My name is Julie Murray and I have always loved and been drawn to animals. My first real job was in a vet clinic, as a child I read as many dog behavior and veterinary books as I could get my hands on, and I got my degree in zoology with a focus in animal behavior. But, like many dog trainers, the true driving force of how I became a trainer and remain passionate about this career is a dog. One particular dog. One particular, amazing, one-in-a-million dog of the kind that so many other people have had in their lives. My dog was Calli; she came to me from Humane Colorado, and she was a mess. She was way too smart and anxious and had zero training or understanding of humans’ expectations of her. She was afraid of big dogs while also having zero dog social skills. Her cattle dog instincts along with her fear gave her a hard mouth, quickly deployed on people and other animals. She was claustrophobic and would get so overwrought that once she trusted me enough to view me as a safe space, she would repeatedly throw her body at me, over and over again, desperately seeking peace in her own mind and body. She. Was. A. Mess.

We taught each other so very much and she made me a better human. More compassionate, not just to animals, but to my fellow humans as well. She learned how to communicate with people, dogs and other animals. She helped non-dog people become dog rescuers, found lost children, and worked as my partner in dog training as a demo and neutral dog. She traveled across the country by plane and car. She was my soulmate and I am so very fortunate to have shared so many years with her.

Now I take the lessons she taught me, that we learned together, and help other human and dog families. I continue my education through the plethora of science backed trainers and organizations active today to perpetually evolve my understanding of canines, humans, our bond and training/teaching. I hope that you’ll reach out to me so that I can help you get all the potential love and joy from your bond with your dog. Even if, right now, they are a mess.