Business Spotlight: The Dog Wizard Louisville

For as long as she can remember, Renee with Dog Wizard has always loved animals. She was the kind of kid who could never have enough stuffed animals. While working as a dog trainer is a natural fit, Renee didn’t start here. Before, she had worked as a retail manager, yoga instructor, and massage therapist. Becoming a dog trainer wasn’t even on her radar. In fact, what got her into dog training was her own dog. He had some serious issues and went through Dog Wizard’s board and train program. After seeing the difference it made, she knew she wanted to be part of this. A few months after her dog completed the board and train program, Renee was training through Dog Wizard’s trainer academy.

A couple years after becoming a dog trainer and working in Louisville with the trainers who had helped her dog, Dog Wizard asked if Renee would help their team in Wilmington, NC. Eventually, the trainers in charge of the Louisville branch left and the location shut down. Dog Wizard approached Renee again about relocating, this time back to Louisville to reopen and manage this branch. Currently, the Louisville Dog Wizard branch is comprised of two trainers, Renee and Destiny. They work with dogs of all ages and offer everything from puppy preschool to board and trains, where the dog lives with the trainer, receives 24/7 attention, and goes through intensive rehabilitative training to help them more serious issues.

One of the most important things to remember with dog training is that it’s not a magic bullet. Once a dog completes training, the owner must learn what the dog was trained on and reinforce that training. We often compare our pets to children, but that comparison carries weight. Like children, dogs need structure and boundaries. For training to be effective in the long run, owners need to provide those. Additionally, owners should be aware of the quirks that come with each breed, as well as their individual dog. Training can be immensely helpful in many respects, but it can’t fix a fundamental mismatch between dog and owner. Lastly, communication is key. Not just verbal communication, but through the use of the various tools available at most pet stores. It’s important to note that these tools can be highly effective when researched and properly implemented, usually in a controlled environment first to get the dog accustomed to them.

If you would like to learn more about Dog Wizard or sign up for one of their training programs, check out their site at thedogwizard.com/louisville/. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram at @louisvilledogwizard.