Community Highlights: Meet Lauren Zimniski of Wildflower Dog Training

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Zimniski.

Hi Lauren, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was always the kid who never had an answer to “What do you want to be when you grow up?” But if you asked me when I was six I would have said “a dog.” It’s funny to think that that six-year-old kid knew what direction I should have set off on. However, instead, I pursued a collegiate field hockey career and a math degree. I eventually ended up at an office desk with a semi-traditional 9-5. And this is where my internal compass slowly started turning back towards that six-year-olds dream of “dogs.”

I couldn’t sit still at my desk, so I started walking dogs during my lunch break. I loved it! I was able to get my dog fix, inhale fresh air, absorb the sunshine, and move! I dreaded going back to my desk but would come back so much happier. After about 4 years of working post-college the company I was working for closed. I had also just moved to Denver from Orlando, so I felt like it was the perfect time to make a huge career change. Why not?!

So in 2018, I started Mile High Dog Walking, a dog-walking pet care business. Going into 2020 I had high projections and high hopes for where my business was headed. But I’m sure you can guess what happened next… I closed my business for a few months while the world shut down. I lost a ton of income and momentum. However, this period of time was exactly what I needed to reflect, learn, and grow.

During the shutdown, I picked up a book called “The Other End of the Leash” by Patricia McConnel. I LOVED it. It’s a book about animal behavior, animal body language, and training. It sent me off into the world of positive reinforcement dog training. I dove into books, webinars, online conferences, and courses. By mid-year, I made a decision that I was going to work towards becoming a force-free dog trainer.

In September 2020, I was accepted into The Academy for Dog Trainers, which is an intensive 2-year online program run by the world-renowned Jean Donaldson. Over those two years, I ran my dog-walking business, studied for exams, and practiced my training skills. For the first time, I felt like I was doing exactly what I was meant to do.

I graduated from The Academy with honors at the end of 2022. It took me almost a year to close down Mile High Dog Walking and start running my new dog training business, Wildflower Dog Training! And now, I’m extremely proud, as is my six-year-old self, of who I’ve become and what I do for a living.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m not sure any road is ever smooth. There were many peaks, valleys, and bumps along the way. At the time of the pandemic shutdown, I felt panicked and defeated. I worked so hard on my pet care business and got it to a level that I was proud of just to have to shut it all down. But in hindsight, it’s the best thing that ever happened. Without that time to slow down and reflect I’m not sure I would have ventured into the dog training world, or I would have but just much later in life.

Building Wildflower Dog Training hasn’t been smooth sailing either. Building this business has taken much more effort, time, and money than it did my previous one. I really wanted to launch a business that represented me, my expertise, and my professionalism. I wanted to be proud of what I showcased to Denver.

And I wanted clients to feel confident in me and my services. So to get to this point, it’s taken A LOT. But I’m incredibly proud of what I have to show, offer, and share. I think like anyone I go through bits of imposter syndrome, too. “They want ME to help them train their dog?!” It’s funny that I feel that pretty often. But once I’m in a training session, or as I walk to my car after, I always feel so happy and proud of the work that I did!

As I continue to work in this profession I think that feeling will fade, but I don’t think it will ever completely go away. And I see that as a good thing. It’ll help push me to learn more, practice more, and refine my training skills, and it’ll help me become a better positive reinforcement dog trainer in the long run.

We’ve been impressed with Wildflower Dog Training, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Coming up with the name Wildflower took months! I ran through so many ideas and not one of them felt right. However, Wildflower came to me so suddenly. I was at my family’s house in the mountains and looked over at a little framed painting. Mountains were drawn with little patches of snow and lots of little pops of color from wildflowers. It made me feel adventurous, happy, and calm.

For some reason, I looked down at the little title scribbled at the bottom and just saw “Wildflowers.” And it hit me like that! There was my name! Wildflower. The name evokes feelings of adventure and boldness, but also calm, peace, and nature. I believe those feelings are also present when we think of our dogs. They can be wild and bold, sweet and soothing. And when I train dogs or teach humans how to train, I always do it in a humane, nurturing, and kind way.

With my business name and overall branding, I believe that it portrays all of those feelings, and I’m so proud of that. I’m also beyond proud of my logo, created by an incredible designer, Jess Willis at The Little Hound Creative. It’s an illustration of my dog, Willow. She’s the first dog I’ve ever had as an adult. We adopted her in 2020 right after the shutdown and before I started my education at The Academy.

She’s my best friend and brings so much joy into my life. She often has “big feelings,” which is my way of saying she can be fearful and reactive on leash and towards new people. So it can be a struggle sometimes. But I love her unconditionally and am so grateful for her every day. Dog training is an unregulated business in the States. That means that anyone can open up a training business, collect money, and “train” dogs. This is why we see a ton of conflicting information and stark differences in training methods.

With my education at The Academy for Dog Trainers I learned the science behind how animals learn and what the best, safest, and humane methods are. And those are the methods I use in my training (reward-based, positive reinforcement, force-free). I also love the human aspect of this career. Of course, I can train a dog to do A, B, and C, but if I can’t coach the owner. how to practice those skills and use them in real life, then what’s the point?

The human aspect of my job is something I was missing in the pet care business. If I had a client working from home I would jump at the opportunity to talk to them. So now with my career shifting to being very heavily client-facing, I’m loving it! My goal is to always make my client feel heard, seen, and empowered. I also want them to have fun with training and feel proud of their progress, no matter how small.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
For anyone who has a dog or interacts with dogs the number 1 book I recommend to have is Doggie Body Language by Lili Chin. I have it out on my coffee table and refer to it ALL the time. The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson is a must-read. Jean is one of the most educated and knowledgeable dog trainers of our time. Anything by Jean can be guaranteed to be based on science and research.

The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnel was the first dog training book I read and was the gateway to the positive reinforcement world that I was yearning for. It’s an easy-to-understand book if this is your first dive into dog training. Wag and Purr by Zazie Todd are both books that I would recommend. Zazie also has a wonderful blog https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/ AND a podcast with the wonderful Kristi Benson, “The Pawsitive Post in Conversation”

Be Right Back!: How To Overcome Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety And Regain Your Freedom by Julie Naismith is top for those who might be struggling with separation anxiety and need somewhere to start. Puppy Life Skills by Katherine Davidson is my top pick for new puppy owners. It has everything you need from how to puppy-proof your house, how to potty train, and more.

Pricing:

• $135 for a behavior consultation/goal-setting session
• $1800 for the Wildflower Puppy Program
• $110-$135 for training sessions

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wildflowerdogs.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/wildflowerdogtraining_/
• Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/miKxvYPX1SfX9ZsaA?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/miKxvYPX1SfX9ZsaA?g_st=ic

Image Credits
Samantha Zimniski