Hi. I’m Andrea — and I believe the messy middle is where the magic happens.
Before the mountain-top moments...
Before the “I can take my dog anywhere” confidence...
There’s this: the challenging, unfiltered, totally normal in-between.
You know the one.
Where your dog has some skills, but still gets thrown off by squirrels, new people, or the wind blowing weird.
Where you’re reading all the books, listening to your gut, and Googling “why does my dog bark at nothing.”
That’s not failure. That’s the path.
My path started with a 5-month-old SPCA special named Stella.
She was all legs, muscle, and chaos — a lab/bully mix with zero chill and a full tank of opinions.
She was a serious wild child.
And honestly? I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
But she cracked me open.
Taught me how to really listen.
Showed me the power of patience, play, and nervous system attunement.
She was my first teacher. And still my deepest one.
Since then, I’ve spent over 15 years hiking dogs off leash through forests, training my own adventure dogs, and supporting humans in both group classes and one-on-one coaching through their own messy middles.
I hold a BSc. in Psychology from UVic, and bring a deep, ongoing education in somatic practices and nervous system regulation into all the work I do — because emotional health matters on both ends of the leash.
My approach blends:
Nature-based routines that build confidence and co-regulation
Practical, emotionally intelligent dog training grounded in science and evidence based practices
Support that honours who your dog is and who you're becoming together
Because here’s the truth no one likes to talk about:
👉 Adolescent dogs are the most likely age group to be surrendered to shelters.
They're misunderstood, overwhelmed, and often too much for families to handle.
And yet — this is the part that matters most.
This is where we lay the groundwork for lifelong trust, regulation, and partnership.
Not with perfection. But with presence, clarity, consistency, and a whole lot of curiosity.
Messy Middle Dogs exists to help you move through this season — with clarity, connection, and support that actually feels good.
No shame.
No pressure to get it all “right.”
Just real tools, understanding, and a bit of hope on the horizon.
If you’re in the thick of it — you’re not alone.🌿
