Gillian Knows Dogs
Gillian has always believed that education combined with experience was the key to helping clients teach and manage their dogs. She began her canine training career in 1972, working as a dog training apprentice. She quickly knew that she wanted so be involved with dogs. She got her Diploma in Animal Health Technology, graduating with honors. She has certificates in Small Animal Dermatology, Small Animal Nutrition, plus Canine Behavior and Canine Aggression certificates from The University of Guelph.
Gillian spent years working and managing Veterinary clinics in Toronto. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Gillian opened up Paws For Thought, one of the first pet boutiques in the 1980’s, and quickly realized that being on hand to the Toronto Beach community, for advice from the shop, was the key to client success with their pups. Education of the public, about all things dog, became her passion.
Gillian had a vision of a dog trainers community, where ideas could be shared.
A founding member of both the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers and International Positive Dog Trainers Association (and as a key note speaker at their many conferences), once again it was evident that education, combined with experience, was the key to helping clients teach, and manage, their dogs. This involvement ensured that Gillian, and the trainers under her direction, always remained up to date on all current training issues.
Gillian’s love of teaching people to train their dogs continued, and she founded Who’s Walking Who Dog Training in 1989, in the Beach neighborhood. Who’s Walking Who then opened a second location in Ajax in 1999 and a third location at Park9 in the Distillery District of downtown Toronto in 2004. Under her direction, Who’s Walking Who grew to 3 locations and a training staff of over 20 instructors, the best in the biz!
In 2018, she decided it was time to change direction, and sold her much-loved business to pursue other goals, including pursuing her passion to continue to help puppy parents privately in their homes.
Puppies are her speciality!
With her love of public speaking and public education, along with a recognized tell-it-like-it is style, Gillian’s passion continues, to educate her clients through community events, in-home Raising Canine Puppy Consultation & 4-week Puppy Einstein Program….to get the family started on the right “paw”.