What’s New

We are excited to welcome Whistler company Modern Dog Training to the AnimalKind community of evidence-based trainers!

There is no better way to get to know Abbey Gregus, owner and trainer at Modern Dog Training, than by her own words:

“Hi! I’m Abbey of Modern Dog Training.

I grew up as a horse and animal enthusiast in rural Ontario with dreams of becoming a large animal veterinarian. I completed a BSc from McGill in Biodiversity & Conservation and a graduate certificate in Ecosystem Restoration. Then came the classic decision to ‘move to Whistler for a season’.  When the pandemic hit — like many — I took a journey into my true life’s passions. For me that has always been animals. In December 2020, my first passion project, Doggy Tales Whistler was born.

With pet care being a completely unregulated industry, it was a priority for me from the beginning to set the bar high. Through Doggy Tales’ main service, the Small Pack Walk Club, I had the opportunity to experience multiple groups of dogs moving through puppyhood and into adolescence. Observing these dogs’ body language and behaviour over time allowed me to gain a deep understanding of them. With no surprise, I became infatuated with learning about how our canine companions are feeling and more importantly, why.

In university, we explored the notion of animals as their own persons, with a unique physicality that influences the way they perceive the world around them. This concept altered my perspective of non-human beings in a deep and meaningful way; It taught me to empathize with the emotional needs of dogs. This outlook proved useful while I was completing a dog training certification with my WAG rescue pup Tucker.

Tucker suddenly started experiencing anxiety, and refused to participate in our training sessions. What followed was an exploration into the emotional connectedness of me and my best friend. I realized that in order to be successful, I was going to have to focus on lowering my own anxiety first. Although this was a challenging journey and I contemplated giving up on many occasions, I also know I’m a better dog trainer today because of it. Working with anxious dogs and people is a reality of the world we currently live in and I’m grateful for how this experience allows me to better help people and their dogs.

Just a few decades ago, the family dog was ‘just a dog’ whereas today, our canine counterparts are commonly considered equal members of the family. Fur babies, if you will. I’m grateful to be trained in Positive Reinforcement Dog Training which offers efficient, scientific and humane methods while prioritizing the emotional needs of our animals.

With Modern Dog Training, my goal is to foster humane and compassionate dog guardianship within the Sea to Sky community. I offer proactive approaches to training and simple solutions to modern-day challenges. We are living in unprecedented times of chaos, stress, and anxiety.

Nothing fills me with more contentment than guiding people to more positive, connected and peaceful lives with their dogs.

As someone who has, from the beginning, strived to set the standard high for dog care in our community. Pursuing the BC SPCA’s AnimalKind accreditation was a natural next step after becoming a certified trainer with the Karen Pryor Academy last year. Dog walking and training is an unregulated industry. The reality is that there are individuals training dogs who lack adequate insurance, licenses, education, or certifications.

I hope that in the future, this accreditation will be a requirement for anyone practicing dog training in BC. For now, I’m extremely proud to be the only BC SPCA AnimalKind accredited trainer in the Whistler/Pemberton area. I’m eternally grateful for this incredibly supportive mountain town, and all my clients, staff, family members, and friends whose support has helped turn my dreams into a reality!”

Find dog trainers in B.C. in one place! Check out the AnimalKind directory of trainers.