Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Dellaserra
Hi Lindsay, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been a dog lover for as long as I can remember, and while I always knew I wanted to work with dogs, I didn’t know in what capacity. In 2015, I was attending Missouri State University and knew that I needed to work toward something different than a kinesiology major. I googled “dog college” and found one in Northern California – Bergin University of Canine Studies. I graduated from the Bachelor’s program and have a Bachelor of Science in Canine Behavior. During my studies at Bergin, I had 24/7 hands-on experience with a Service Dog in Training, some with behavior issues and others who were ready to graduate as a working Service Dog.
Upon graduating from college, I moved back to Missouri to work on the Behavior Team at an animal shelter. At the shelter I worked with dogs from all kinds of backgrounds, got to experience the joy of seeing dogs go home with their new families, and experienced the heartbreak that came with making tough decisions, like behavioral and medical euthanasia.
After working in the shelter world for a while, I decided to go back to my roots and train Service Dogs, which is when I got a job in San Diego. From there, I had a couple of other animal-related jobs and wasn’t always satisfied with how the dogs were being treated or trained.
In 2021, I decided to start my own dog training business so that I could do things my way, and spread the word of force free, positive reinforcement based training. Since 2021, my business has continued to grow and this is my full-time, dream job.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been smooth sailing – especially at the beginning of my self-employed journey! I had no idea how I could turn this from a part time job while working a typical 9-5, into a full-time, sustainable job. I struggled with getting clients, and tried many different advertising avenues at the beginning. I struggled financially, because I didn’t know how to set my rates or how to secure payment from clients. Taxes were a wake-up call for me; I felt like I had hardly made any money yet I still owed so much at the end of the year.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer with a Bachelor of Science in Canine Behavior. I specialize in dogs with aggression, reactivity and fear/anxiety. This means that if your dog is barking and lunging at people on walks or in the home, I can help. I am there to help you better understand your dog and how you can move forward with training. I also occasionally take on puppies and dogs who need help with basic manners. I offer private, in-home training programs and group class options.
I am most proud of what sets me apart from many other trainers: being truly force free and training dogs with Fear Free methods. Positive based training is the only method that has been proven time and time again through research studies to actually help dogs learn, while keeping their mental and emotional wellbeing at the forefront of the training program. I am proud to hold a degree in Canine Behavior and to take several continuing education courses each year to uphold my Fear Free certification. Since humans domesticated these wonderful animals, I believe that we owe it to them to treat them humanely. There is no need to use punitive tools such as shock collars, punishment, etc. when working with a dog, no matter what breed they are, and that is shown through research studies and through the results that I see every day with my clients’ dogs.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First and foremost, I have to thank my husband, David and my best friend, Shannon. They have been there since the beginning, have seen my struggles and successes, and have been there to listen and help along the way. I credit my good friend, Mady, with planting the seed that I could even start a business in the first place. For Christmas in 2020, she gifted me a book called “How To Run A Dog Business” by Veronica Boutelle. I read the entire book in one day, and the next day decided that I would work towards quitting my 9-5 and pursuing my dream. That brings me to thanking a wonderful mentor, Veronica Boutelle and the entire Dogbiz team. Veronica and other staff members run an amazing program called Thrive, for self-employed dog trainers. The program focuses on ethical business decisions, and coaches trainers like me on how to work through the struggles I mentioned earlier. My business would not be where it is today without Veronica and the Thrive hive!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://trainingwithlindsay.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trainingwithlindsay
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trainingwithlindsay
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=training+with+lindsay&oq=training+with+lindsay+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIHCAEQABiABDIKCAIQABiABBiiBDIKCAMQABiABBiiBDIGCAQQRRhAMgYIBRBFGD0yBggGEEUYPTIGCAcQRRg90gEIMTYxNGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0xf752e9df4bec947:0xe8db56fda5e996f4,1,,,,
Image Credits
Eliza Sweet Photography
