Trisha Davison has been surrounded by animals practically since birth, always having at least one dog and cat in the family. Early on she had a big fascination with horses and by the age of 12 her family rescued two Arabian horses that needed rehabilitation, both physically and mentally. One of the horses, Buddy, became her main focus, he was afraid of his own shadow and spooked at twigs on the ground!
It took a few years of learning and practicing horse psychology but by the time she was 14 she was entering barrel races and extreme trail trials, testing the relationship she had built with Buddy. Pulling tarps, opening and closing gates on horseback, even riding bridle-less with ease. And by the time she was 16, Trisha was involved with her local 4-H group, showing rabbits and taking photographs.
When she was 18 she got a job working in the boarding department of a veterinary clinic. There she was surrounded by knowledge about pet health, dog and cat nutrition, medication, and after surgery care. She also used that environment to help her own dog, a pit bull named Kanoe, that came to her dog aggressive. Gradually transitioning Kanoe from just walking with other employee dogs to being in daycare, and after a short time she even made doggy friends.
During her years there she saw a lot of dogs and owners stressed about going to the vet or even boarding, because the owners had a hard time getting their dog in the car to leave since the dog knew every time they get in the car it’s to the dreaded doctor they go. Or sometimes the dogs would pull their owner everywhere, into the car, into the office, into aggressive dogs in the waiting room. Neither owner nor dog was having fun on these trips, she recognized it didn’t have to be that way. It is possible to have a stronger bond with your dog through building confidence and obedience, be it during a vet trip, out hiking, at the park, or going to a coffee shop, you should enjoy your dog as much your dog enjoys you. That is what led Trisha to Sit Means Sit, she found a place where owners recognize they can have a better relationship with their dogs and are active in learning more, and bettering themselves and their dogs.
