Relational Canine Coaching

As with many of those relationships where we intentionally invite a new being into our lives, we plan, strategize, intuit, and have expectations for it to go a particular way. And sometimes we are awestruck at the deeper and unexpected connection that can come forth from sharing one’s life with such another.

This has certainly been our experience with our furry angel, Beausoleil, who turns nine today. Each day with you Beau, has truly been more joyful, heart-opening, and humbling. Thank you for all the profound love that you deliver simply by being here and being you. Happy birthday dearest darling, we Love and adore you more each day ✨🥳✨

Just taking a moment to paws and reflect ☀️🌊😎

T E A M

B E A U - DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
(lab-shepherd mix)
Beau has the most affectionate, calming, and loving presence. He is a southern gentleman and is an experienced and skilled teacher in boundaries, manners, and ideal social skills. Most notably, Beau is an expert in teaching the Art of Puppy-Eyes, is a certified therapy dog through St John’s Ambulance the past seven years.
C E C E - CREATIVE DIRECTOR
(blue heeler-border collie mix)
Cece plays with every size, energy, age, breed, and ability. She’s adjusts her play style to the style that is presented to her. She’s basically the life of the party
S O N N Y - HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES
(northern-shepherd mix)
Sonny is the guy to go to with any and all grievances. He smoothes things over with his infectious smiles, unflinching eye contact, and soft and fluffy coat, he’ll cuddles and makes all feel seen and heard.

I’m beyond grateful to have these three serving as decoy dogs if you choose to invite them along on coaching sessions. They exemplify the type of relationship and connection needed to overcome the issues and challenges you are experiencing, and help with behavioral challenges by directly influencing your pup as I work with you on psychology education and leadership skills.

My dearest darlings Cece, Sonny, and Beausoleil 🥰

My beautiful Beausoleil ✨💛✨

Do you know the 10-second sidewalk test? If you can’t keep the palm of your hand on the sidewalk for ten seconds, it’s too hot and can burn your dog’s paws.

Please consider early morning walks or evening strolls after sunset during hot summer months, especially during heat waves… a 20-30 minute structured heel walk is decent for high energy dogs, and a decompressing sniff walk is likely more than enough for the calmer/low energy/older dogs. Structured walks drain energy via mental focus, so please consider skipping the dog park and ensure plentiful access to fresh water… and why not work on training new cues indoors to work your dog and tire them out.

😎

Do you know the 10-second sidewalk test? If you can’t keep the palm of your hand on the sidewalk for ten seconds, it’s too hot and can burn your dog’s paws.

Please consider early morning walks or evening strolls after sunset during hot summer months, especially during heat waves… a 20-30 minute structured heel walk is decent for high energy dogs, and a decompressing sniff walk is likely more than enough for the calmer/low energy/older dogs. Structured walks drain energy via mental focus, so please consider skipping the dog park and ensure plentiful access to fresh water… and why not work on training new cues indoors to work your dog and tire them out.

😎

I’m offering 1-on-1 canine coaching online or in person in Mimico,. My approach is to begin by offering psycho-education and increasing your self-reflective capacity so you can understanding how you’re words, strategy, body language, and emotions are landing and contributing to your dogs behavior. Then teach you how to read their body language so you can understand what’s happening for them and speak their language. By harnessing your m relationship you’re working with your dog’s nervous system, and your own, to foster calmness and joy by understanding one another and communicating well.

These points of connection enhance your bond and leadership so that your dog feels safe and trusts you, which overtime can override instincts and improve both you and your dog’s quality of life.

My background in relational psychology and mindfulness play a strong role in my coaching style. You must be willing to put in the time/energy to look inward as well as the time working with your dog to training/rehabilitate in order to see desired shifts in your dog’s behaviors/decisions.

Dogs are masters at reading energy/body language and always know what you’re feeling, they can smell it emotions… so self-awareness plays a key role in your dogs behavior. If you feel unsettled or anxious, they will feel it and react accordingly. Repeated enough those reactions become problematic behaviors.

Because they are so intricately attuned to you, they need you to be grounded and calm and in your leadership mindset in order for them to relax and enjoy their days. Your relationship with them blossoms and the joys of sharing your life with your dog magnifies as you put in the work to understand and communicate with them.

My rates are significantly less than a certified dog trainer because….

(Continued in comments…)

S T O R Y

Hi, my name is Meg and welcome. I’m a psychotherapist-in-training, in my sixth year of grad school and work part time teaching mindfulness and movement therapeutically, and coaching canine parents to raise or rehab their dog to be as calm and well trained as a service dog through love and relationship.

When we got my boy Beau, my former partner and I had a yoga studio and we wanted Beau to be as calm and well-trained as a service dog so we could bring him to the studio everyday. My dear friend (who’s worked for Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides for years) started giving me lessons, and we’d walk our dogs together almost every morning for two years and talked about dog psychology, training, and health most of the time. Eventually, I volunteered myself at Lions and learned obsessively from books, podcasts, and masterclasses. Beau was so well trained - which I cannot take all the credit for, his temperament is also ideal for training as he’s a working breed, quite smart, very calm, and highly food motivated - friends, from the studio, even strangers on the street were quite taken with him and struck by our bond. Soon people began asking me to board and help them train their dogs.

During the pandemic our yoga studio () closed and I stepped back from teaching. I got a job working full-time for a dog walking company (). What a gift and an incredible education; two walks a day at High Park, a handful of us running our dogs together, each with our 6-8 dogs (in other words, 50-60 dogs per day). This field training brought everything I’d learned together, and then some. My boss knows her stuff backwards and forwards and through her mentorship I deepened my ability to read body language, and harnessed my leadership skills and confidence.

Thrilled to support my friends MUTTS Dog Rescue] and share some ways to fostered a deepened relationship with you and your mutt, and strengthen your overall connection. ✨🙏🏼✨

Posted • MUTTS Dog Rescue]
Join us for our very first virtual Trust & Leadership Session with Coach Meg () on
Saturday, December 4th from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 🦮
 
Join us for a fun and interactive session where you will learn cues to build trust & leadership in your relationship with your pup. After the informational session, participate in a Q & A and have your questions answered.

The fee is $25/registrant with 100% of proceeds coming directly to MUTTS to continue helping dogs in need.

Meg is a full time dog walker, with years of experience volunteering with Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. She also has personal experience training her own 3 rescue dogs.

If you’re interested in attending the session, please send an email to [email protected] with your full name and email and EFT to [email protected] to secure your spot. Zoom details will be provided via email.