Soul Touched by Dogs

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.

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.