Summary:

In this episode of the Housewolves podcast, Melissa Major interviews Mackenzie Pavkovich, a passionate dog handler and trainer. Mackenzie shares her journey from being a dog lover to becoming a professional handler, detailing her experiences with various breeds, her transition into dog sports, and the challenges of balancing motherhood with her career. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding dog behavior, the thrill of working with high-drive dogs, and the personal growth that comes from pursuing one's passion. Mackenzie also offers valuable advice for aspiring dog handlers and reflects on the impact of dogs on her life.

Takeaways:

• Mackenzie has always been a dog lover and caretaker.
• Her journey into dog training began during the COVID lockdown.
• She discovered balanced training to manage her rescue dog.
• Mackenzie went all in on dog handling and training.
• She learned a lot from her bond with working dogs.
• Detection work gave her a sense of purpose.
• Transitioning to IGP training was a significant step.
• Handling different breeds taught her about their unique traits.
• Aspiring handlers should gain hands-on experience with dogs.
• Mackenzie and Eric built a life together centered around dogs.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Mackenzie Pavkovich
01:06 Mackenzie's Early Love for Dogs
05:01 Transitioning to Professional Dog Handling
11:03 Working with Detection Dogs
16:15 Exploring IGP and New Training Opportunities
20:20 Dog Breeds and Their Unique Traits
24:04 Advice for Aspiring Dog Handlers
28:01 Personal Journey and Life Changes
33:55 The New Puppy Adventure
37:02 Balancing Motherhood and Dog Training
41:01 Future Aspirations and Inspirations

Summary:

In this episode of the House Wolves podcast, Melissa Major interviews Julia Major, a dog handler and trainer, who shares her transformative journey into the world of dog training. Julia discusses her experiences with rescue dogs, the challenges of training high-drive breeds, and the importance of building a strong bond with dogs. She emphasizes the need for consistency in training, the impact of social media on expectations, and the rewarding nature of dog sports. Julia also reflects on the mental health benefits of working with dogs and offers advice for aspiring handlers, encouraging them to embrace their unique journeys and focus on personal growth.

Takeaways:

• Julia Major shares her journey into dog training.
• The importance of building a connection with dogs.
• Transitioning from a corporate job to dog training changed her life.
• Rescue work provides valuable experience with different dog behaviors.
• Training high-drive dogs requires patience and understanding.
• Social media can create unrealistic expectations for dog handlers.
• Every dog handler's journey is unique and should be celebrated.
• The bond between a handler and their dog is built through trust and experience.
• Consistency in training is key to success in dog sports.
• Finding the right dog for the right purpose is crucial.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Julia Major and Her Journey
03:00 The Impact of Dogs on Life Choices
05:57 Transitioning from Corporate to Dog Training
08:49 The Importance of Dog Training and Rescue Work
11:59 Building Relationships with Dogs
14:57 The Journey into Dog Sports
17:54 Finding the Right Dog for the Right Purpose
21:01 The Challenges of Training High-Drive Dogs
24:03 The Role of Dogs in Mental Health
26:57 The Importance of Consistency in Training
29:55 The Journey of Self-Discovery through Dog Training
33:00 The Reality of Dog Sports and Competitions
36:06 Advice for Aspiring Dog Handlers
38:53 The Importance of Trust in Dog Training
41:58 The Journey of Building a Connection with a New Dog
44:55 The Life of a Dog Trainer
47:57 The Future of Dog Training and Competing
51:00 Parting Thoughts and Reflections

Riley started training her German Shepherd Dog to be a certified Service Dog at 8 months old. Her journey spanning over 4 years pushed her to her limits. There were moments of success and triumph, but not before nearly giving up on her dog and hitting a wall with training.

Validating at the JIBC in 2022, Riley received some of the highest praise from the validator. Hear her journey in detail and learn more about what a recognized service dog is in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.

Dr. Radica Raj started practice as a Veterinarian in general practice but soon embarked on a more fast-paced career in Veterinary Emergency Medicine and Critical Care in Ontario.

Within a year of practice in this field she was inspired to start her own emergency facility and subsequently opened a second general practice. While this path provided the stimulus and the challenges she had yearned for, she soon realized that there had to be a better quality of life for terminally-ill patients, for the geriatric patients disabled by osteoarthritis and for the paralyzed patients that could not walk.

Determined to explore these avenues and find answers, she successfully completed her post-graduate diploma in Veterinary Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCVM) with the Chi Institute in Florida. She then completed a program in Animal Chiropractic at Options for Animals in Kansas and obtained an animal chiropractic certification from the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA).

She then started Phoenix Rising Integrative Veterinary Care thereby opening the door to an integrative veterinary clinic on Vancouver Island. She ensured that her services were integrative by performing surgery on her patients through another clinic even as she practised wholistic medicine.

Dr. Radica Raj has experience handling emergencies, surgical and internal medicine cases as well as chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and Regenerative medicine i.e. PRP, prolotherapy, etc. On account of this, you will find that she is more than willing to collaborate with your family veterinarian and specialists involved in dealing with your pet’s health.

Her scope of practice includes Internal medicine, Surgery, Emergency, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and Regenerative Medicine.

She is now also certified in Canine Rehabilitation.

https://phoenixrisingvet.com

Cindy Hughes is the owner of Muddy Love Pet Photography. Cindy has loved animals ever since she was a small child.

Over the years Cindy has volunteered her time for rescue organizations including the BCSPCA, Best Friends Animal Society and Soi Dogs. Cindy now calls the Sunshine Coast her home and is mom to 3 dogs and a horse.

Cindy joins us on this podcast to talk about her brave rescue of a little dog in Thailand whose life she changed by slowly earning his trust and bringing him back with her to Canada.

www.muddylove.com

Shelby Eckford is the owner of Westbrook Goldens.

Westbrook Golden Retrievers is a small home based hobby breeder located on 5 rolling acres in beautiful Langley British Columbia. Their dogs and puppies are raised in their home along side their family. All of the dogs used in their breeding program have their appropriate health clearances, and have obtained their CKC and/or AKC championships. They strive to produce dogs that are exceptional family members but can also excel in other venues such as the conformation ring, field trials, or obedience.

Melissa Major is the host of Housewolves and the owner of BC Westcoast K9 Services. She is a balanced trainer specializing in pet dogs with behavioural issues. Melissa has been working with animals for over 20 years and is based in Langley, British Columbia.

This episode walks you through Melissa's journey to becoming a balanced trainer by sharing her 2 biggest failures.

Balanced Training with Doug Deacon

SV/CAN Judge Doug Deacon was a founding member of the German Shepherd Schutzhund Club of Canada, which was formed in 1979. He received his SV judge’s license in 1983 and since then he has developed a reputation throughout Canada and the United States for maintaining high standards for working dogs. He has judged the Canadian National Schutzhund Championships on several occasions, the USA Nationals protection phase and the North American Championship twice. He has also judged many Regional Championships and numerous local trials in Canada, United States and the South America Championship. Doug was the tracking judge for the 1998 WUSV Championship held in Boston, MA., USA. He also judged the obedience portion of the WUSV Championship in Italy in 2003 and again in 2006 in Denmark. Doug did judge at the WUSV Championship in Kiev, Ukraine in 2011.

As a dog trainer and handler, Doug won the 1980 USA Sch H - 3 National Championship in Denver, CO; the 1981 North American Championship and the 1982 FH Championship. He served on the Canadian team to the WUSV World Championship in 1985 and 1990 and then captain of Team Canada in 2004 and 2009. In 2004 Doug and his dog Artos von Farbridge obtained the highest Sch H - 3 score in Canada with a 290 and had the highest average score of 286. He has participated in numerous Championships as a tracklayer and/or helper. Doug trains with the Delta Schutzhund Club in Delta, British Columbia. He has served as Vice President and as a director of the German Shepherd Schutzhund Club of Canada and was the National Training Director.

Doug was a police K-9 officer who developed the Minimal Force Canine program for six Police Departments in his area. This Police Dog Training Program used Schutzhund as its foundation. The success of this Police Training Program has put a demand on his time. He has conducted seminars for several different Police Services including Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Washington State K-9 Association, Minnesota K-9 and many more.

September 2006 Doug retired from policing. He spent 8 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and 23 years with the New Westminster Police Service