The journey to turning into a canine coach is exclusive. Stephanie Williams shares her story in OneMind Canines – From the Dog’s Perspective podcast. She is from the US and at the moment owns 5 canine. She is captivated with bettering canine agility and serving to others do the identical.
Stephanie comes from a background in educating—she used to show music to center faculty college students. Round 13 years in the past, she determined to take her ardour for educating into canine agility, and now she is prospering as a OneMind Canines coach with 5 agility canine dwelling at house: a Border Collie, three Shelties, and an older Springer Spaniel who was her first agility canine.
So, how did Stephanie rework her life to pursue her ardour for canine? What impressed her to make the leap from merely loving canine to working with them as her profession?
Stephanie says that, initially, it’s their intelligence. Canines are so good, they usually have a novel mindset that makes them so totally different from human beings.
Stephanie loves serving to empower canine and switch them into companions and companions. She loves exhibiting them how one can turn into extra unbiased, how one can obtain new issues, and how one can construct confidence by significant actions like agility coaching. To hearken to Stephanie inform her story, try her episode of OneMind Canines – From the Canine’s Perspective.
10 years with OneMind Canines
Stephanie started her journey a decade in the past with OneMind Canines. She was working along with her Springer Spaniel within the agility circuit in Connecticut. There have been some OneMind Canine coaches who would give seminars, which Stephanie beloved to take part in.
Stephanie was capable of begin taking lessons from OneMind Canines coaches and realized simply how extremely impactful and transformative the methodology was.
Stephanie says that she had realized agility in a selected means and used to observe different rivals considering, “We might by no means do this.”
She needed to see her canine thrive and knew what he was able to, but it surely wasn’t till she found OneMind Canines that she realized she might obtain issues like distance dealing with, unbiased weaves, and a lot extra.
Stephanie’s success as a scholar finally impressed her to turn into a trainer, and now, she’s sharing her agility experience with college students world wide to assist them and their pups thrive.
The massive “A-ha!” second
Each coach has a second of their profession after they notice one thing that basically adjustments the way in which they see canine. For Stephanie, that got here from the OneMind Canines method to physique language.
She already knew that canine present us how they’re feeling by their very own physique language. Nevertheless it wasn’t till she received concerned with OneMind Canines how underused physique language was as a communication instrument for people to attach with canine. Utilizing the canine’s pure language as a communication instrument makes it simpler to coach in each pet canine manners and agility, and far simpler to realize the magical reference to the canine.
Overcoming challenges
Stephanie says she hasn’t had any main challenges, however she has needed to work by agility difficulties, equivalent to minor ring stress. She knew her now-retired Sheltie, Mika, beloved competing. She was so good that they had been even approaching the AKC Grasp Agility Champion title.
However her eagerness to win triggered stress for Mika, and this led to anxiousness on the course. Stephanie realized that irrespective of how far your canine advances in agility, it’s a must to preserve it enjoyable. Objectives shouldn’t ever turn into extra vital than your pup’s happiness.
For Stephanie, educating her rescue Sheltie to beat canine reactivity and coaching her to beat her personal stress and fears helped her strengthen their bond. The work that she put into serving to her canine overcome a problematic conduct finally gave them a robust basis for competitions.
Exploring Stephanie’s highlights as a canine lover {and professional} coach
Being an agility handler and OneMind Canines coach has created many rewarding moments for Stephanie. Considered one of her proudest moments is with the ability to compete in Westminster with Mika, who was as soon as unable to even deal with her handler when different canine had been round.
She additionally skilled working canine stroll to her present agility canine Sprint, who she’s at the moment taking to the U.S. Open, European Open Staff Strive-outs, and AKC World Staff tryouts. She was given a spot as an alternate on the European Open U.S. crew.
Stephanie’s experiences along with her personal canine have helped her see the potential in different folks’s canine, too. When she hosts her household canine lessons, she feels a way of pleasure each time folks are available in with behaviors they see as issues, which she helps them see as studying moments to raised perceive their canine.
Whether or not it’s educating their canine to stroll on a leash, getting them to deal with their handler, or mastering primary obedience, Stephanie’s journey has been full of loads of experiences that make her a extra assured, compassionate handler.
By specializing in the on a regular basis wins, Stephanie helps her college students notice that irrespective of your canine’s age or coaching objectives, you may all the time succeed with the proper method.
Studying to see life from the canine’s perspective
Stephanie realized that the OneMind Canines method makes folks higher lecturers for his or her canine. It encourages people to grasp their canine’s minds and hyperlink themselves with their most motivating actions.
She all the time tells her college students that everybody who has a canine is a canine coach. Anybody who has a canine is their trainer and may learn to work with them.
The best problem for homeowners is knowing that shift in communication. Slightly than making an attempt to get your canine to grasp you, it’s about studying how one can perceive them.
When the idea of seeing the world out of your canine’s perspective lastly clicks, it can seriously change the way you prepare and dwell along with your canine. As a substitute of considering that treats will magically resolve any points you’re having along with your pup, you notice that the true reward for them is attending to spend significant time with you.
Stephanie’s ideas for brand new canine homeowners
When somebody is getting their first canine or considering of bringing a brand new canine into their house, Stephanie has a couple of ideas:
- Be affected person. It may be troublesome welcoming a brand new canine into your life, and there are plenty of challenges you’ll expertise. It’s okay to battle and really feel annoyed. There are plenty of highs and lows with a brand new canine as you get to know each other. Keep in mind that these are all pure behaviors you may overcome.
- Begin with the little issues. Primary coaching is the muse of any connection. Slightly than attempt to “repair” your canine, deal with constructing constructive abilities that construct their confidence and assist them belief you.
- Apply daily. Consistency is all the things in canine coaching. Canines thrive off routine, and you’ll incorporate coaching into common actions, like mealtime and going for a stroll.
- Discover ways to play along with your pet from the primary day. Play is so vital as a result of it teaches your canine how enjoyable it’s to spend time with you. Productive play can be structured, so it stops your canine from getting too overstimulated, which might result in problematic behaviors. Study what toys your canine loves and the way they wish to play and begin incorporating playtime into every day.
By understanding how one can suppose out of your canine’s thoughts, you may be taught to understand their very own ideas and feelings. Every single day, Stephanie and the OneMind Canine coaches work to assist folks turn into higher advocates for his or her canine (and canine world wide!) by studying how one can perceive them.
You possibly can join with Stephanie and different coaches by joining our neighborhood in the present day!
Listen to the complete podcast episode and sign up for OneMind Canines – From the Canine’s Perspective podcast publication.
