Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who
see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care.
I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.
I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people.
So come and join us for today's conversation.
Anke: Hello and welcome Denise.
I always love starting with a bit of a giggle.
Yeah.
Well we so lovely to have you.
So lovely to have you.
Where are you based?
Where are you In this lovely world and I am
Denise: in Dublin, Ireland.
Yes, right beside Phoenix Park on the bucket list right beside Annie
Phoenix's Park, we, we've renamed it.
It's not Phoenix Park anymore, it's Annie Phoenix's Park, and we did
bring her up there when she was over, she got to see the deer, got to go
to the restaurant and everything.
So it was loads of fun,
Anke: so Awesome, awesome, awesome.
So what's your business with dogs?
What are you good to do with dogs?
I used to do a.
Denise: I did do a lot with dogs.
Um, I was, okay, let's rewind.
I'll go back to the beginning.
So when I started as a trainer, um, when I started training as a
trainer, I was also working as a puppy walker for the guide dogs.
So that's a volunteer job.
Yeah.
Take a few dogs on for a year at a time, just bring them
out, socialize and whatnot.
Um, and it suited me fine.
It was great because I was coming off the back of, um, recovering from
a long-term illness and I needed to get myself out there, kind of
just get myself doing something.
And I've always loved animals.
Like when I worked in the film studio, there was an animal wrangler.
The door opposite me in the hallway.
And I was in there more times than I was in with the architect.
So it was like, yeah, animals all the way.
I did not know at the time there was such a thing as a dog trainer, you could
make a business outta dog training.
Um, 'cause like we, we grew up with Barbara Woodhouse in the eighties on BBC
going walkies and using your choke chain.
I, that's.
That's, and she had little tweed skirt and big horn rim glasses and it's like,
yeah, we just thought like, you have this.
Like I say, that was late seventies, early eighties.
It's going way back.
So at the st at the time that I started with the guide dogs, I was not a trainer.
I was just somebody who was learning how to train dogs, um, independently.
To the guide dogs.
And, uh, the more I learned, the more questions I had.
And as Sarah Fisher is always ask, never stop asking.
Ask questions.
So each of I asked.
I, you know, and then I came across another, um, charity that
was the Arch Dogs, the Disabled.
And I love their ethics.
I love their ethos, and I just loved everything they did
with the puppies aligned with.
I wanted what I wanted to see in training.
So I kinda jumped ship, went over to them and I have done a couple
of pilot training courses for them.
Pilots in, um, there was one in a prison, there was one rehab facility.
They have this amazing, um, training camp going on in, uh, prisons in
Ireland, in a women's facility.
And, um, kind of a low.
Can't even remember the name of it now.
It, it's kind of like a buddy program where the dogs go in and it's kind of
very non restrictive type of prison, I suppose is the best word for it.
So I was really enthralled by these programs.
So I jumped at the chance to do pilots in two of them.
I loved it.
Um, I have been working with dogs in a professional capacity for about 17 years.
Um, I then took on one of the dogs I took on that I was training.
He looked a bit wonky.
He actually did there, there was something wrong at six months old and I
was thinking it's leg looks a bit odd.
And of course, you know, one thing led to another, so I was being extra careful.
He was a working dog and all this.
Um, long story short.
He was diagnosed with severe, um, elbow dysplasia and it was
bilateral and, uh, arthritis.
He was only 14 months old, so that was pretty bad.
So kind of said it to the supervisor and you have to do something for him.
Given that it was a new charity at the time and how much these
operations cost, it was unreal.
So I said, well, you know what, he's such a little doubt.
All dogs deserve the best.
So I kind of got it in my, my head, like, I'm a dog trainer.
I can do something.
So I was running these classes.
They were, they were free.
I was just, everybody was meeting me in the park and we'd go through
kind of question and answer, and then they'd just leave a donation.
That was going through towards the, the operation fund.
Um, I was bag packing in the local supermarket with big
buckets like advertising.
The charity I start putting out, I, I went back to my reset
button, which is always art.
So I put out t-shirts and hoodies.
Um, then I was doing logos and illustrations for donations.
Everything was donation, donation, donation, anything you want.
Gimme a donation, I'll do it, type of thing.
And we, and I even put the dog on stage.
He played Sandy in a stage show of Annie for like seven shows, you know, 'cause
I could shake a bucket at the end.
I said, look, I forgot the fee if you let me fundraise.
Um, so we did raise funds.
I did have 'em insured as well, which helped.
We did raise funds and then we discovered it was both elbows and then his.
Hips gave out.
So it was like, right, so it's four limbs, that's really expensive.
That's like the price of a new house.
Um, it's like, how are we going to do this?
But then we discovered like there was no way we could do it.
He wouldn't be able to get through all of that.
So had a long pink and, uh, spoke to the dogs for a say, and there
was no way he was ever gonna be able to work in that condition.
So I said, okay, I'll keep him.
I have him insured.
He's not expect, he, we had the first operation and he wasn't
expected to live too long.
So I said, well, let us give him the best life ever for
the short time he has with us.
And I thought, oh God, I didn't think that one through because now
somebody needs to be home to look after him while he is recovering.
And we had another puppy at that stage and it was like.
Yeah, I really d you know, I was one step at a time, let's
deal with one problem at a time.
So I kind of thought, okay, I had a really good training business up and running at
the time, and I thought, can't be outta the house when, when I have to be here.
So I kinda referred all my clients at the time to other local
trainers that I trusted, and I.
I had a company I'd set up the previous year called Mighty Dog Graphics
because to me, Jeffy is my mighty dog.
So Mighty Dog Graphics.
And yet I put a wolf hand on the logo instead of Jeffy,
but that's not the point.
And um, yeah, I thought, thought, well, you know what?
I'll activate the company and I'll just do graphics and illustrations for the next
six months while I'm looking after 'em.
I did not know whether it was going to take off or not, but at least I'd be
home and hopefully have a bit of income while I'm looking after him and all this.
And 10 years later, mighty Dog Graphics is still going strong and so is Jeffrey.
Anke: That's incredible.
I love
Denise: that.
So it was like, wow, what a story.
Mighty dog.
My, yeah, there you go.
So, so he founded your business basically.
He did.
He ruined my actual business, but he founded my new business.
But no, I still do, uh, consultancy work and I still do kind of online
because like back then, as I say, like 10 year we didn't do Zoom.
Mm-hmm.
That was like, you know, that would've been.
The obvious thing to do, like, oh, I have to stay at home all
day and look after the dog.
Oh yeah.
I can just zoom you.
Whereas it was like, no, we'd be talking on the telephone.
I think I'll just pass this over to somebody else.
So, yeah, so it's, it's those little things.
And he is still going strong.
He's 11 and a half now.
He'll be, he should be 12 in May.
He's not doing too well at the moment, but.
After about a year of Mighty Dog and I was thinking, yeah,
maybe I go back to training.
And I was like, no, I'm kind of really enjoying this too much.
It's like, oh good.
And I remember my mom saying to me, you worked all, you did all your graphics,
all your animation, all your artwork to raise money, to learn to be a dog trainer.
And now you've used all that learning and understanding as a dog trainer and
behaviors to draw bloody pictures of dogs.
I said, yeah, anatomy right.
So, yeah, so my basic at the moment is Mighty Dog Graphics.
We do illustrations, we do books, so cool books, illustrations,
logos and stuff like that.
And it's actually been quite quiet at the moment 'cause everybody's using Canva and
AI and we just can't compete with that.
So I, you know, I, I use pencils.
I use pencils and pens.
I draw, you know, but that I draw my hand.
Yeah.
Anke: I think, I don't know.
Look, there's always, there's a place for one thing, but there's a like.
Funny enough, I was actually literally looking at, um, you know, line art
and things and I'm like, you know, because I have this thing that I, I
want, like I don't have any tattoos and I'm like, the only tattoo I want
is something with the dogs, you know?
And so like for something like that, oh, I wouldn't wanna do a Canva thing.
Oh no.
Like, you know, we want a real artist for that.
Yeah.
Denise: I mean, the thing with Canva as well is that I don't think
you get to keep any of the art.
I don't think you can copyright it.
So you could have like a million people across the planet walking
around with the same image, so,
Anke: you know.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No, totally, totally.
I mean, I think there'll always be a place for original artwork because especially I
think yours is, is really, it's so niche.
You know, so you can't just like, yeah, I think that's pretty clever.
And then it's also like, yeah.
Who says that you can't ever go back to dog training if you wanted to?
Yeah, I mean,
Denise: I, I do keep my hand in with the dog training.
I, I do a lot of consultancy work and kind of online classes, group
classes, like not so much classes, because I'm not really into the whole
obedience thing where you teach 'em to walk around in circles to heal.
It's more like, what's your dog doing?
Well, let's analyze that, you know, let's.
Let's do, let's find out why they're doing it and let's give you some options as to
what you can do to kind of divert that, kind of get them to do something else.
And I love that it, it's kind of like,
it's like.
Almost like Shela Holmes's book where you open the book and it's like, yes, look at
all these clues, let's pull them together.
And, uh, that actually I love about into dogs.
'cause as you know, you, you had Mark Bridger Prescott on recently.
He's the vice chair of Inter Dogs.
Yep.
And I'm the chair.
But the two of us are co-directors of the limited company.
But we do, um, case study evenings for our full members.
And it's just amazing.
I love hearing.
All their case studies.
And when you get a group of people, like-minded people together, you
never know who's going to come out with something so simple that
you might never have thought of.
And that's where the support and the connection comes in.
Mm.
And that's what Inter Dogs is about.
It's about connection and this kind of family mentality.
Anke: I love that.
And I think it's this, it's this almost like accelerating experience.
'cause you can tap into somebody else's.
You don't have to wait until you have a case like that.
You can learn from somebody else's cases.
Absolutely.
So into dogs, is that for professionals only or is that like, could I join it
or like what's the, what's the criteria?
Join it.
We
Denise: have um, we accredit trainers and behaviors, but we
also have an um, inter dogs intro.
Which is for anybody in the dog community who is considering working
with dogs in the future, or you know, just want to be involved.
So, I mean, it's all up on the website.
It's into dogs.net.
We kept it simple because I'd forget and Mark brains behind the.
That's why I draw things by hand.
Marks Mark is the brains behind the computer because I am not savvy.
I'm not because things
I to be, well, to be honest with you.
With Inter Dogs, mark and myself, what you see is what you get.
We are open and honest.
We are as transparent as we can with everybody.
You have a question?
We're just gonna answer it.
Um, we do try to help everybody.
We try to promote all our members.
Um, we have the public page, the Interd Dogs public page.
Uh, it's called The Association of Inter Dogs.
And we do try every day to get a post out from one of our members.
'cause we have an amazing.
Selection of members who have done so much.
They're just an incredible,
an incredible bunch.
So many of them are booked out as well.
So many of them are courses.
You know, it, it, it's endless.
The possibilities are endless with these guys.
Anke: I mean, that's, that's actually really brilliant because if
somebody's looking for a professional, like that's a great place to go.
Right?
Denise: Well, the association of Into Dogs.
Um, when I first joined as Vice Chair, it was under Andrew Hale, who
was the chair, and he was one of the founders of the UK Charter, the UK
dog, uh, behavior and training charter.
So we are one of the founding members of that.
So if you, if somebody was joining into dogs, they would automatically become.
A member of the UK Charter as well.
But apart from that, if somebody is looking for a trainer, they can look
on our website or they can look on the charter website and they'll be
guaranteed, they'll get somebody with ethics who is force free positive
trainers who look not only at the dog, but they look at the person, the
lifestyle, very holistic approach, which I think is, has been missed.
In previous years by so many, you know, so cool.
We had this kind of cookie cutter design where, oh, the dog has to
do sit before it goes out the door.
Why?
I am looking why?
Yeah.
No, mine never saw the point of that.
I've not him.
Anke: That's such a, that's such a brilliant resource.
So we'll definitely obviously pop that below the, the video, so, yeah.
And, and the, you know, the site to get you as an artist as well.
'cause my mind is.
Spinning.
It's like, oh, if you have like training material or if you
wanna do handout Yeah, I do.
Kind of for your client and things like that.
It's like, Ooh.
Denise: Yeah, I do infographics.
Um, there's a couple of books I've done.
I've done some For Lies Ly Wagner on Rocket Recall
because, oh, I had her on the
Anke: show recently.
Mm.
Did she?
Oh, here's her
Denise: book.
Anke: Oh, yay.
Denise: Um, yeah.
Recall is one of my pet peeves.
I love recall.
I work on recall every day.
Anke: Yeah.
So it kills me
Denise: when I see a dog awfully that doesn't even know their
name, let alone how to come back.
Yeah.
Um, yeah, so I really loved working on that book.
There's also Nicole Wild, uh, help for Your Dog, reactive Dog.
Um, Fran Hellman.
Uh, it was a.
Now I get it.
It was about clicker.
Tony Cruz.
I did his cover for Ws of Wisdom, uh, Shea Kelly's Dog Training and
Behavior book, and of course, Annie.
Yeah, love.
I think I, a few, a few of my bits are in, um, her last one with big, long name that
neither of us can remember or pronounce
Anke: when we're put on the spot.
Well, I'm gonna dig those out.
I'm gonna dig those out and pop them in the, in the show notes.
I'm sure there's
Denise: more.
I forgot.
And somebody's gonna come back to me saying, oh my God,
you didn't mention my book.
Oh,
Anke: well.
You know, we'll pop it.
If there's something else that pops up, we can always put it.
Well, thank you so much.
This was so much fun.
I'm still giggling and so, yeah, I think, um, yeah, I you keep the blinds
Denise: closed, so I didn't I
Anke: know.
Go on fire time.
Next time we're gonna just pull out some, you know, some artwork.
But, um, yeah.
Thank you so much for coming.
This was just delightful.
No problem.
Denise: Um, yeah, I, you can find Mighty Dog on Facebook because.
As I was saying to you earlier, my site was hacked and it, it went to an Asian
porn site, so that wasn't too good.
So, yeah.
Um, I have not gotten around to resetting the website because I hardly ever used it.
Anyway, that's how it got hacked and I didn't notice.
Oh, until, all right.
Anke: We are gonna point it to the Facebook page that, yeah,
Denise: let's just see what the Facebook page.
Anke: Yeah.
Awesome.
Well, thank you and I hope to speak to you again soon.
Denise: Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for listening.
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That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.