Hi. I’m Andrea — and I believe the messy middle is where the magic happens.
Adolescence is a relatively short, but significant time in your dog’s life for so many reasons. And people often struggle because their
sweet puppy who followed them everywhere has been replace by an absolute headache who is driving them around the bend with frustration.
And I have been there - many times with my own dogs and others dogs.
These dogs have some skills, but still get thrown off by squirrels, new people or places, or often seems to have forgotten
everything they knew.
.
These long suffering folks are reading all the books, listening to all the advice, and midnight Googling. Totally understand.
👉 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.
My path started with a 5-month-old SPCA special named Stella.
She was all legs, and chaos — a lab/bully mix with zero chill, zero manners, 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, got me to learn, problem solve and also give her the best life I could without sacrificing my sanity.
She taught 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
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. We’re here for you! 🌿
