Emily Burke

My first steps into the dog training world began when I got my first dog during covid. He was a Great Pyrenees/ Anatolian mix (Colorado Mountain Dog). Finnley was a timid dog from the start- he had strong fears with everything that was foreign, but was always trusting when I brought him into uncomfortable situations. As a puppy, he was extremely friendly with people and dogs, and I couldn't wait for him to grow so we could explore the world together confidently. At around 10 months, he began to develop strong fear-based reactivity and began to attack dogs and people over what seemed like nothing at the time. My heart was shattered, how could this sweet dog behave this way? I had thought nurture would prevail over nature. Friends and family encouraged me to rehome this dog before he did anymore serious damage. It was a lonely and isolating time, but I refused to give up on my dog. 

I decided to reach out to a dog trainer who specialized in reactive and aggressive dogs. I left that first session with eyes full of tears and determination. We worked every day, on every walk, and in any situation I could think of and Finn stepped up to the plate every time.  He had become a balanced dog after a long year of diligent training: achieving off-leash walking, service dog tasks, confidence in any and all situations; he became all that I had dreamed of and more! 

Our journey was unfortunately cut short after his tragic and sudden passing hit hard, but left me with a sense of purpose: to continue on what he had shown me was my passion...

Dog Training.