Sky is an intelligent, funny, irrepressible Russell Terrier. Due to a near tragedy in the past, her owner feels they have lived years on borrowed time. That event is the primary reason Patricia became a dog trainer with PetSmart.
Patricia never thought much about training when Sky first came home, just a three-pound puppy with all the speed and bounce of a cottontail rabbit. Like many new dog owners, Patricia didn’t think much about the tough questions of dog ownership. But they took the plunge. The breeder handed over the contract and recommendations for training, though months went by before they got around to enrolling Sky. Eventually, attending those classes fell by the wayside.
Patricia’s entire perspective on the importance of training shifted one warm spring morning in 2007. Patricia and her daughter, Emma, were walking when a large group of dog walkers approached. Sky panicked, dove beneath a table, her leash tangled in the chair legs, and slipped out of her harness. She launched headfirst into traffic.
Despite sporadic attention to homework, cues, and repetitions, Patricia could only do what they’d been trained to do. “DOWN!” Patricia shouted, pointing to the sidewalk. It was an instinctual response, more like muscle memory, but miraculously, down Sky went. Sky responded in the only way she knew, what she’d been trained to do in their training classes, dropping right down on the curb’s edge just long enough for Emma to get her harness back on.
Several other dogs also fell into a down, which Patricia can laugh about now but couldn’t fully appreciate at the time. Then, Patricia realized how vital her training at PetSmart had been and how every penny spent on those classes was an investment in their years together. Not long after that fateful morning, Patricia signed Sky up for another training package and was much more diligent about homework.
Training is more than just teaching commands—it’s about building trust, confidence, and creating a lifelong connection with your pet. At PetSmart, our accredited trainers are passionate about helping dogs like Sky overcome their challenges and become happy, well-adjusted members of the family.
