When obedience training for your dog isn't working, there is another option. Enter Clever Canines, where the focus is more on dog behaviour. “Training looks at obedience commands, looking at a dog to sit, stay and come. Those are all important things, but when you look at the behaviour, you look at how dogs think,” says Tracie Nielson, owner and founder of Clever Canines.
Tracie became passionate about dog training after an emotional experience with her own dog. “He attacked other dogs, kids and strangers. He was very challenging. I became afraid of him because he had bitten me,” Tracie recalls. “Two professionals said the dog was a ticking time bomb and should be euthanized.”
After the dog bit Tracie again, she was ready to put it down. However, her vet refused, suggesting instead that she shift her focus from training to behaviour. “I started getting amazing results,” she says. “His behaviour started to change and I became passionate about sharing that with others.” She soon gave notice at her job and committed to becoming a dog trainer full time.