Reya Tyrson
Hi! I'm Andrea (Reya)
You rarely get the dog you want, you get the dog you need!
We all have our own idea of the 'perfect dog'. For me, the perfect dog will challenge us, make us question ourselves, drive us to be better
- to help ourselves, our dogs and our families.
The world of dogs started for me like most people, as a child with a family dog. I watched as my parents did what they knew at the time: check chains, yanking on the lead, rubbing noses in urine, and a smack on the bum for 'bad' behaviour. As a child that felt wrong, as an adult it still upsets me knowing what I know now and how much better we could have been - but it wasn't far off the way I was brought up in my fathers house: punished for any behaviour that didn't fit inside his idea of perfect, or showed him up - embarrassed him - essentially, I learnt to keep my emotions in a box and blend into the background. I learnt to mask, I did a fine job of it - masking through my teenage years and most of my adult life!
When I look around, I too often see dogs that are shut down, their character squished into a box, masking to keep themselves safe, or developing harmful or obsessive coping strategies, unable to feel safe even though the homes they are in are doing their very best. You can be following lots of popular training advice and still wondering what's going wrong. For me, to help those dogs live a life free to be themselves, to help them overcome the traumas and developmental gaps they have and support you, their guardian, is the best thing I can offer.
My history includes 6 years in the Royal Navy as an Engineering Artificer, Legal secretary and assistant work, home businesses, dementia specialist care, autism specialist support worker (where I realised at the age of 35: I'm autistic), and 2 roles working with dogs: one that just didn't feel right because there was no stability or connection for the dogs, and one under an abusive trainer who physically hurt dogs in front of me. This experience put me off working with dogs for several years, because locally, this person was well 'respected' (feared) and recommended at the time. Why would I want to be part of that industry?
5 years ago I got my first dog as an adult, we brought home a puppy, and that led me to a continual hyper-focus of searching for information and help to support her in her struggling state.
Of course prior to getting her, I'd researched modern scientific force free training and behaviour - I did all the training from day 1, at home, she's an exceptionally well trained dog from lead walking to many tricks and skills, but we still had massive struggles in our relationship especially when we left the house. You can see more of her story on the Dog Development page. Fast forward to the point of seeking outside help, I spent 2 years going to training classes, using them as a safe controlled environment to work together - as great as any you'll find - it boosted my confidence, and Kenna excelled to a point in classes, but it never transitioned to the real world - our relationship was too broken to support that. Yes, it's hard to admit that you have a damaged relationship with your dog, but it is a first step to healing.
Seeing gaps locally for helping dogs like mine with walking and sitting, I started working with other dogs that struggled part time. I completed courses to help in my journey and be the best I could be for the dogs I was working with, and my own of course!
Completed Courses
IMDT 4-day Dog Trainer Practical course
IMDT 2-day Career as a Dog Trainer
IMDT Dog Walking Certification (Assessed)
Canine First Aid
Canine Reactivity Specialist - The Dog Training College (Assessed)
Despite my growing skills, I still felt like I was missing something important, there were gaps in information - I was searching for something unknown.
A post came up on my news feed for The Wolf and Dog Development Centre. I'd heard about Shaun Ellis and his life with wolves years before - it was something of dreams and far beyond my reach, yet here he and his wife Kim appeared on my screen at the time I was lost in my research not knowing where to turn next. I joined a webinar, and in those 90 minutes I saw the missing pieces, the hard truth that healing my dog starts with healing me, the expansion on dog and wolf communication, ear language, social cues, highlighting the misunderstanding that is common in the dog world from a human point of view - the truth in wolf family structure that's missed by scientists watching from afar and social identities that apply not just to wolves, but to dogs and humans too.
I attended an online foundation course with them, followed by a weekend at the Centre learning in person and finally looking into myself to heal the trauma and disregulation that had held me back for years. There's a humbleness and a fierce internal realisation when you have a wolf stare into your soul (and stick it's tongue down your throat!). Being shunned by one group of wolves highlighted how disregulated I was, and the small group of people I was with. They highlighted something within me that needed to change - and I listened. There was no agenda from them, and for the first time, I trusted the judgement of another being and decided it was time to sort my shit out! Fast forward a year and I became safe and secure enough in myself for a wolf to choose sitting with me over family fun interactions - completely at peace with each other - and from the group that initially steared clear! Exceptional and Extraordinary.
I have since been on a learning journey with the Centre, and am part way through my Instructors course in this fascinating approach to Dog Development
I may not be able to change the world, but I can certainly change the world for the dogs and people who choose me to work with.
Are you ready to look within yourself and start a journey together with your dog?