Emily Borman

There is nothing quite like the relationship between a person and their dog, and building a bond that follows throughout every shared interaction. Training built off of an understanding of our dogs is always the real success.

Growing up, I always knew animals would be an integral part of my life. I told anyone who asked that I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. My first family dog, a Brittany named Max, was my first introduction into the world of dog training. My sister and I took it as a personal mission to prove that you can teach an old dog new tricks. We would rearrange the living room to create agility courses, and we would spend our nights rolling over on the floor to teach him to do the same. By the time I was a senior in high school I was working at my local veterinary clinic, learning the ins and outs of the vet med world, all while preparing to go off to Texas A&M University to get my Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. I continued to work at the vet clinic during the summer months, but I realized that my passion for the animal world had shifted instead to dog training.

In my first semester of college, I joined an organization called Patriot Paws: a non-profit that raises and trains dogs through positive reinforcement, with the ultimate goal of matching them with veterans who struggle with PTSD and mobility issues. Throughout each semester with a different dog, they would accompany me daily to class, the grocery store, dinner with friends, and other different environments. All the while, I would teach and practice various skills with them to help their future veterans. The reward of seeing a dog matched with their “forever home” made me quickly realize that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.