Inspiring Conversations with Sarah Rodríguez of Home Schooled Hound

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Rodríguez.

Hi Sarah , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was five years old, my family adopted our first dog, Rosie, from the animal shelter. From the moment she came home, my life was forever changed. She seemed to always know exactly what I needed, and, as I grew up, I wanted to learn more and more about how I could understand animals. I started volunteering with the animal shelter when I was 14 years old. After seeing how many animals were relinquished to shelters because people didn’t understand their dogs or feel bonded to them, it became my mission to learn everything I could so I could make a difference in the lives of dogs. I wanted to help people feel the immense joy that I experienced from having animals in my life. It is my hope that the more people understand animals, the fewer animals would end up in shelters.

I earned a psychology degree from Cal Poly Pomona, and then became a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT) through the Ethology Institute Cambridge. From fostering puppies and kittens with the animal shelter to working with shelter dogs, I gained so much real-world experience from applying the textbook knowledge and putting it into practice. Each and every animal I’ve worked with has shaped me and helped me become the dog behavior professional that I am today.

I started my own dog training business in 2017, and, a few years later, I earned my certification through IAABC as a dog behavior consultant (CDBC). This gave me the opportunity to help families struggling with more serious behavior challenges. I have also had the pleasure of speaking at international dog behavior conferences. I feel so grateful to have been able to share my experience and meet so many amazing animal behavior professionals from around the world.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Becoming a dog trainer was definitely not a smooth road for me. I was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness. Because of this, I use a power wheelchair to get around. Because my muscles are not as strong, I had to get creative and learn unique ways that I could train my dog, Annie, in all the behaviors necessary for me to pass my proficiency verification exam at the Ethology Institute. All the creativity that it took has made me a stronger trainer because I am able to think outside the box, especially for clients who have worked with other trainers and not seen results. I am able to come up with new ways that work for the team to help them achieve success.

My circumstances have enabled me to help animals in unique ways. I have worked with many dogs who were aggressive or fearful of other people, but because I am sitting and not making any sudden moves they didn’t see me as a threat. Dogs are often comfortable with me, even though they wouldn’t accept anyone else. Because I have had to be creative my entire life in order to do things due to my disability, it has enabled me to approach training in a unique way as well. My journey towards becoming a professional dog trainer and starting my own business hasn’t been a smooth road, but every struggle has helped me get where I am today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Home Schooled Hound?
My business, Home Schooled Hound, is one of the only dog training businesses in the greater L.A. area to have a CDBC on board. Also, I only use scientifically-based positive reinforcement training methods to treat behavior problems and teach new skills. I help clients strengthen their bond and earn their dog’s respect so they will be eager to listen to them. This means I don’t use choke, prong, or electronic (“shock”) collars, and no force or intimidation is used. I started my journey working with shelter dogs who have experienced enough suffering, pain, and trauma, so it became my mission to train only with kindness and empathy both for the dogs and their humans. Instead of shutting behavior down through punishment, I get to the root cause of why the dog feels the need to engage in problem behaviors, so we can resolve the problem and optimize the dog’s welfare at the same time.

In my shelter work, I have seen the challenges dogs face when they haven’t been socialized properly and the difficult behavior problems that result. Because of this, I have a dedicated puppy training program that focuses on early socialization and manners. The Muttessori Puppy Program is geared towards puppies 16 weeks of age and under to take advantage of the socialization window to build a confident and well-mannered dog. Just like Montessori programs for children, the Muttessori program helps puppies learn through fun and play. I have free socialization tips on my website about how puppy parents can do simple things as their puppy grows to prepare them for life in a busy city environment as well.

While I help with a variety of cases from treating reactivity to service dog training, I specialize in puppy training, building confidence in fearful and anxious dogs, and helping newly adopted rescue and shelter dogs. I also offer occasional group classes and workshops.

Because my goal is to help people understand their dog, my approach is unique in that I teach clients exactly how to train their dog step-by-step with my guidance. Many people think training a dog requires massive physical strength to wrangle them to the ground or that the trainer has some magical touch. However, it’s all about learning how to communicate with dogs in much more subtle ways. Through my methods, clients feel empowered and proud of their achievements because they are the ones achieving their goals. They are equipped to have a well-mannered dog, even when I am not around. Clients who choose to do training with me virtually, due to distance or other factors, are often surprised at how quickly their dog learns even though our sessions weren’t done in person. It makes me happy to help as many people and dogs as possible even when they can’t come to in person sessions.

How do you define success?
Success, to me, is improving the welfare of dogs. Whether it’s helping clients solve their dog’s behavior problems and creating harmony in the home or socializing a puppy to become more confident, through my speaking engagements and media, I help people better understand dogs. My mission in life is to help as many dogs and people live better lives and enjoy a deeper connection. By doing this, I hope to also reduce the number of dogs that end up in shelters. I work with many clients who are a dog’s third or even fourth home. It’s a huge win for me to be able to help these amazing families understand their newly adopted dog and help this beautiful creature finally feel loved and understood. When these clients reach out to me, I feel extremely honored to be a part of their dog’s journey. It is my responsibility to ensure each dog who comes through Home Schooled Hound is treated with kindness, empathy, and compassion. I train without the use of pain, force, or intimidation because these dogs have suffered enough and deserve to be treated with patience and kindness. Helping dogs feel safe and find that learning is fun is the ultimate success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.homeschooledhound.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/home_schooled_hound

Image Credits
Happy Tails Studio