Off the Beaten Path

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About Me

Hi! I'm Lindsay. My professional life with animals began with horses in the show jumping circuit, where I spent six years before making the move to dogs. I’ve now spent more than a decade working in dog training and animal welfare, including five years in the Behaviour Department at the Calgary Humane Society.
I’m a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy, formerly held CPDT-KSA certification, and have continued to build my education around modern, evidence-based approaches to behaviour, learning and emotional wellbeing.
My work is grounded in the understanding that behaviour doesn’t happen in isolation. A dog’s ability to learn, cope and make good choices is deeply connected to how safe they feel, their environment, past experiences and what is happening in their nervous system. Sometimes what looks like stubbornness, disobedience or a training problem is a dog who simply doesn’t have the capacity to do something differently in that moment.
That understanding shapes how I work with people, too.
There is always a human on the other end of the leash, with their own needs, experiences and capacity. Good training has to work in real life. My role isn’t to judge or hand you a rigid set of rules — it’s to listen, understand what life looks like for you and your dog, and find practical, compassionate strategies that are sustainable for both of you.
When I started my own family, I stepped back professionally for a while. Returning to this work as a parent gave me an even deeper appreciation for flexibility, nervous-system needs and the reality that support works best when we meet individuals where they are.
That philosophy also shapes the boarding experience I offer. Dogs stay in our home and are integrated into our everyday family life, rather than being expected to adapt to a traditional kennel environment. I intentionally keep numbers small so I can get to know each dog, recognize what they’re communicating and adjust their days accordingly.
Some dogs want activity and adventure. Others need predictability, quiet and plenty of downtime. Most need a thoughtful balance of both. My goal isn’t to provide every dog with the exact same experience — it’s to provide the individual dog in front of me with the experience they need to feel safe, comfortable and at home.
Whether I’m supporting you through a training challenge or caring for your dog while you’re away, you can expect the same approach: experienced, evidence-informed and compassionate care that considers the whole dog, their nervous system, the humans who love them, and the life they share.

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Training

Dog training is about more than teaching behaviours. How a dog learns, responds and copes with the world is influenced by their emotions, environment, experiences and nervous system — and any training plan also has to be realistic for the human living alongside them.
My approach is positive reinforcement-based, evidence-informed and individualized. There are no rigid protocols or expectations of perfection. We look at what is happening, why it may be happening, and what we can change to make life easier for both you and your dog.
Whether you're navigating reactivity, struggling with everyday life skills, welcoming a new dog, or simply wanting a better understanding of the dog you share your life with, we'll build a plan that works in the real world.Private One-on-One Training
Private sessions give us the time and space to look at the whole picture — your dog's behaviour, environment, emotional state, learning history and the challenges you're experiencing at home.
We'll work together to understand what's driving the behaviour, identify practical changes that can help, and build skills for both you and your dog.
Sessions can help with:
Reactivity and big feelings
Fear, anxiety and confidence
Leash walking
Puppy and adolescent challenges
Over-arousal and impulse control
Household manners and everyday skills
New dog and rescue transitions
Building communication and connection
Understanding your dog's body language and needsInitial Consultation — $200
Up to 2 hours
Our first session is intentionally longer so we have time to talk, observe your dog, understand what's happening and begin putting a realistic plan in place.Follow-Up Sessions — $100/hour
For continued coaching, troubleshooting and progressing your dog's training plan.
4-Hour Package — $360
10% savings
8-Hour Package — $640
20% savingsTraining Walks
Sometimes your dog needs practice — and sometimes you need someone else to do some of the practice.
Training walks are 50-minute, one-on-one sessions for me and your dog, focused on building useful skills out in the real world. Depending on your dog's needs, I might work on loose-leash walking, engagement, settling around distractions, confidence, recall foundations, navigating triggers or simply learning how to move through the world with a little more regulation.
These aren't high-intensity walks designed to tire your dog out. They're thoughtful, individualized sessions that balance movement, sniffing, learning and nervous-system needs.50-Minute Training Walk — $50
Training walks are best suited to existing clients or dogs who have completed an initial consultation so I understand your dog, your goals and the approach we're working toward.Not Sure What You Need?
You don't need to diagnose your dog's behaviour or know which service to choose before reaching out.
Tell me a little about your dog, what's been difficult, and what you'd like life together to look like. We can figure out the next step from there.

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Boarding

A home away from home — for real.
My boarding service is personal and family-integrated. Dogs stay in our home and become part of our everyday life while their people are away.
That means curling up on the couch, playing in the yard, joining us for walks and adventures, relaxing alongside us, and having plenty of opportunity to rest and decompress.
I get to know each dog as an individual and adjust their stay accordingly. Some dogs thrive on activity and being involved in everything. Others need more quiet, predictability and downtime. There is no one-size-fits-all schedule.
As an experienced professional trainer, I also pay close attention to behaviour, body language and nervous-system needs. My goal isn't simply to keep your dog safe and entertained until you get home — it's to help them feel comfortable, understood and genuinely at home while they're here.Overnight Boarding — $65/night
Your dog's stay includes:
Family-integrated care in our home
Daily walks, outdoor time and enrichment
Individual attention, play and downtime
Feeding and regular routines maintained as closely as possible
Regular photo and video updates
Care informed by behaviour, body language and nervous-system needs
I am fully insured and have more than a decade of professional experience in dog training and animal welfare, including five years in the Behaviour Department at the Calgary Humane Society. I am also a Karen Pryor Academy graduate and formerly held CPDT-KSA certification.Before Your First Stay
Because boarding takes place in our family home, making sure we're a good fit for each other is important.
Before accepting a new dog for boarding, I'll arrange a meet-and-greet with you and your dog at my home. This gives your dog a chance to explore the space, meet me and my family, and lets us talk through their routines, personality and individual needs before you leave them in my care.
Because dogs are fully integrated into our family life, dogs staying with us must be comfortable and safe around children.
Dogs don't need to be perfectly trained or endlessly social. I simply need to be confident that I can safely meet your dog's needs within my home and that this style of boarding will be a positive experience for them.Drop-Off & Pick-Up/
Regular drop-off and pick-up hours are between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.
Pick-up by 12:00 noon is included in the nightly boarding rate.
Pick-ups after 12:00 noon are charged an additional half-day boarding fee.
Pick-ups after 8:00 pm are charged as an additional full day and should be arranged ahead of time. Late pickups can almost always be accommodated when necessary, but because boarding happens in our family home — with children and dogs settling for the night — advance notice helps keep evenings calm and predictable.
Of course, travel delays and unexpected changes happen. If plans change, just let me know and I'll always do my best to accommodate.Add Training to Their Stay
If there's something you'd love your dog to get a little extra practice with while they're here, you can add dedicated one-on-one training time to their boarding stay.
This isn't a traditional board-and-train program. Your dog still spends their stay as part of our family; I'm simply setting aside focused, individual time to work on skills you've chosen.
We might work on leash skills, recall foundations, settling, engagement, confidence, cooperative care, impulse control or another skill that's useful in your everyday life together.30-Minute Training Session — $35
60-Minute Training Session — $70You'll receive short video clips from the training sessions so you can see what we've been working on, along with a written summary at the end of your dog's stay outlining what we worked on, what I observed and how you can continue the work at home.
Ready to Talk Dates?
Send me a message with your dog's name, a little about them, and the dates you're looking for. We'll go from there.

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