My name is Indi and this is my side kick, Bear. I'm originally from the Appalachian Mountains in SWVA. I moved here to Wilmington in December, 2019. I received my dog training certification in 2010 and have spent the last 14 years training dogs and their handlers. I ended up in the dog training world very unexpectedly after many years of avoiding dogs at all costs. The story begins way back in 1989 when I was just two years old. I was trampled by several excitable blue tick hounds who had gotten out of their pen. I was completely overwhelmed by the experience, and this led to me developing a severe phobia of dogs. This fear affected my life in many ways until...

 

Fast forward to 2008... I was so tired of being scared to walk down the street out of fear that a dog might be loose. I was tired of the awkward conversations of having to ask friends to put their dogs in another room if I was coming over. I was finally ready to do something about it, and so I began by doing walk-throughs at the local animal shelter. I would go two or three times a week and walk up and down the aisle with dogs barking on both sides. I was intrigued by a scared looking pitbull all the way in the back of the shelter. After months of regular visits to the shelter, the staff informed me that the little pittie in the back would be euthanized that weekend if she wasn't adopted. 

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I took the plunge and adopted this scared little pitbull and named her Monroe. That's where the fun really began. Monroe started to show all kinds of complicated behavior issues soon after settling in. I would come home to an impressive amount of destruction and quickly realized that Monroe had severe separation anxiety. She was also exhibiting fear related aggression towards people and other dogs. Walks felt nearly impossible and I was at a loss. While looking for help online I came across information on becoming a Certified Dog Trainer

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I received my dog training certification in 2010 with Penn Foster. I then began training dogs in my home town of Blacksburg, VA. Over time as I gained experience working with dogs of all breeds and ages, I began specializing in behavior modification. I've helped thousands of families train their dogs to work through problematic behaviors including more complicated cases of separation anxiety and fear aggression. 

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In 2017, I began working alongside a wonderful non-profit group called Friends of Animal Care and Control (FACC) at Montgomery County Animal Shelter. I provided dozens of behavior assessments on the dogs in the animal shelter to help determine the best home environments for them. I also provided training for staff and volunteers to create a safer and more relaxed environment for both the employees and the dogs.

 

In 2018 I began teaching dog training classes to help the dogs there become more adoptable and less likely to be returned to the shelter. I simultaneously trained the dogs as well as staff and volunteers so that they could carry on training when I wasn't there. Along with training at the shelter, I also worked with new adopters and their dogs in their home environment. I continued working with FACC at MCAS until December, 2019. In the three years that I was there, I was so grateful to see many dogs find their forever homes. 

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One of these dogs was an adorable pitbull named Bear. He came home with me the night before I moved to Wilmington. He loves to help in sessions with dogs who are nervous so they can build confidence around other animals. Since moving here to Wilmington, Positive Outcomes Dog Training has gone through a beautiful evolution. We're so excited to bring a whole new training experience to Wilmington. 

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We'd love to hear all about your dog. Contact us today to get started on your dog training journey!

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Fall Sale! Receive 10% off of any private training program when you book before November 30th, 2024!