The Founder of Awesome Paws
Academy...
Awesome Paws Academy, located in Southeastern WI, is dedicated to in-home pet training throughout SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois. The owner, Julie Westphal, is an experienced reinforcement & motivational instructor who helps owners shape new and modify old behaviors. A full-time veterinary technician for a local veterinary hospital, Julie Westphal has also been actively training and educating the public since May of 2002 and has been in the animal care field since January 2001. She started competing in the sport of Schutzhund in the Fall of 2004 and started to compete in AKC Obedience, Rally-O, and Tracking in 2005. She and her dogs have earned titles in both sports venues. Her current "up and coming" dog, call name "Guinness," has earned his CGC, WAC, and RN. He is also a Therapy Dog. She and Guinness hope 2009 bring them continued success. He continues training with Julie as often as possible to achieve the end goals of advanced competition titles.
She currently instructs all levels and stages of obedience, Tracking, Rally-O, Tricks & Fun Obedience, designs and instructs all levels of modular programs, and organizes all of the public educational Seminars. She oversees the Boarding School Programs as well as heads the training programs of all new instructors. She is an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and heads the Feline Training Programs as well.
Julie not only has the benefits of a veterinary medical background, but behavior as well. Her career in behavior started by running Boarding School programs and instructing classes, but she started Awesome Paws to help those owners who have home-based problems or simply cannot attend class or come into the facility. Being a member in the veterinary field allows her to bring the medical aspect into her pet training programs (such as the benefits of proper nutrition and supplements, veterinary care, and even diagnostic recommendations to rule out physical ailments), but she is also a member of the: United Doberman Club, Association of Pet Dog Trainers, DVG (German parent Schutzhund Club), Wisconsin’s Cudahy Kennel Club, and the Meridian Working Dog Club in Decatur, Illinois. She was a speaker at the 2006 UDC Nationals, and has been published in the UDC’s Focus magazine. She is an unofficial foster mom for all pets, an approved pet foster mom and re-habilitator for the American Belgian Malinois Club Rescue and a volunteer trainer for the local shelters and rescues. She attends continuing educational seminars for the ever-changing training fields and has certification in many areas including: Reiki, Clicker Training, Canine Good Citizen Evaluation, among many others.
Her life's goal is to help pet owners strengthen the human-animal bond to the utmost level and create the most wonderful relationship that is possible: a relationship based on trust and understanding.
We at Awesome Paws truly believe that you should never settle for just any trainer in the education of yourself or your pet. Find a trainer you can relate to, communicate openly with when you have concerns and have all questions answered completely. ONLY allow a trainer to do what YOU feel is right. NEVER let them take the leash unless you are Completely comfortable with what they're about to do. If you don't follow these basic guideline, you'll only end up regretting it.
Whether with Awesome Paws, or another training facility, we wish you success. Happy Training!
Thank you for choosing Awesome Paws Academy...
you'll be glad you did.
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