Monica Callahan
has been a certified, professional dog trainer since 2012. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Alliance of Therapy Dogs (www.therapydogs.com). She is a current rally judge for the C-WAGS organization. In 2021, she graduated from the prestigious licensing program, Family Paws. Family Paws is geared toward working with families who are welcoming babies into families with dogs or continuing to keep toddlers and children safe and dog aware.
Monica attended The University of Findlay from 2007-2011 where she majored in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Biology, with a Chemistry minor. During these four years, she acquired her second and third Dalmatians, Delta and Doc. She quickly fell in love with animal behavior and training by taking a psychology class in school and beginning to do various dog sports such as rally, conformation, and therapy dog work. After graduating from UF in 2011, she was accepted into Karen Pryor Academy. In 2012, she graduated from KPA and opened Anything’s Possible LLC dog training in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She went on to also teach classes through Fortunate Fido and One Smart Dog in the coming years.
Karen Pryor Academy holds high standards for their training partners, including yearly continuing education. Monica has attended many seminars through the years, including Clicker Expo, Patricia McConnell, Ken Ramirez, Sue Sternberg, Michael Shikashio, and more. A list of seminars is available upon request.
In 2021, Monica moved to the Myrtle Beach area with her family due to her husband’s job. She rebranded and opened Family Fido LLC. 2023 has brought her family another relocation (and hopefully the last!) to North Charleston, SC. She looks forward to bringing her expertise to the area and helping as many families as she can!
Monica helped start the MYR Airport P.E.T.S. therapy dog program in December of 2021. Therapy dog work is very near to Monica’s heart and she looks forward to finding their new niche in the Charleston area, while hoping to continue her MYR Airport visits.
Training Philosophy
Family Fido is committed to using methods that are both safe and effective for humans and dogs. Monica stays up to date through yearly seminars on the most effective training methods. Instead of focusing on what you don’t want your dog to do, Monica will sit down with you and come up with a plan for behaviors you would prefer to see your dogs perform and set up a training plan to accomplish those.
Family friendly dog training means:
~ Training methods can be used whether you are 5 years old or 85 years old.
~ Dogs will not be worried or afraid to work with you.
~ Behavioral issues will not be suppressed, but will instead be repaired and fixed through trust and relationship building.
~ You will learn how and why dogs think and behave the way they do and learn to manage situations effectively to make sure both human and dog are safe and happy.
Services
Family Fido offers a variety of services, including:
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Private In Home Training:
Monica will work with you and your dog in the comfort of your own home or in public. This service is tailored to your specific needs and goals. The initial session is 1-1.5 hours and includes management techniques and the beginning steps to training. Most clients request at least three private sessions. Monica recommends 1 hour sessions unless you are a regular client who just needs next steps. Private sessions include a clicker and written homework e-mailed after your session.
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Dog Walks:
Monica is licensed, insured, and bonded to interact with your dog while you’re away. She can let your dogs out to potty or take them on a walk. This can include light training to make sure your dog is not straining at the end of the leash. Walk visits can include feeding, mental enrichment, toy play, walking, or running.
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Day Training:
Monica will come into your house and work through your training plan while you are away from the house. This can be beneficial to have an experienced handler work with your dog to speed up training. Day training requires an initial private, in home consult before beginning day training.
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Therapy Dog Prep:
Monica is a current member of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs Board of Directors and thoroughly enjoys spreading the knowledge and power of therapy dogs. She is available to meet with and discuss therapy dog work, give you hints and tips, and help you train towards becoming a therapy dog team. Training sessions can include working on, no jumping, being calm for petting, loose leash walking, tricks to make visiting easier (think head rests or paws up for smaller dogs), becoming dog neutral, and more.
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Adventure Trips:
Adventure trips are 1 or 2 hours field trips where Monica gets your dog out and about. Now your dog can be living their best life while you’re away from home. Adventure trips can be geared towards training or adventure.
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Dog and Children Consult:
Monica is a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. She will take time to learn about you, your family, and your dog. Together you can come up with a plan to make sure everyone is safe, happy, and comfortable.
Certifications
Monica Callahan is a certified professional dog trainer with the following certifications:
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer (KPA-CTP) #78329
- Certified Family Paws Parent Educator (FPPE)
- Board of Director for Alliance of Therapy Dogs
- Current rally judge for the C-WAGS organization
Specializations
Monica specializes in the following areas:
- Family friendly dog training
- Therapy dog preparation
- Dog and children integration
- Behavioral issues
- Loose leash walking
- Tricks
Training Methods
Monica uses positive reinforcement training methods, which focus on rewarding desired behaviors. She believes in building a strong relationship between the dog and owner through trust and communication. She also emphasizes the importance of safety for both humans and dogs.
Social Media Links
Monica can be found on the following social media platforms:
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Facebook:
The Hero Dogs
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Instagram:
@The.Hero.Dogs
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TikTok:
@TheHero.Dogs
