Meet Kasey Dugan | Dog & People Relationship Coach (aka Dog Trainer)

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

Hi Kasey, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
It’s actually a Native American story/legend about Two Wolves. A grandparent is talking with their grandchild and says that there are Two Wolves inside of everyone that are constantly at battle. One is evil and represents anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good and represents joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The grandchild thinks about it it for a moment and then asks which one wins. the grandparent replies the one you feed.

There is also a podcast that I listen to that is titled “The One You Feed” and starts each episode off with asking the guest what their take is on this story. It’s such an amazing story because there are so many different ways to interpet it and not one of them is wrong. It helps you to get into a thinking mindset and looking at things from different presecpetives. Do you only feed the good wolf and starve the bad wolf? Well yes, but also no. The “bad wolf” has a purpose and if we ignore it, instead of embracing it and trying to understand it, we can end up doing ourselves a huge diservice. The bad isn’t necessarily bad or evil. The bad wolf is as much a part of us as the good wolf. Sometimes there is more of one than the other and sometimes they change roles, but they both play an important role in our lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business is Get Sit Done Dog Training (get it? ; ) ) I am a Dog Trainer, but more so a People and Dog Relationship Coach/Educator/Mentor/Cheerleader. I help people to understand their dogs better and promote a healthy relationship and partnership that helps them go from chaos to connection. I use a combination of positive reinfocement, games, playing, and mental enrichment and stimulation to address beahvioral challenges and concerns at the root cause so dogs and their people can live an enriched life together!

What sets me a part and how I do things differently is that I take a very creative, out of the box thinking and approach to each family that I work with. No 2 dogs are the same and no 2 familes are the same, so we can’t expect that results will always be in our favor by sticking to a strict schedule and game plan. Sometimes we have to figure out what doesn’t work in order to figure out what does work! We also have to figure out how our dog learns, what motivates them, how we can teach them in ways they understand, and ensure we are meeting their needs to the best of our abilities. I also take a creative approach to the human side of the leash because it is just as important as the dog’s side. Each side of the dynamic has to be able to be successful independently in order to be successful together. I am also compassionate and come from a judgement free zone with the work that I do. I create a supportive and nourishing enviroment where both person and dog can thrive and succeed.

Being an entrepreneur and business owner has been (and continues to be) a beautiful mess! Working for yourself is never easy, but I love having the freedom and choice to serve clients in the way that makes the most sense to me (and that is to help dogs and their people thrive together!) My background is actually deeply rooted in working with horses and learning how to partner with the horses (instead of fighting them) was and continues to be instrumental in the work that I do with animals. Horses are very large and powerful and can easily hurt people, but most of the time they choose not to do so. They are amazing creatures who are seeking connection and understanding. Dogs are the same way! We just sometimes don’t know or aren’t able to effectively communicate with them. Horses have taught me so much about myself and the world. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance.

I have learned that the most important thing about the work that I do is being authentic and making genuine connections with people. I love teaching and helping people learn and I have found that the best way to do that is to be myself (which is a little silly as I like to play and laugh) and be compassionate. I have often thought that sometimes I am too compassionate, but when is caring too much ever a bad thing? I truly care about the people and dogs that I work with and that is absolutely okay to be in a vulnerable space with them. After all, being brought in as a dog trainer is equal parts coach, mentor, educator, therapist, mediator, cheerleader, leader, and teacher. Not everyone needs all those parts, but what everyone absolutely does need is someone to care, listen to their concerns, and help them come up with realistic goals and a realisitc game plan in order to reach those goals,

I just what the world to know that having an amazing relationship with your dog is absolutely possible!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I LOVE being outside and I also love finding cozy and fun little spots to hang out in-coffee shops, book stores, parks, etc. I just like to be out in nature and feel the sun on my skin. I think it would depend on what the friend likes to do too! So I would offer a variety of adventures and excursions and then we could make the decision together on what we would like to do! But it would defitniely be a combo of amazing brunch and coffee places (because brunch is life and I fricking love coffee!) and cool trips up to the mountains to explore. I would also want to introudce them to my horse friends (I volunteer at a horse santuary and it is so magical!) I love music, so maybe we would hit up some concerts. I also love educational and nerdy things (I love learning and being a student of the world) so trips to the museum, aquarium, and zoo (Denver and Cheyenne Mountain) would be a must! But I also enjoy having a relaxing and cozy evening sipping good wine and binging a favorite show or watching movies. Day trips to mountain towns (or even stay overnight)-Estes Park would defitniely be one of those and maybe consider staying at a mountain bed and breakfast for a few nights!)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely! My amazing and devoted husband, Ryan. He has always been my biggest fan, cheerleader, and supporter (I just didn’t always know it!) I refer to him as my “Intensive Care Bear” because he is supportive in more of a tough love kind of way, but I have grown to love and appreciate that about him. He’s always been and continues to be a doer, a thinker, problem solver, and an action taker and some times some of us need a swift (but loving) kick in the ass to get started and then keep going!

Website: www.getsitdonedogs.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/getsitdonedogs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getsitdonedogz

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV_w4U5W5kdipN9cXKRDeHw

Image Credits
Alyssa Sanchez Amanda Keleman