Hello, Monday :: Chelsea!

Every Monday, we'll introduce you to one of the people (or doggies) that make up BWH - staff, owners, doggies, suppliers, service providers, designers & more. We kick off the series with Chelsea!

Tell us a bit about you! What do you do at BWH?

My name is Chelsea, I am the assistant manager of BWH West End, and I am also the owner of Confident Canine Obedience. As a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, I lead all of the obedience classes for all three Bow Wow Haus locations.

How did you decide to become a dog trainer? What do you like most about being a dog trainer?

That's a good question! When I finished my Bachelor's Degree at the U of A, I realised that I wasn't super excited to find work as a Lab Tech in Genetic research, so I started looking for other work related to the Life Sciences. By chance I started working in retail in pet stores, and absolutely fell in love with all the little four legged customers who came in! My own dog, Ruby (a 7 year old Golden) taught me that with a little patience and tons of consistency, you can really teach a dog a lot. Since then, I went to Canada West Canine Center to pursue certification as a Professional Pet Dog Trainer - and have been teaching dog obedience ever since! What I love most about training dogs is really the pride I see in their people when they watch their dogs learning new skills! It is such a rewarding feeling to know that people are graduating from my classes with a solid understanding and respect for how clever their little buddy truly is!

Tell us about your dog, Roxie!

Roxie is a little Chi mix who originally came from California. Pamela's Dogs, a local rescue group responsible for rescuing hundreds of little doggies from high-kill shelters in California rescued her. She was a stray, believe it or not?! I adopted her at the beginning of February this year. Her best trick is probably her Jump on command, and her best talent is definitely looking cute for treats!

What's Roxie's fave treat or toy?

Her favorite treats right now are the Merrick Lamb Lungs! She loves anything meaty! And her favorite toys are stuffies that she can practice her kill-shake... I think she thinks she's finally gonna get a squirrel one day and likes to stay in practice :)

Your fave dog-friendly spot in the city?

I really love walking along the sea-wall, hanging out at any of the Bow Wow Haus locations, and we really like meeting the other dogs at the Kits dog beach.

One thing you wish you knew before getting a dog?

I don't think anyone ever knows how much patience it is going to take to assimilate a dog into their life. I always think it will be easier than it ever is when I get a new dog, but it takes patience. Dogs don't operate on a schedule that is divided into days and weeks, but if you are kind and consistent your dog will settle into her new life with you and you will both find a great deal of happiness in each other.

Best training tip/advice?

Be patient! Your dog is smart, but learning can be tough for all of us! Be consistent and keep training sessions short and practice them frequently!