How do I train my dog to listen to me? Waggleview with Alecia Evans, Holistic Dog Trainer, Animal Communicator and Healer

The Dog Owner: Alecia Evans, Holistic Dog Trainer, Animal Communicator, Energy Healer, Inventor of the Walk In Sync™ Humane Dog Walking and Training System, Author, The In Sync Method™ of Dog Training- 6 Secrets Your Dog Wants To Teach You To Unleash Your Greatest Potential, Creatress- The White Wolf Way: Instinctual Female Leadership Training.

Dogs type and Name: Indie (dachshund) Aiyana (Wolf Hybrid)   Takota (Chi/Heeler mix- Reservation Dog)

Q: Why did you choose these dogs?  

Indie was first. I wanted a small dog as I had always had big dogs and I actually wanted a female. A friend who owned a boarding kennel and fostered rescues contacted me about Indie so I went to see him. I was kind of uncertain when I first saw him as he was little and I just was not used to the look of a Dachshund. But I took him home and by day 5 it was a done deal- that was 13 years ago. He is one of the coolest people I know.

Aiyana came next. My Basset Hound Juliet was 1 when she became ill. Three months and four vets later, she was diagnosed with a rare Avian strain of flu. By one and half years old, she was very sick. I had been studying the Energetic Language of dogs for years and wanted to learn from the first dogs, Wolves. The night before she passed, I lay down in her bed with her letting her know that if she needed to leave this body I would be ok- and for some reason I said, “ But if you want to come back in a new body would you come back as a White Wolf with Blue eyes.” She passed the next morning and three and half weeks later I found Aiyana in South Carolina. She was a White Wolf Hybrid with Blue eyes. She has been my primary Wolf teacher of the Energetic Language of Dogs. She is absolutely a well- balanced Alpha Female and has taught me the Art of Embodied Leadership for Dog Training.

Takota is the most recent addition to my family. I was returning from the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, New Mexico. As I was driving down the road, I saw him running up the side of the road- completely emaciated and covered in fleas- and dog teeth punctures as I would later discover- I stopped my car got out and after three cups of dog food, I put a leash around his neck and wrapped him in a towel and drove him back to Colorado with Indie and Aiyana. I can’t say that I chose Takota but I can say that for six weeks before he showed up I kept hearing the word Chihuahua daily.

Q: Do you talk to your dogs? If so, what do you talk about?

All the time. As a Professional Animal Communicator, I speak with dogs daily to assist their humans in understanding their health and behavior issues and how to most naturally resolve them. From the beginning I have always communicated with my dogs like the conscious beings that they are. We have a very unique relationship and I believe it’s because I understand their energy language and that I can hear what they have to share with me. We get along and know each other so well. I see who they are as conscious souls with their own life experience to have as we share our lives together.

Indie and I talk about healing work. Aiyana talks with me about how she uses her energy to train other dogs, and Takota may be an alien in a dog body, so he is still learning the art of telepathic communication.

Q: How do I train my dog to listen to me?

Authentic Embodied Leadership is the key to having your dog listen to you. The main reason your dog does not listen to you is that dogs know that one of the two of you needs to be the leader- if you are not a calm, clear, consistent leader your dog will not listen to you – treats or no treats.

 Q: If they could talk to you, what would they say?

Oh they talk all the time. It’s just different each day. Dogs are really amazing communicators and sharers of information – it’s just that most people have gotten too busy and shut down their ability to hear and communicate with the animals. What they would say totally depends on the situation. 

Q: If your dogs had a job or career, what would they be doing?

Indie would be an Australian Aboriginal, as he likes to go on walkabouts.

Aiyana would be a teacher or bodyguard.

Takota, well he’s still dealing with being in a body on a different planet.

Q: What lesson in life have your dogs taught you?

Oh my God so much!

Indie has taught me to trust in love again- to allow my heart to love another so deeply – to be honest and own my leadership status. She’s taught me the power of the will and heart over all else, to never underestimate the power of a small dog, and that I can be a great leader. She knows that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. She’s also taught me that exploring can be fun.

Aiyana has taught me to have fun and be my silly, sensitive, sensual, nurturing and fierce self. She’s taught me the energetic art of training puppies, to have a great girlfriend is to be one, to not take anything personal or to make anything personal, and don’t worry be happy.

Takota is teaching me patience, a whole new language that Reservation dogs know, and love and acceptance.

Q: How do your dogs inspire you?

They are just such funny and intelligent beings. They inspire me to be responsible, to have fun and to own my leadership power.

Q: What’s the one key in order to listen to your dog better?

The one key to your dog listening to you is in owning your Natural Leadership. My book, The In Sync Dog Training Method:  6 Secrets Your Dog Wants To Teach You To Unleash Your Greatest Potential, teaches you the inner language of your dog so you know who and how you need to be in order to have your dog trust, honor and respect you.

Q: Where are your dog’s favorite places to go with you?

Anywhere!!! Hiking, to see our horses, cross-country skiing, paddle boarding, walking by the river.

Q: Who or what do your dogs find the most interesting?

That’s a tough one- each dog has different preferences.

Q: What is the most annoying thing other dog owners do?

Lack clear boundaries, treat their dogs like children, and don’t step up to being their dog’s leader

Q: What does being a responsible dog owner mean to you?

Making sure your dog is physically healthy with proper nutrition, making sure their bodies are healthy with Chiropractic Care or Acupuncture. Making sure you are a proper leader to your dog, taking responsibility and accountability for proper leadership in training. Proper exercise daily.

Q: What can you do to help your dog live a more holistic life?

As a Holistic Dog Trainer and Canine/Human Wellness Consultant I focus on four quadrants to a holistic life. Body, Training, Nutrition and Leadership.

1. Body: if your dog’s back is out of alignment it will affect the processing from their Central Nervous System which will affect their ability to listen, learn and calm their energy. I recommend a Chiropractic adjustment several times a year to keep your dog’s spine aligned and supple.

2. Training: clear leadership, consistent boundaries and humane training tools.

3. Nutrition: Making sure that your dog’s diet is correct for their body. With so many different foods on the market with each claiming to be the best, I use a form of energetic muscle testing (which I often do at a distance) to ask the dogs body what food would best nourish them. I am a huge believer in wet food and human food as I find dry foods alone to be a complete contradiction to a dog’s actual digestive requirement.

4.  Authentic Leadership: Too many dog parents are being trained on treats to get their dogs attention to train them. I cannot stress how important learning the Art of Embodied Leadership is to your relationship with your dog.  It’s the way dogs have trained each other for tens of thousands of years and it is what keeps relationships clean healthy and deeply connected.

Q: Do you ever dress up your dogs? If so, as what?

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! AND I wish people would stop this. Dogs think its ridiculous. I once dressed Indie as a hot dog but he hated the costume.

Q: How have your dogs changed your life?

In every delightful way imaginable.

Q: What’s the best way to develop a deeper connection with your dog?

Understand their language, deepest drives and needs. Spend time watching your dog from an open mind and really observe their natural way of being. I have learned so much from dogs just by watching them. This allows you to really see your dog for who they are and not for your projection on them.  It’s from this place of true admiration for the unique intelligent individual your dog is that a deeper connection is developed. For your dog to develop a deeper connection you need to be a calm, authentic leader who is willing to say what you mean and mean what you say by providing clear consistent boundaries. This creates a level of respect and devotion in your dog that deepens their connection to you.  

Q: Do your dogs have a philosophy of life?

Indie- go with the flow

Yana- life is always better with respectful boundaries

Takota- keep your eye on your leader

Q: Why did you create the Walk In Sync System?

When I created the Walk In Sync System, I believed I was following a path honoring a promise I made to my Chocolate Lab, Barney after we had some painful experiences with traditional training tools. I promised him that I would find a way to walk and train dogs that was respectful, easy and fun. I did that, but along the way I discovered that Walk In Sync was my path of learning to Walk In Sync with myself, to trust my natural leadership knowing and to listen to my gut instincts. As I continued walking this path and observing what was transforming in the relationship between the dogs and human I was consistently blown away. I not only witnessed the vast improvement of communication between person and dog, but a deepening of the entire relationship as the human learned to own their natural leadership skills and their dogs were happy to Walk In Sync with them. Since then my life has gone to the dogs.

Q: What’s one tip for walking your dog properly?

Providing clear, consistent boundaries assists you in being a calm, clear, consistent leader and consistent boundaries are the key to walking your dog properly. My Walk In Sync™ System is a great tool for this. It’s easy, safe and it REALLY works.

Q: I love my dogs because they are the coolest, most loyal, loving and fun and intelligent people I know.

Q: Have you ever made dog treats for your dogs? If so, please share your recipe. No- just frozen beef hearts.

WAGGLEVIEW™: These interviews are focused on leaders in business, the community, or at home. My hope in doing this is to present remarkable and respected people in their community with their beloved pets. Who can resist reading about pets and what these people do? This is a platform for people to display their talents; their own business, a new book, a deeply loved passion for a charity or their own job. It also shows their love for their pet!

Thank you Alecia  for taking the time to participate in the Waggleview™.                      

Please follow Lori Pelikan Strobel on Facebook or subscribe, so you can learn about our next dog owner and her lovable pet.

Do you have difficulty in training your dog to listen to you? What are you working on with your dog?

Please comment below and share with other dog lovers!