Howdy y’all,

and welcome to Rovin’ Dog Training! First of all, my name is Quinn and I began getting into dog training about two and half years ago before bringing home my Australian Shepherd, Spud Boy. With him being my first personal pup, I knew I’outta get a grip on the basics as these working breeds have a tendency to flip the leash on their owners with their dashing good looks if they don’t have the guidance and leadership they need. Especially if not actively working on a farm or ranch!

With that being said, I got very lucky when I found the trainers I did while doing my own digging on the vast wide web. Tom Davids, Will Anderton and Ceaser Millan, just to name a few. Along with a place to offer my knowledge in person with folks that are local, another big part of this page’s purpose is to be a catch all for training resources that I have used and continue to learn from over the last few years. (Coming Soon!) As they are the true professionals, hearing and seeing it straight from the source is always best!

For someone who has a crazy amount of hobbies, I know pretty quickly when one bites harder than usual and becomes an obsession and a bit more than a hobby. Over the last few years of watching YouTube videos, shorts, training courses and listening to podcasts/audiobooks, then applying it to everyday life with an almost three year old meat missile, I now have the confidence to offer my knowledge to folks who would like it!

How it Started

Back to the trainers listed above, Cesar Millan is probably the most known household dog trainer there is. I remember watching  his TV show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan back in the early years of cable TV when I was a youngin’. Having nothing but “get the ball!” in my teen aging brain, his show still managed to lay some fine, fertile soil deep down in there. Now many many years later, along with the several trips to the state fair to watch the Border Collies herd and the disc dogs fly, that seed planted early on by my parents is now getting the sun it needed. All thanks to them, my haulin’ aussie Spud boy, and the powerful Cesar Millan.

Philosophy 

If you are just as new to dog training as I was, you may not be aware that there are dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of different styles of dog training out there. Without going into too much detail (yet) I have found myself falling into the balanced dog training sphere. As there is a spectrum on how to do anything these days, dog training is the same way. To me and my time of learning, balanced dog training seems to be the best of both worlds. 

“Lead With Love” – Will Anderton 

A quick phrase from Will Anderton that really helped me understand the ways of balanced training, “Lead with love”. Maybe a little too hippie for your taste? Or perhaps contradictory in what a dog/pet is to you? Either way we all love our dogs, and one of the big foundational steps in providing that love is through leadership that they crave and absolutely need. No matter the size or bread, they NEED leadership. As wild as it is and as easy as it is to forget, dogs came from wolves and wolves are pack animals.

Disclaimer.

I hope it is obvious, but before getting into number two I must mention that it’s a one way street when it comes to the relationship I have with the trainers I am referring to. I am nothing more than a fan turned enthusiast, who has learned a tremendous amount of information they have put out, and hopefully I can at least point folks into the right direction. They opened my eyes on how deep a relationship can be between you and your dog, as if they are a living, breathing, walking mirror. As these phrases are better understood within the context of these trainers videos and podcasts, again please don’t forget to use the Rovin’ Dog Training Source page where I keep stocked with the resources I have been using over the last few years.   

“No Bad Dogs” – Tom Davis 

That leads me to the last trainer I mentioned above, Tom Davis. He has been the one that I probably have learned the most from over the last few years. If you decide to check out any of these trainers’ work online, he would be the first I would recommend. Without going into too much detail into his philosophy, I must add a couple of his mantras that hopefully will give you a better idea of where my training style comes from. Number one, “No Bad Dogs”. Hinting to that any unwanted behavior your dog presents, from bolting out the door, severe leash reactivity, or resource guarding is not because the dog is bad, or “oh, that’s just what he/she does”,  but because the owner(s) have unknowingly (some cases, knowingly) conditioned that unwanted behavior. A quick, clever, less blunt way to say, no matter the severity of behavior, almost always is caused by the lack of proper, consistent, clear guidance and leadership from their owner(s).

“Dog Training is an Art” – Tom Davis 

“Dog training is an art.” This is another one from Tom Davis that hit home big in a couple of different ways. As a creative driven person, I think this is why dog training has become a whole lot more than just a hobby. Even before I realized I wanted to help others train their pups, I thought of this mantra a ton as a personal dog owner. Especially with a breed like an Australian Shepherd, thinking outside the box and being creative in situations is a must.

Later on in my journey, after watching several different trainers, it also helped me make the connection that just like any art, there is more than one way to create whatever it is you do to express yourself. Keeping it at home for me, music. To go into it deeper, meaning, if a song is undeniably catchy/popular, (a well trained dog), even if it is not your favorite genre, (training tools/style), it is still someone’s favorite jam! Just like people have different tastes in music, dogs are just as individual and may take better to different ways of training.

That leads perfectly into what “dog training is an art” means to me now as someone who wants to get into the world of helping others train their pups. The number one thing that sets up an artist (trainer) for success is a solid foundation of the basics. When I was going to school for graphic design, I had an anatomy art professor once say something in a class, along the lines of… “You must know the rules, before you can break the rules.” As I was hearing it I wanted to reject it, but that was just me denying the fact I couldn’t draw a proportional human figure to save my life! Nonetheless, a couple of days later I faced that conclusion head on with a trash bin full of crumbled up, deformed self portraits and a couple chuckles thinking about the days before. Once you know the fundamental basics of dog training, the possibilities are doggone near endless!

I really could go on for a while on how my brain interprets “dog training is an art” but one last thing that should lead right into my services for the folks that are local. Respecting the craft and knowing boundaries is something that is super important to me as a trainer and unfortunately I learned the hard way on that one. As there are different skill levels of artists, there are different skill levels of dog trainers. Some dogs need the touch of a true master. With that being said and after thinking about how to clearly describe my training services, I have come to the conclusion that it might be easier if I listed the things that I can NOT train.        

Knowing first hand how serious dog behavioral issues can be, especially when the background is not super clear, my current knowledge and experience doesn’t allow me to confidently handle dogs with resource guarding issues, a bite history, or severe leash reactivity. As I still do subscribe to the no bad dogs mindset, these behavioral issues are at no fault of these pups and hopefully one day with more experience I can confidently help these dogs too! Until then, I will have a whole section of information on these big three behavioral issues that will hopefully lead you in the right direction on the training resource page.

Services

Now, finally if you are on this page and are local (central/north central indiana), I am leaving myself open to help with anything that isn’t any of the three things I listed above. (resource guarding issues, a bite history, or severe leash reactivity) Whether it is basic puppy obedience for a solid foundation and relationship from the very start, or maybe just a few bad habits that you are unsure how to deal with and manage. Find yourself being walked, not walking your dog? Or if you have a maturing, high energy/working bread that you would like some guidance/remapping before things get too out of hand?  Whatever it might be, send me an email by filling out the form below. If you would like to learn more about the training niche I am working towards and the macro picture of Rovin’ Dog Training, please click learn more below the fill out form!