Meet Stephanie Taylor | Holistic Dog Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for my business came out of necessity. I have been a Dog Trainer for 13 years and in 2017 a lot of my clients were needing additional help walking their dogs while they were at work, and hiring walkers from Wag or Rover was only detrimental to the time and work they had invested in their dog’s training.

I realized when they were asking me for help or a reference how impactful a pack of balanced dogs can be for a dog that is learning how to interact in a healthy way with other dogs. So I started working with my client’s dogs in large packs helping them be successful together. When people would see me and my pack walking down the street in a well-behaved manor they would inquire and it just grew from there. We now average 15 dogs a day.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What I’m most excited about in my business is inspiring others: showing women, in particular, that they too can do whatever they want to in life, no matter what age, race, or circumstances they may have. I was a stay-at-home military parent and wife for many years. I felt trapped and unfulfilled for a long time. Now I own my own business centered around helping people and their dogs.

I got to where I am today through a lot of learning and work. One of the biggest lessons I learned through owning my own business is to Surrender. Surrender to what is. Things come and go: you have good days/months/years and you have not-so-good ones, but the more consistent you are with your willingness to serve others the more you will have that opportunity.

I want people to understand how very important cultivating healthy relationships is in general but a critical component to having your dog “listen” to you. This relationship is not one-sided so in order to get your dog to listen you have to listen and understand what your dog’s needs are first. This lesson is actually the same in any relationship even in our human world. If you want to meet your needs in a friendship, partnership, parent-child, family, boss, co-worker, etc. you have to give first. Give your ear, your attention, your presence, and sometimes just your smile first, then the other person is more eager to hear. connect, or give to you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many different things to do in the area. It would depend on what my friend would enjoy most, but I would definitely take them to several different restaurants in the area that have great food. I would take them hiking with my dogs because being in nature is such a freeing and peaceful experience. Doing something different is always fun, if they have never been to a Dodgers game that would be fun. If they have never been to Disneyland, that’s always fun.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are really soooo many people, books, and things that have inspired me, helped me, and pushed me to be where I am today. I am so extremely grateful for everything that has brought me to where I am now, though I don’t have enough room to list them all, here are a few that have made a large impact:

In the beginning, I learned how to understand and work with dogs from Cesar Millan. I worked for him at his Dog Psychology Center for a few years and grew immensely during that time. Since then, I’ve attended other workshops and spent a lot of time with great trainers who have all helped me to see how I want to show up for my dog and human clients.

My two beautiful daughters who were my inspiration to grow, achieve, and be an example of how to be a strong female entrenpeneur. They were in elementary when I divorced my exhusband and started my own business. They have done nothing but inspire, support, and help me grow into who I am now.

My good friend and fellow Dog Trainer Kim Erickson, who helped me get my business started. Without her, SCV Pack Walk would not have gotten started and be what it is today. She has her own business in the area and we have continued to help and inspire each other throughout the years.

I listen to The School of Greatness podcast and have learned even more about myself (which vastly improved my training skills by continuing me on my own personal healing journey) through great names like Lewis Howes, Jay Shetty, Joe Dispenza, Tony Robbins, Gabriel Bernstein, Marisa Peer, Esther Perel, Dr. Nicole LePera and many others. All of these great people and their stories have continued to teach me the possiblities. This has not only made me a better trainer, but a better teacher, parent, friend, girlfriend, dog parent, and leader to my SCV Pack Walk crew.

Most recently, I have found a partner who has taken my growth to another level. He has helped me truly realize my inner greatness. That the strong woman I have inspired to be is there, I just have to allow her to shine.

Website: www.scvpackwalk.com

Instagram: SCVPackWalk