. It began as an instinct.

A desire to do better for dogs, and for the people who love them. A quiet but persistent feeling that training could be more thoughtful, more honest, and far more human than what I was seeing.

And at the centre of it all was Mia.

Mia is my heart and soul dog. The kind of dog who changes how you think, how you listen, and how you show up. She wasn’t easy, and she wasn’t meant to be. She is sensitive, intuitive, deeply aware of energy and environment, and she made it very clear early on that behaviour is never just behaviour. It’s communication.

That lesson became the backbone of Instinct Canine Training.

The Long Way Into Training (and the Right One)

I always wanted to train dogs. That part was never a question.

My path just took the long way around.

I started in college studying Animal Care, then moved into service dog work, followed by several years working in veterinary clinics. Those experiences shaped how I see behaviour. When you watch dogs in exam rooms, under stress, in pain, or overwhelmed, you quickly learn that behaviour, health, environment, and emotion are deeply intertwined.

From there, I worked in pet insurance, a role that provided an immense depth of knowledge about animal health. I gained a deep understanding of the medical conditions dogs face, how they present, how often they’re missed, and how profoundly they can affect behaviour. That experience taught me to always consider health as part of the puzzle. Dogs who don’t feel well don’t act normally. Just like us. That perspective stays with me in every case I work on.

Everything shifted after I got Mia.

I enrolled in dog training classes as a client, wanting to learn more. Curiosity turned into commitment, and I signed up for a one-year apprenticeship. I was hired within six months. I loved that job. It gave me a strong foundation, real-world experience, and mentorship I will always be grateful for. That first start mattered, and I don’t forget it.

When Everything Changed

Then COVID hit.

Like many parents, I suddenly needed to be home for young children navigating online school. (It was, politely, rough.) Training full-time outside the home wasn’t possible, but dogs and their people still needed support, arguably more than ever.

I began taking on clients one at a time. Word of mouth spread. Eventually, I started offering small group classes out of a rented dance studio.

COVID was a defining time for dog training.

Many people rose quickly as “trainers” during that period. Some meant well. Some had confidence without depth. And over time, most of them disappeared. Dog training is a tough profession. Few people realize how much of it is education, admin, emotional labour, and responsibility. And fewer still have the skills required to create lasting results.

That isn’t me being boastful. Far from it.

I don’t think I will ever know enough. This field demands humility and continued learning. What I do know is what my clients consistently tell me, they see something different, and it works.
I’m not sure what the secret sauce is.But I do know I adore what I’m doing.

The 80% You Didn’t Expect

Dog training is about 20% dog.
The other 80% is people.

Every behaviour concern exists inside a real household, with real routines, real stressors, real limitations, and real emotions. If a training plan doesn’t fit your life, it won’t last. And if it doesn’t last, it doesn’t matter how technically correct it is.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that being a dog trainer also meant becoming a listener. A guide. Occasionally, a therapist. Behaviour work requires empathy, honesty, and the ability to meet people where they are, not where we think they should be.

There’s no judgment here. Only problem-solving, clarity, and support.

Mia, My “Good Dog, Bad Dog”

Mia is an incredible dog.

She is intuitive in ways that still amaze me. When my daughter has an anxiety attack, Mia knows. She stays close, grounds her, and helps bring her back down. She’s affectionate, deeply connected, well trained, and hands down the best cuddler I’ve ever known.

She also counter-surfs.

If we leave the house without blocking off the kitchen, she will help herself to the garbage. Yes, I know crates prevent that. We chose baby gates. Life is full of compromises.

She is also a guard dog. She barks to alert. That took me time to accept. For a long while, I tried to train it out of her, until I realized I was fighting who she is rather than understanding her role. Mia taught me to honour the dog in front of me, not the dog I thought I should have. I carry that with every training session I have with clients.

She is my good dog and my bad dog. And she is the reason Instinct Canine Training exists.

Why Instinct Canine Training

Instinct Canine Training is built on relationships.

Dog to human.Human to human.Trust at both ends of the leash.

It’s about fulfilment, not perfection. About building a relationship where dogs feel understood and supported, and people feel capable and confident. It’s about learning how to communicate clearly, trust the process, and trust each other. At its core, this work is about honouring the dog in front of you, supporting the human on the other end of the leash, and creating a relationship that feels steady, respectful, and sustainable in real life. With that, you will have a dog who follows you to the ends of the earth.

That’s the why.

Everything else grows from there. 💜

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