WHO am I? I am a trained pediatric nurse, new to Calgary and currently taking a break from health care to purse my passion with canine companions. I am a big canine body language nerd and always looking to learn. Big Feelings, Little Steps was born from my experience with my reactive Husky Blue Heeler. After 8.5 years of training and mentoring with varied trainers and different approaches, I found that force free methods work well for long term learning and confidence. I also truly understand how difficult it is to find someone you can trust with your dog. I’m a patient, fun loving dog owner that believes every dog deserves the chance to feel safe, understood and supported. I use play based and reward-based approaches for both puppies and adult dogs with anxiety. My goal is for every dog to enjoy their walk while working on calmly navigating everyday stressors. I aim to create a low-pressure, safe environment where your dog can feel comfortable and confident and learn at their own pace. WHAT I OFFER: I am looking to provide 30 min home training visits with puppies or 60 training mins walks with reactive dogs. All dogs are welcome of course but I prefer the dogs that might get over excited, bark or lunge. Puppy Home Visit Schedule: 1) Potty Break/small walk 2) Play 3) Skill session: One of Sit, down, wait, settle on met, learn to exit door calmly, target (nose boop) that makes it easier to train other behaviours Reactive Dog Walk: 1) First few interactions will be purely trust building 2) Pattern games that will later support confidence and lose leash walking, conditioning a positive interruption (sound that your dog loves to get their attention). 2) Skills: engaging the nose as sniffing = calm, emergency u-turns (away from triggers without leash pressure), settling and observing outdoors once comfortable 3) If dog is comfortable and owner approves, can move on to learning calm around triggers. AVAILABILITY: Daily and full time EXPERIENCE and TRAINING: In addition to my dog, I have fostered several dogs, each with their own BIG Pawsonality. In my last neighbourhood in the Big feelings are welcome here. Every dog deserves a chance to succeed. I have completed multiple classes with a Certified Canine Behaviourist with my dog and volunteered with them as a helper to train other dogs. Classes completed: In Person With Wise Canine in the Yukon: 1) Level 1, 2, 3 manners 2) Strategies for reactive dogs 3) Calm and Confident for anxious dogs 4) Total Recall 5) Scent and Nose work 6) Canine Good Neigbour Online: 1) Introduction to Dog Training with the Good Dog Academy (out of BC) (3 month course) 2) Canine First Aid 3) Online Basic Manners - With Wise Canine 4) Canine Tricks Training - Spirit Dog Training Informal Training: 1) Training my dog and 2 other neighbourhood dogs to skijour, sled and bike jour. BREEDS I have worked with: 1) Alaskan Husky 2) Siberian Husky 3) German Shepherds 4) Pitbulls 5) Pitbull-Husky Mix 6) Australian Cattle dog 7) Border Collies 8) Labs 9) Goldens 10) Australian Shepherds (regular and mini) 11) Other mixed street dogs from the Yukon. (Usually, husky, bear dog, Rottweiler mixes,)