I created this space because of one of my dogs, Woodsi. I adopted Woodsi when he was only a few months old, but he already had some deep wounds from early life traumas. As a naive 21 year old at the time with a soft spot for the worried fur ball in front of me, I was confident in my ability to "cure" him. I laugh even writing that because oh boy, did Woodsi have other plans for me. 

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Only a few weeks after adopting Woodsi, my partner and I hit the road to live in our '95 Chevy G20 for the next couple years. Life on four wheels is hard. Life on four wheels with a dog is harder. Life on four wheels with an extremely reactive dog named Woodsi...yeah. Tearsss, my dudes. My plan to fix Woodsi's behavioral issues through constant exposure therapy only made matters worse, and I felt isolated in the reality that life with him didn't look like the ones I saw on Instagram—even though there were still plenty of amazing, magical moments in there too.

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In a desperate search for support, I got on my phone and googled "holistic dog trainer". I didn't even know what that meant or if it existed in the world of dog training, but I did know the widely accepted Cesar Millan, domination, alpha method was not for me, or for Woodsi. That search led me to a positive reinforcement trainer who, not to be too dramatic, completely changed our lives. Because it was more than just training. Positive reinforcement is a philosophy for all living things rooted in curiosity, kindness, understanding, patience, trust, and connection. It teaches YOU (often more than the dog) the skills needed to meet your dog where they're at and create a world together where they can actually succeed. 

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For the last 6 years, I've been committed to educating myself around dog behavior and practicing positive reinforcement training with Woodsi. And I have watched him blossom. Not into a perfect dog without fears or any reactivity, but a more confident, goofy, free, and trusting boy. I think he'd say he got to witness the same for me, too. And the best part? Our bond has become stronger than a motherfucker. 

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So here's me, sharing the knowledge and skills that I've learned here. My hope is to help other traveling guardians, experiencing the unique joys and challenges of life on highways and dirt roads, set their dogs up for success and feel less alone in this crazy, worthwhile adventure.