Meet the Trainer
Hi Everypawdy!
My name is Megan, and I, like all normal people, am a dog lover. Dogs are the best part of life - they are a friend who is there to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and that annoying friend who wants to hang out at the most inconvenient times. Growing up, I had two dogs and three cats. Like any child, I naturally became best friends with my pets, doing everything with them from napping to running around my backyard and going down the slide with my always-willing dogs. I played pretend with them, talked to them, and went on endless imaginary adventures with them. They are man's best friend after all, right? Once I joined the wonderful world of adulting, it only made sense to dedicate my life to something that I already had so much passion for. It took my about 3 years to realize it, but I finally decided it was time to start my career as a dog trainer.
It all started when I got a job working at a local dog training facility. I worked as an animal care technician and was later promoted to administrative staff. My favorite part of the job was getting to spend countless hours with all of the dogs and getting to know each of their personalities. It was my job to feed them, pick up their poop, clean their vomit, wipe their butt if they needed it (gross, I know), but I didn't care - I got to spend time playing with dogs and puppies and nothing could make me happier (except possibly bacon and some good craft beer). While I was working at this facility, I learned so much from the trainers and my boss, and slowly began considering joining the dog world in a more professional capacity. Eventually, my academics got the best of me and I decided to try and do something with my accounting degree. I tried for 6 months to dedicate my time to starting my own financial planning business. At first, I was excited and my heart was in it. After a couple months though, it became hard to whole-heartedly dedicate myself to this business when I could feel that something was pulling me in a separate direction. Finally, I came to the decision that I would put the business behind me and focus on dog training. It was the best decision I ever made. My family still doesn't understand my decision, but is supportive of me nonetheless. I work 13 hours days, 7 days a week. I am on my feet 50% of the day, and the other 50% I am driving all over town in horrible Miami traffic. But I wouldn't change a thing because I am doing what makes me happy.
Let me end this obnoxiously personal blog post with a small, but valuable piece of wisdom: Do what makes you happy, even if other people tell you it's a dumb idea or you won't make a lot of money doing it. You are the one who has to live your life, not them, so choose to live a life that will make you happy. I did it, and I even though it was hard to hear the criticism from others, I have never been more proud and confident in my own decisions because I know that I am living my life for me, and no one else.
Enjoy this picture of me looking like a dog mom and training one of my own dogs (Sativa) at a Halloween event in 2017.
