Meet V (Victoria) Thibodeaux | Dog Behavior Consultant/Separation Anxiety Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with V (Victoria) Thibodeaux and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi V (Victoria), how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
In the beginning of my career, I was pushed to consistently work “full time” hours, but this is not how I operate anymore. For me as a disabled person, the average “full time” schedule left me exhausted and too drained to enjoy the rest of my life. Of course, this slowly dwindled my passion for my work. Now, however, I work as much as I can work without pushing myself to my breaking point. I am able to give more to my clients and their dogs during the time that I am “on the clock”. I can enjoy my life again “off the clock”. And my passion for my work is revitalized and stronger than ever.

For me, balance is making sure I am listening to my body, taking breaks, and putting my own figurative oxygen mask first.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always had a deep interest in behavior, so I started my career in the dog training/behavior world in 2014. At the time, most people in my life did not support my career choice. But I knew it was the right choice. Over the years, I worked for several other companies and people before deciding to finally start my own business. It has not been easy, but it is the best decision I could have made for myself and for my clients, and what allowed me to create balance in my life.

Over the years I’ve learned so much about people and dogs through my work. My passion is helping humans and dogs live their best lives together in the most realistic and sustainable way, with nothing but kind and pain-free methods. Dog anxiety is very similar to human anxiety, therefore I believe it should be treated in a similar way. The work that I do more closely resembles therapy than it does “dog training”.

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.
The parks and trails in and around Denver are incredible and where I would recommend spending a lot of time!

I’d also recommend checking out 1 Up Arcade Bar for those looking for indoor activities! I’ve had so much fun there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am so grateful to my community for helping me get to where I am today. The ethical dog behavior/training community is one that I am so proud to be a part of. Especially Malena DeMartini. Malena is one of the kindest people I know, and the work she has done of the past 20 years has heavily influenced where I am at now with my career. The work of the IAABC, Grisha Stewart, and Sarah Stremming have also been very influential to my work, but there are so many more.

Additionally, the human disability community and the trauma informed mental health community have also greatly impacted my work, my career, and my own personal life as well. Understanding my own disability, trauma, and mental health completely revolutionized my work, career and life. I am so grateful for the disability advocates out there who have been putting in the work for all these years.

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