Meet Jessica Maxey

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Maxey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

My optimism comes from the teachings passed down to me by my parents. They’ve instilled the idea that focusing on specific tasks is the only way to achieve desired results. It helps to have family support, and my husband of 20 years, Josh, is a significant part of my support system. Wanting a better life for ourselves and our daughter, Mayu, drives me to work hard. As a dog trainer, I come across dog owners who are looking for help with their dogs. I empathize with their concerns, as I was in a similar situation. To get the desired results for my clients, I must be optimistic about the exercises I introduce to them.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I was born and raised in NYC. I studied clinical nutrition at NYU. I worked as a nutritionist at a couple of hospitals. Several years into my job as a nutritionist, hours of indoor desk work were weighing on me. As a result, I began walking dogs because I wanted to spend time outside- that was 17 years ago. My experience led to me starting a dog rescue and becoming a dog trainer in Colorado. My official business name was Pack in Harmony before changing to Jessica’s Dog Training. My husband and I ran a dog rescue and we adopted dogs to families in Colorado. During this time, I learned how to work with dogs of different breeds, ages, temperaments, and behavior issues. I offer several dog training programs that include weekly training programs, classes, day training and board and train in which dogs stay with me, my family and our dogs and cats in Brighton, Colorado.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Developing knowledge of different breeds of dogs, their temperaments, dog body language and learning to communicate with their owners have all been impactful to my dog training journey. My work is centered around building connections between dogs and their humans and between humans (ex: spouses, children). Being aware of my mistakes is crucial as they hold me responsible. My advice for beginning dog trainers is to work with dogs, observe their behavior; the dog park is a good place to do that. Offer to walk or pet sit a friend’s dog. Reach out to dog shelters and rescues. Ask fellow dog trainers for advice and guidance. I’ve put myself in many situations and learned through trial and error. Along the way, I have sought advice from a few dog trainers, but much of my learning about dogs has been through real life situations.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

If I had a decade of life left, I would spend every waking moment with my family. My husband and I are musicians. We have performed at museums, pow wows and TV shows and have recorded four music albums together. We are blessed to have a beautiful and creative daughter – we are a pack in harmony! In looking back on my life, I cherish the smallest moments and am grateful to my child for giving me this legacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicasdogtraining.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicasdogtraining/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicasdogtrainingco
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jessica-s-dog-training-brighton

Image Credits

Joshua Maxey