Brother of the Wolf takes dog training back to natural roots
Spending time with your dog should be enjoyable, but sometimes it turns into a lot of give-and-take.
The majority of pet owners bring dogs into their homes for the right reasons: companionship, love and the simple joy they add to their lives.
But, without proper training, a pet can cause stress and unhappiness. It’s not simply a matter of teaching simple obedience; it requires patience, firmness and, above all, effective communication.
No one understands this better than Dawn Watson, a Native American dog training professional who is owner and head trainer of the new Brother of the Wolf dog training facility in Berlin.
Watson has been training dogs since 1973, and her unique methods have been copyrighted. Her background in psychology emphasizes the human-animal bond and plays a significant role in her work.
Her credentials include membership in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and the Animal Behavior Society.
Watson is the mother of two adult children, Dana and Dino, and four dogs: Balan, Skippy, Chucha and Atah. Her husband, Dan, builds her dog agility equipment. Dana is Brother of the Wolf’s operations manager, and Dino is part of her creative team. Other experienced, professional trainers round out the staff.
Described as “natural training for exceptional dogs,” Watson’s distinctive methods come from her Cherokee, Chicamauqua and Shawnee heritage.
She relies on dogs’ instincts and the link to their wolf and coyote ancestors to train them with respect and admiration.
Brother of the Wolf classes include “Who’s Afraid of the Little Bad Wolf?” to help puppies learn socialization and manners, “The Basic Pack Experience” for basic skills and “WolfPack Fitness,” a specially designed fitness program for overweight dogs.
“One of our most popular classes is TrailMarker’s Academy, which offers housebreaking in two hours,” Watson said.
This gentle approach lets dogs know where to go through repetition and concentration.
The “Call of the Wild” series meets at parks or shops to get dogs socialized for public venues. They are taught polite ways to interact, like sitting to be petted and not being aggressive.
“It’s extremely effective,” Watson said.
The “Wolf Pup Swim Club” is for pool and boat owners, to help acclimate dogs to water and water safety — the class actually teaches dogs to get out of the water via a ladder.
Most classes meet between four and six times, and Watson provides all the products, included in the cost of the sessions. There’s even a unique graduation ceremony at the end of each class.
Private sessions are available for special cases, such as “Extreme Lone Wolf” for dogs with significant behavioral issues. This works well for highly reactive dogs, dogs that bite, and “fence fighters” (dogs that run up and down, bark and appear to be fighting at a fence).
The “Howling: Please Make it Stop” class teaches a dog to cease barking on command.
In addition to all these, Watson offers stress-reducing and limbering dog massages.
“These are especially helpful for geriatric dogs — it makes them more limber and aids poor blood circulation,” she said.
“Grooming Desensitization” teaches dogs to find comfort in grooming.
“We always check with vets to make sure there aren’t any health problems that could be exacerbated,” she pointed out.
Brother of the Wolf even offers several “New Path” services for pet owner consolation, hospice and bereavement.
When owners are interested, Watson speaks to pups in Cherokee, a very gentle language which she describes as sounding like “waves lapping on a shore.” It also has protective benefits.
“When dogs are taught to only respond to Cherokee commands, this protects them from wandering off with a stranger,” she said.
All of these services are described on the regular menu of course offerings, available at www.brotherofthewolf.com.
Brother of the Wolf, LLC, dog training facility is located at 154A Cross Keys Road in Berlin. For information, call 856-210-6743.
The majority of pet owners bring dogs into their homes for the right reasons: companionship, love and the simple joy they add to their lives.
But, without proper training, a pet can cause stress and unhappiness. It’s not simply a matter of teaching simple obedience; it requires patience, firmness and, above all, effective communication.
No one understands this better than Dawn Watson, a Native American dog training professional who is owner and head trainer of the new Brother of the Wolf dog training facility in Berlin.
Watson has been training dogs since 1973, and her unique methods have been copyrighted. Her background in psychology emphasizes the human-animal bond and plays a significant role in her work.
Her credentials include membership in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and the Animal Behavior Society.
Watson is the mother of two adult children, Dana and Dino, and four dogs: Balan, Skippy, Chucha and Atah. Her husband, Dan, builds her dog agility equipment. Dana is Brother of the Wolf’s operations manager, and Dino is part of her creative team. Other experienced, professional trainers round out the staff.
Described as “natural training for exceptional dogs,” Watson’s distinctive methods come from her Cherokee, Chicamauqua and Shawnee heritage.
She relies on dogs’ instincts and the link to their wolf and coyote ancestors to train them with respect and admiration.
Brother of the Wolf classes include “Who’s Afraid of the Little Bad Wolf?” to help puppies learn socialization and manners, “The Basic Pack Experience” for basic skills and “WolfPack Fitness,” a specially designed fitness program for overweight dogs.
“One of our most popular classes is TrailMarker’s Academy, which offers housebreaking in two hours,” Watson said.
This gentle approach lets dogs know where to go through repetition and concentration.
The “Call of the Wild” series meets at parks or shops to get dogs socialized for public venues. They are taught polite ways to interact, like sitting to be petted and not being aggressive.
“It’s extremely effective,” Watson said.
The “Wolf Pup Swim Club” is for pool and boat owners, to help acclimate dogs to water and water safety — the class actually teaches dogs to get out of the water via a ladder.
Most classes meet between four and six times, and Watson provides all the products, included in the cost of the sessions. There’s even a unique graduation ceremony at the end of each class.
Private sessions are available for special cases, such as “Extreme Lone Wolf” for dogs with significant behavioral issues. This works well for highly reactive dogs, dogs that bite, and “fence fighters” (dogs that run up and down, bark and appear to be fighting at a fence).
The “Howling: Please Make it Stop” class teaches a dog to cease barking on command.
In addition to all these, Watson offers stress-reducing and limbering dog massages.
“These are especially helpful for geriatric dogs — it makes them more limber and aids poor blood circulation,” she said.
“Grooming Desensitization” teaches dogs to find comfort in grooming.
“We always check with vets to make sure there aren’t any health problems that could be exacerbated,” she pointed out.
Brother of the Wolf even offers several “New Path” services for pet owner consolation, hospice and bereavement.
When owners are interested, Watson speaks to pups in Cherokee, a very gentle language which she describes as sounding like “waves lapping on a shore.” It also has protective benefits.
“When dogs are taught to only respond to Cherokee commands, this protects them from wandering off with a stranger,” she said.
All of these services are described on the regular menu of course offerings, available at www.brotherofthewolf.com.
Brother of the Wolf, LLC, dog training facility is located at 154A Cross Keys Road in Berlin. For information, call 856-210-6743.
