2021 Pet Products and Services Awards

www.lux-review.com Page 23 LUX 2021 Pet Products and Services Awards People come to The Canine Republic looking for “dog training”, but its approach is to help them “train the lifestyle”. It works to empower the client to become an effective leader, creating a calm, happy dog that wants to follow them. The Canine Republic Best Dog Behaviour Specialists – Southern California Apr21790 In the dog world, there is no shortage of theories, tools, techniques and opinions on how and why dogs behave and what should be done about it. No single technique works for every dog nor their human companions. In reality, this inevitably leaves many gaps and confusions in getting long- term results. As with any relationship, a healthy communication must exist between companions, so understanding the differences between different forms of communication is an essential link to success: dogs use energy, body language and various forms of spatial pressures to communicate. While humans possess all the same capabilities as dog do, we tend to rely on our voices for communication. Often this leads to a major failure in communication and break down in the relationships between dogs and their owners. The Canine Republic serves as translators in that it teaches people how to “speak” in their dog’s language before expecting them to understand ours. The company has created its own successful formula for communication it calls “Sound. Space. Touch.”, which honours the dog’s natural behaviours in order to connect them to voices. In other words, it will teach the client’s dog English as their second language. In doing so, clients will have the communication lines open, clear and fair during the training process. Founder, Kim Erickson has a standard of quality and care that she feels honours her integrity and genuine care for others. She truly wants people to feel safe and a part of something special when they work with her and her pack. There are no quick fixes in her style of training. She wholeheartedly works to create a genuine relationship with clients who are committed to their dog and the process, so it is important they feel safe, supported and empowered. She’s still close with her very first clients and makes an effort to stay connected to everyone, should they need her, even if it’s years later. She wants to create an ecosystem around The Canine Republic so that people feel like once they’re in “the pack” they always have a wealth of knowledge, resources and support to tap into any time they need it. What makes the team strong is everyone’s unique personalities, experiences and dedication to doing what is best for the dog. Strong pre-existing knowledge of dogs or dog training isn’t required, in fact, it is most helpful when people aren’t experienced. All staff work very hard, support each other, communicate respectfully and unite on the same goal: how can they help the dogs in their care? Team members certainly have to have an open mind, positive attitude and a strong work ethic, and Kim is so proud of them all. Also, she cannot forget the amazing dedication and support from her husband and daughter. They both chip in wherever they can, not just with the business, but in filling the personal holes that can get created when running one’s own small business. Kim truly could not do this without them. Over the last year, there has been a strong rise in demand for dog care professionals. It seems everyone got a dog during the pandemic and were either excited to train or were in over their heads. Even people who already had dogs prior suddenly started needing help because everyone’s lifestyle and daily routines were turned upside down. Dogs thrive on structure and consistency and 2020 changed all of that. Prior to the pandemic, The Canine Republic was only doing virtual sessions randomly for clients around the country, but once the world realised that everything would be shut down for longer than anyone could’ve predicted, the company really had to lean into developing a strong virtual training and support programme. Online tutorial videos, shareable documents and photo albums, eBooks, and FaceTime/ Zoom formats quickly became the backbone to helping people all over the world. Now over a year has passed, The Canine Republic is continuing to see a strong rise in demand for dog training as problem behaviours such as separation anxiety, resource guarding and poor socialisation are rampant in many households. Dog professionals everywhere are overloaded with people who are facing returning to work and don’t know how to get their dogs on track for a lifestyle we call “normal”. Looking ahead, Kim has many ideas and plans for The Canine Republic, including the current editing of her new and revamped tutorial videos for Loose Leash Walking, Crate Training, Place Work, and Relaxation Techniques. Her eBooks on these topics are also nearly completed and will be available soon. Another project is seeing her build a curriculum to host workshops to dog owners and other dog training professionals. She is also thrilled to be offering a new Swim Camp at The Canine Republic ranch where the pool will be used to help owners work their dog through insecurities, reactivity, over- excitement, etc. In addition to this, Kim has personally made some training tools in her home garage called The Wobble Board and The Unstable Table which she hopes to have available for purchase soon. Company: The Canine Republic Contact: Kim Erickson Website: www.thecaninerepublic.com