Meet Our Trainers, Part 2
We've already introduced you to Jenn, one of the amazing dog trainers who helps teach our inmate participants how to train their shelter dogs. Now meet Nicole!
Nicole is the Owner and President of Philly Unleashed, a Philadelphia-area dog training company that uses positive reinforcement, classical, and operant conditioning techniques to train dogs in ways that are safe, gentle, and family-friendly. She's an amazing trainer, and we feel so lucky to have her on our team!
Nicole agreed to let us interview her to help our followers get to know our team, why we love them, and why they love us! Read on for the interview.
NLOL USA: What made you decide to be a dog trainer?
NICOLE: I don’t ever recall making a decision that I wanted to be a dog trainer. I just always, kind of, did it! I was probably only 7 years old when I started setting up agility courses for our family’s border collies in the backyard made out of garbage cans, broom handles, and wheelbarrows. But I got my first professional animal training jobs in college teaching basic obedience classes and equestrian lessons. By the time I was out of college, there was no question that I would continue working with animals. I decided to specialize in canine behavior and I’ve never looked back!
NLOL USA: What’s your favorite thing about working with dogs?
NICOLE: What’s not to like? I wear jeans and a t-shirt to work, help people form relationships with their pets, and get loads of puppy kisses every day of my life. . . and I get paid for it! Not too shabby!
NLOL USA: In your opinion, what makes New Leash on Life USA such a great program?
NICOLE: New Leash on Life-USA is so unique because of the human-animal bond component. There are a ton of prison dog training programs out there. But I don’t know any others that are so active in helping the human participants get their lives back on track. In fact, working with the inmates is a lot like working with the dogs; with a little bit of patience, consistency, and structure, I get from them way more than they get from me!
NLOL USA: What kinds of projects do you want to work on in the future?
NICOLE: Any projects where I can teach people about positive reinforcement dog training and animal behavior are fun for me. I had the chance to speak at a few dog training conferences last year and I loved it. And you never know, maybe a book about my experiences working with shelter dogs and inmates someday. . .
NLOL USA: What’s your best piece of advice for people looking to adopt shelter dogs?
NICOLE: Do your research on breeds and take all the time you need to pick the right dog for you and your family! There are so many dogs in rescues, and they all need you! So it can be overwhelming to have to choose just one. Not an active family? Then no matter how sad that little border collie mix appears when he gives you "the look," he may not be a good fit. Have finicky neighbors who don’t like noise? Then think twice before you spring that barky beagle! Don’t force relationships! It’s better to go to the shelter 10 times to look for "the one" than do an impulsive adoption and have a personality clash down the road!
