We recently had the chance to connect with Mia Austin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mia, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 min of my day looks like me getting up at 5:50am and sitting on the end of my bed for a 10 min meditation where I set an intention for the day. I used to wake up and scroll Instagram first thing, but I’ve found this routine leads to much more productive mornings. THEN (and only then after I’ve taken care of my needs/morning ritual) do I let all the dogs out of their crates for morning pack walks and breakfast.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name is Mia, owner of Dogs Mind Mia LLC. My aim is to bring peace and connection back to people’s home and everyday life with dogs and empower humans to lead their dogs to better behavior.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with my (formerly aggressive) pitbull Tony has been transformative in becoming the person I am today. I believe dogs are our mirror. Tony’s aggression was a reflection of my lack of leadership at the time. Once I got a better understanding of dog psychology and a couple great mentors, I was able to effectively step into the leader role, and Tony settled into his role as follower (ie: the well-behaved dog).
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self to lean into the things I’m good at that hold my attention. I could have saved years and thousands of dollars in student loans had I just dove head first into what I love most – helping humans and dogs.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie in the world of dog training and behavioral modification is the notion there’s a right or wrong way to communicate/train a dog. Dogs are sentient creatures so there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to teaching a dog a new behavior OR stopping an existing behavior. That said, food is usually not the answer. I often notice that when people peel back the treats and focus on building trust rather than bribing their dog with food- big behavior changes happen seemingly overnight.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Wow, deep question! What would remain are what I consider my most valuable qualities- my knowledge, experience and communication skills!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dogsmindmia.dog
- Instagram: @dogsmindmia
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dogs-mind-mia-lemon-grove?osq=Dogs+Mind+Mia&override_cta=Request+information
- Other: https://linktr.ee/dogsmindmia
Image Credits
Izzy Levitt
Mia Austin
