Meet Emily Stoddard of Canine Sports Dog Training in Avondale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Stoddard.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started at The Anti-Cruelty Society in their apprenticeship program just about fourteen years ago. I graduated from their program to become a full instructor and taught classes there on the side while still working my other job. My big turning point came when I was offered positions in the behavior departments from two large shelters. I left my job at UIC to work with dogs full time. Working in an open access shelter you learn quickly on the job, and you see just about everything. Open access shelters must accept any animal that comes to them, unlike closed door shelters who pick and choose what animals they want to accept.

From there I went to work for a private company briefly before going out on my own. In 2007 I officially started Canine Sports and we’ve been growing and evolving ever since.

Has it been a smooth road?
No, not at all! I started Canine Sports (CSDT) with the vision of having a brick and mortar building, offering agility, obedience, and even dog show events – that’s where the name came from, but my path has changed many times! I started with group classes – aggression/reactivity, obedience, and puppy school – along with private training. We bounced from facility to facility as owners decided to go different directions, the fit for our vision wasn’t right, we grew out of the space offered… We have also grown with what our clients want! Our biggest move was a year ago when we parted with a daycare that we had been partners with for 4yrs. It was a huge risk, but well worth it in the rewards!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Canine Sports Dog Training story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a dog training company that specializes in full off leash reliability. We give city dogs the freedom they need and crave, no longer confined to tennis courts after hours or dog parks. It’s really cool to see owners’ relationships with their dogs’ blossom and grow! When you hear stories about them going on vacation with their dog and the freedom and peace of mind they now have.

We’ve also worked with and helped a number of last chance dogs. Dogs that were put in poor positions, made bad choices, not given the structure that was needed to thrive. These cases are bittersweet at times.

What sets us apart is the focus on the relationship. It’s more than obedience, it’s about bonding and growing as a team. The way the dog looks at you ready to work because they want to, they love it, not because they have to.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
That’s a loaded question. I see dog training as a whole shifting in a direction of permissiveness. A fear of applying consequences for poor and impulsive choices. Group classes where the instructor is more worried about the clients liking them than they are about meeting the dog’s needs. Dog ownership as a whole is swinging to dogs being more than dogs, which often leads to unruly behavior, owners who do not understand dog behavior or body language, and owners who are not equipped to raise a confident, happy companion.

I’m part of a new shift right now, puppy raising. We select puppies from top breeders and raise them until they are about a year old. We instill everything they need to be happy, confident and well rounded, on top of top notch obedience. It started as a niche market, but is becoming more and more popular as people find that their hectic lives do not allow for the time needed the raise a puppy, but want the companion for the many adventures in their life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MyCanineSports.com
• Phone: 312-203-7078
• Email: training@mycaninesports.com
• Instagram: caninesports
• Facebook: facebook.com/caninesports
• Twitter: caninesportsdt
• Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/canine-sports-dog-training-chicago

Image Credit:
Tipping Point Photography; Eye 2 Eye Portraits

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