About Us
Elizabeth & Telltail
HELLO
I'm Elizabeth.
Growing up, I didn’t think I had any natural ability with animals.
I wasn’t the sort of person that could look a dog in the eyes and just know what they were thinking. Some people, very few, do have that skill, and I find it fascinating.
Instead, I pursued my love of writing, and became a journalist then marketer, focusing on nonprofit organizations while writing for local publications.
In 2012, I started working with animals, while continuing my writing. When I was living in Colorado, I brought home my own little living creature, a Miniature Schnauzer named Jeeves, and then I started dog sitting for friends. I took several dog training classes and slowly began to see that I could learn how to communicate with animals.
In 2016, I gave dog walking a chance after I moved to New Jersey, and then in 2017, I tackled a dog training internship on a southern New Jersey farm. I was quickly promoted to communications coordinator and Farm Camp manager. It was a sink or swim sort of environment that taught me a massive amount about dog behavior, since we primarily handled and trained dogs with behavioral issues while using positive reinforcement methods.
In less than a year, I was eligible to become certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, and I passed the exam in October of 2020. The strenuous 250-question exam also required 300 hours of hands-on dog training.
When I moved to Little Rock in 2018, I quickly started volunteering with local rescues. I tried working for some local dog businesses, but I started Telltail Dog Training because I saw a need for force-free, positive reinforcement training that focused on communication, while catering to the busy individual who might need evening and weekend opportunities.
My Dogs
Jeeves (left) came home with me in 2012 at eight weeks old. He is a Miniature Schnauzer and was my first dog as an adult. We took several group classes, including Canine Good Citizen, and I got all of the books. He likes cuddling, prancing on walks, finding the good sniffs, watermelon, cheese, and yogurt. He loves saying hello to people, and dislikes being picked up.
Lexi (middle) was a dumped dog a friend found in April of 2020. My best guess is that she’s a Toy Fox Terrier mix. I took her for a week as a foster, but I suspected she’d be staying longer after the first day, and she officially become my pandemic puppy (she was about a year old, the vet estimated). She will demand the attention of our neighbors on walks by yelling at them, will chase squirrels and cats, and has been known, at ten pounds, to never back down from a fight. She’s also gone on fun runs more times than I can count, meaning an emergency recall was crucial. She loves a good slice of cheese, burrowing into blankets, and tormenting Rosie.
Rosie (right) is a Belgian Malinois rescue I brought home in April of 2022. With the world feeling even more and more insane every single day, I can’t control much, but my landlord told me I could have 100 dogs if I wanted. I found Rosie on Petfinder, asked the rescue to see how she did with little dogs, and brought her home about a month later. She’s a breed that is often subjected to more harsh training methods via training collars, and I also wanted to show that positive reinforcement works for all breeds and dogs of all sizes. She likes a good slice of cheese, lickimats, and yelling at other dogs on walks. She loves people, cuddling, and a good chew. She dislikes when I move too quickly and she really hates cats. Follow our journey on Instagram at Once Upon A Malinois.
How to Pick a Trainer
You can and should ask questions of a dog trainer. What's their personality like? Can they explain their methods and why they use them? Can you watch them train dogs? Or see how their clients handle their dogs?
Breakdown on Training Methods
There are a LOT of ways to train. There are even a bunch of ways to just teach a dog to sit. It's confusing out there for pet owners, so I sat down with certified trainer Cassi Bee to discuss methods.
the Telltail Podcast
A sort of weekly podcast, Telltail Dog can be found wherever you consume your podcasts and over at the host site on Fireside. I interview trainers, behaviorists, pet professionals and dog owners to bring you the latest in scientific findings and humane treatment.
