Hi friend!
Meet alix
(and Buster)
One thing I want you to know is that I’m just like you – truthfully. I know how difficult and emotional it can be to own a reactive dog. I’ve been there and know what you’re going through, so let me help you navigate the reactive dog journey.
It’s a pretty well known fact that a lot of dog trainers become dog trainers because of a special (and often difficult) dog in their life. That’s absolutely the truth for me.
How one dog changed everything.
It’s the difficult dogs that change our lives and teach us the most. I fully believe this to be true.
I got Buster at 6 weeks old. Yes, 6 weeks old. No, I don’t recommend that. That’s a longer story for another day, but to sum it up, my sister was the animal control officer that brought his pregnant mother into the shelter as a stray. Once she had the puppies and they were 6 weeks old, my options were to either take him home that day or risk someone else taking him.
As a puppy, Buster was incredibly easy, and we did everything “right.” He didn’t have many issues. Then one day when he was about 1.5 years old, he was bitten by another dog. His sensitive adolescence age and that bad encounter created the perfect storm for a single learning event, and that day changed everything for him. He became incredibly reactive to most things in life – sounds, people, animals, you name it. At one point, he even had behaviorally induced seizures.
I had gotten a puppy solely to adventure with and even compete with in sports. I had big dreams, but those came crashing down Buster became reactive to basically everything.
On more than one occasion, there was literal bloodshed and tears. Then finally, I started to shift my mindset. I realized this wasn’t the life I had envisioned when I brought him home as a puppy, but instead, I was determined that this version of our life together was going to be so much better.
I buckled down on learning and training. I addressed Buster’s underlying emotions and needs to make him feel safe, happy, and confident in the world, and I addressed my own mindset.
Now, Buster and I live the best life – we hike and travel frequently and live our everyday life together easily. Most people would never know he used to be one of the most reactive dogs that all the dog professionals we’ve met through the years have ever encountered.
My professional & educational experience
When I say my life is dogs, dogs, and more dogs – I’m not kidding!
- All throughout high school and college, there were 3 constants in my studies – animals, medicine, and environmental science.
- I’ve worked as both a veterinary technician and veterinary practice manager.
- I switched from veterinary medicine (the burnout is real, y’all) to working in kennel management and program administration for explosive detection canine programs for the United States government.
- I started Fetch for Me, Human in 2012. I’ve taught private lessons and group classes ranging from puppy manners to adult obedience to scentwork and backyard agility.
- Trust me when I say that I’m a self-proclaimed dog nerd! I enjoy spending my spare time taking courses and reading/researching the latest dog topics – training, new medications and treatments, nutrition, and my latest obsession, herbalism. I make it a point to connect with other dog professionals and attend events and trainings as much as I can.
Get to know me
Get to know Buster
The unique framework
The Wellness Wheel
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills and knowledge into the unique framework I use as the foundation for all of my cases, The Wellness Wheel.
The Wellness Wheel is made up of 6 pillars that I believe are the foundation for living a good and active life with our dogs. With this functional approach to training, we take the whole dog into consideration, instead of just the outward display of behavior. This allows us to create a complete plan to support the dog completely, both mentally and physically.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
The Fetch for Me, Human Podcast
Since I drive a lot to and from my adventures with Buster and listen to podcasts during those times, I started my own podcast for you as a reactive dog owner! You’ll get actionable dog training advice, health wellness tips and tricks, and advice on traveling with a dog delivered directly to your earbuds once a week!
My Mission and Methods
the mission
the methods
My Memberships & Certifications
because continuing education is important!
What I’m Currently Working On
because I’m a nerd
and my studies will help you and your dog!
Courses
- Raw Fed & Nerdy Full Course
- Kim Brophey’s L.E.G.S Course
- Michael Shikashio’s Master Course Aggression in Dogs (summer to fall 2022)
- Canine Energetics by Rita Hogan
- The Possible Canine Basics of Canine Nutrition & Canine Diet Formulation
- The Possible Canine Practical Herbalism
Books & Other Things
- Feeding Dogs by Dr. Conor Brady
- Dog Food Logic by Dr. Linda Case
- Canine and Feline Nutrition by Dr. Lind Case
- Transforming Trauma by Philip Tedeschi and Molly Anne Jenkins
- Discovering Your Dog by Dr. Chris Zink
Wanna be email besties?
Do you love dogs so much that you want to stay up to date on the latest information? Every week, I’ll email you the latest dog information to keep you up to date and help you live a better life with your dog.
