Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa McCorkle.
Hi Melissa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It started 15 years ago when I saw an Ad on Craiglist for puppies. We went and looked at the litter and I picked the cutest yellow male that I named Finnegan.. Fast forward nine months and I knew we were starting to have behaviors that were not wanted and I found a local dog trainer and started classes. This was the beginning of my dog training path. Like with many things you can’t have just one.. We purchased a German Shepherd pup for my son who was going through some challenges at school. Finnegan had claimed me as his person so we we felt a companion dog superficially for him would help him navigate through some big emotions. This was when I really started to see how animals can help us in our daily lives. As time went on we decided to have a litter and one of the puppies decided she needed to be my companion. At only three days old she won my heart. At that time I was starting to suffer from Empty Nest Syndrome and both my children had busy lives and I needed something to fill my time. What I thought would be a competition dog showed me that she had different plans. Fae lead me in the direction of Therapy Dog training. As my knowledge of training increased I found that I really enjoyed showing people how to have fun with their dogs while making them good canine citizens. Through the years my skills have evolved and I have taken the “Typical Therapy Dog” and transformed them into Occupational Therapy Dogs. Meaning that they are tasked trained to help a multitude of children and adults. We utilize these dogs in many programs that help people of all ages intellectually and socially grow. Now I operate my own training business where I offer obedience training, service dog training, Therapy/Occupational dog training as well as Animal Assisted Therapy. Our Animal Assisted Therapy Program allows people of all ages to visit our “Dog House” and interact with our O.T. Dogs. Thru many different interactive games clients continue to learn and strengthen their bodies.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a slow but steady road. Learning dog behaviors and working with an ongoing number of dogs so that my knowledge base increases does take time. I have been fortunate to have opportunities where I have been able to work at faculties that have encouraged me to develop my training program while utilizing my therapy dogs within their program.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We offer basic, intermediate and advanced obedience as well as specializing in Occupational/Therapy Dog and Service Dog training. We also offer Animal Assisted Therapy. We are the only local facility that offers training as well as therapy sessions. Animal Assisted Therapy is an all inclusive program that we utilize our personal Occupational Therapy Dogs. Individuals will have set goals and thru animal play we continue learning as well as body and mind development. I am most proud of when a family is able to see progress and improvements within their daily life after starting our program.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Find businesses within your community that allow for volunteers and participate within their programs.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557360151791
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@faesk9legacies?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
