Hi, I’m julie
Mom to Jack, my sweet teammate (and life changing doggo!), owner and passionate behaviour practictioner behind DOG-HAPPY TEAMMATES Uxbridge.
Thank you for dropping by and having a look around.
This space evolves alongside me, as my curiosity paves the way for continuous learning – merging theory and practice – while creating exceptional services to support you in your relationship with your dog.
Jack is my inspiration! My reason for falling in love with this career – shortly after falling in love with him (aw shucks ♡). But it wasn’t “all roses” that’s for sure! You can read more about ‘our story’ below. It’s been (and continues to be) a relationship adventure!
Jack passed away Sept 8th, 2025 – In Memory. Jack’s legacy remains my heart and inspiration.
Welcome, feel free to reach out anytime and I look forward to perhaps working with you and your dog.
Career
Current (and lifelong) student of Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) – actively merging insights and understandings into daily practice with my client teams, services offered, and my own life’s journey.
Introduced to me through Cat Harbord of ImPAWSible Possible in Calgary, PCT and its Method of Levels (MoL), along with Peacebuilding, and a Systems Theories Approach to Conflict Resolution now holds the heART, soul, purpose of my work. PCT is at the leading edge of behaviour research – IAPCT for more insights.
In addition, through Kim Brophey’s Applied Ethology, Family Dog Mediator Professional Course® , I’m a Certified Family Dog Mediator. This extensive course is based on the L.E.G.S. model of working with dogs and behaviour through an Ethological lens – Learning, Environment, Genetics and Self. I’m delighted to be an active FDM community member, contributing and learning through ongoing Q&A’s with colleagues from around the world.
I’m also a Certified Pro Dog Trainer through Absolute Dogs in the UK with their Games-Based/Concept Training coursework, and a Dial Method™ Guide through The Family Dog.
Our Story
I’ll keep it short. Jack.
Lol… ok… I kid…
Our story begins in February 2016. We adopted Jack at one year old and up to then, he’d had zero guidance in his life. Sadly, crated most of that first year, he was totally WILD. Like a puppy but a 77 lb puppy complete with nipping!
I’d grown up with dogs as well being around them my whole life through family and friends. I grew up in the country and our dogs were ‘free-range’ or farm dogs. I’d never raised my own dog, and certainly didn’t know anything about what is commonly considered ‘training’, knew nothing about canine behaviour other than observing and growing up around free-range dogs and understanding they were to be respected – you don’t wander up and “pet” random dogs – otherwise, no formal education. This was actually also a “big question mark” moment in my journey (which I’ll expand on a little later).
I enrolled in classes and worked with my trainer in private lessons to help me with specific challenges – and I put what I was learning into practice. Over the course of 12 weeks I experienced glimmers of “light at the end of the tunnel” and was becoming fascinated with learning the WHY’s of dog behaviour (which has evolved a whole lot more since then, really taking off in 2020 and continues). I was becoming transformed by this experience – we were growing together. What would continue to unfold would ‘blow my mind’ (literally taking all I learned thus far and turning it on its head!), while simultaneously, beginning to answer my many “big question mark” thoughts in my early days (before adopting Jack and after bringing him into our lives).
When our relationship began, I didn’t think I’d ever love Jack – honestly and truly – a lot of tears were shed – I was ‘dog-miserable’. Well, that changed.
DOG-HAPPY
Many folks think (naturally) that DOG-HAPPY is about dog’s being happy – and we want that! Though our name is actually a reflection of my personal journey, alongside my boy.
Discovering that my challenges with Jack’s behaviour weren’t really about Jack – not truly. I was learning the deeper roots of his behaviour, which led me to recognize he was communicating with me the only way he knew how. He had his own thoughts and opinions about things – once I listened – I began to feel a new perspective surface, challenging myself in looking at the source of my expectations (that I was putting on Jack). He didn’t ask to ‘be here’ – I invited him. So I asked myself deeper questions: Shouldn’t I get to know him? Learn how to collaborate with him? Learn when he’s asking for or could use some support? Learn how to be a true friend by considering his unique self too? Through these questions, WHO Jack is became clear and I was able to acknowledge that fitting him into my idea wasn’t ever going to work for us – we simply wouldn’t find mutual harmony or genuine connnection that way. And what a relief – bringing with it the beauty of acceptance and the tale of true friendship ♡
I say that “one day I woke up to find myself DOG-HAPPY” because it felt like a switch went off. Things finally clicked. I let go of my frustration, anger and resentment – and to be honest, it was incredibly freeing. I could finally SEE, accept and appreciate Jack for who he is AND for what he was in fact, teaching me! It was then, that I fell in love and a new career came to be.
Along the way, following the persistant guidance of my intuition, I continued my quest for something that could speak to my “big question mark” thoughts – within this thing called ‘dog training’. While its a long story, with many layers over many years (which I love to share), I’ll keep it short for the moment. What I found is that beneath the surface of each of us, is someone who wants to be truly seen and heard – and we cannot experience a new perspective until we allow ourselves (or become curious enough) to begin looking at something in a different way.
Relationships are about holding space for another to BE. When I stopped ‘training’, stopped trying to change anything about Jack, and allowed our relationship to breathe – everything became clear and connected – navigating our days, imperfectly, perfect together. I didn’t seek an ounce of behaviour change. I learned how to support Jack when he needed it, hold space for him to be his full self, and found myself growing from in the inside-out, in every moment of our time together.
I’ve come to believe dogs offer us opportunities to see deeper and more clearly into ourselves – providing openings for personal growth, re-connecting with nature, our nature, and subsequently, with them. Looking inward it where it begins.
My journey shapes my desire to support others on their journey. Helping dogs and their people thrive in a relationship rooted in mutual wellness and genuine connection – this provides the foundation for my DOG-HAPPY TEAMMATES philosophy.
