Top Dog Trainers in The United States
Best Dog Trainers: Tonya Wilhelm
Recently, I was named one of the TOP TEN dog trainers in the United States. Wow! What an honor. I did not even realize I was on the dog training radar! But, what a privilege to be named, and included among some greats like Ian Dunbar, Kyra Sundance, and Zak George.I started my dog training career almost two decades ago. Believe it or not, I was actually looking into graduate art programs but realized something was missing. Art was more of a hobby, not a passion. So I took a deep look into what made me happy, and what I wanted most out of life. Two things popped up to the top of the list: helping people, and dogs.
I dropped out during my last year of art school and took a kennel position at the Capital Area Humane Society in Columbus, Ohio. My heart was feeling good…..but maybe not so much. The sadness started to creep in; there were so many animals without a forever home. My manager advised me that if I got my job done, I could spend the rest of my time walking the dogs. So I did. But I didn’t just walk them, I started to train them. I would work with the dogs on confidence-building skills, polite manners, and play. These seemed to be the areas where the dogs needed the most help.But it still didn’t seem like I was doing enough.
What else could I do? Why did people drop off their dogs here? What could I do to prevent the dogs from getting to this point in the first place? These questions led me into dog training, and eventually specializing in canine anxiety and puppy development. Prevent, and fix.
Now, almost 20 years later, I’ve succeeded in helping thousands of dog parents build happy, long-lasting relationships with their dogs, using only humane, kind, and positive dog training methods. I am devoted to helping dogs and their guardians live together in health and harmony. I volunteer at both local and national rescue groups providing a variety of pro-bono services.On a global level, I provide online dog training services via phone and internet. I also provide dog training seminars globally.
I offer professional staff training and other pet industry training services, and even weekend dog retreats and camps. I’ve authored 4 dog behavior books….and counting.I consider myself very fortunate to be able to help so many dogs and so many dog parents. My dog training career can be very stressful at times, but in the end, there are certainly more pros than cons, and more happy endings than not.Having this recognition as one of the top dog trainers just fuels my soul to keep on going. There are many more dogs to save, and owners to educate about the use of positive, effective, and sound dog training. Thanks to everyone for your support, and I look forward to the next four decades!
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