Vicki DeMarco

Hi! I’m Vicki and I am a dog trainer at the Canine Cooperative. I inherited my love for dogs from my Nana who had a Shih Tzu named Coco. I would push around in my doll’s stroller when I was a toddler. I loved being with her and her dogs. My Nana wasn’t just a dog lover, she was a therapy dog trainer. She would train her dogs and take them to visit people who were in the hospital. It was her passion and I was more than happy to assist her in any way I could. I always dreamed of working with dogs like my Nana and it finally became a reality for me 6 years ago. I saw this little cow looking puppy with a speckled nose at an adoption event. I named her Cleo and we instantly became best friends. I loved Cleo so much 

and wanted her to come everywhere with me. I knew that a well-trained dog didn’t just happen organically, so I signed us up for our very first training class.

As Cleo matured, she began to show some alarming behavior issues. She was extremely possessive of me and snap at people that would come close to us. Walking down the street was a terrible experience. If she was startled, Cleo would shut down refusing to budge. If another dog appeared, she would lung and bark aggressively until they were out of sight. All those tricks she learned during obedience class were cute in the beginning, but did nothing to help us get through our everyday life.

I was heartbroken. My dreams of being able to take Cleo everywhere were slipping away with every incident. I knew we needed more than just what treats could bribe. I had to try everything, so I reached out to a balanced trainer and the game changed. I saw hope for a better, less stressful life with my dog.  They showed me how to use tools and techniques to communicate better. I learned how to interact with my dog in ways to help us better navigate the world around us. This experience re-ignited the passion for training that I once had when I was a little girl at my Nana’s house. I needed to know and learn more.

I decided to become a certified dog trainer enrolling in Animal Behavior College. It was through this program that I was paired up with Mentor Trainer; Jaimee Wenzel of Applaws Dog Training. She taught me not just about training dogs, but how to teach other people how to train dogs. Since then, I began working at the municipal shelter where I adopted two of my dogs, Ringo & Trek. They have taught me so much about training different personalities of dogs. However, my third dog Dozer has taught me the most. I adopted Dozer from previous clients who were not able to keep him due to his behavioral needs. He is the dog that keeps me on my toes helping me to be able to relate to other owners who are struggling. 

Dog training has brought so much joy into my life. It started with a passion for knowing more about dogs, and has now grown into a passion for sharing what I know and have experienced with other owners who think all hope is lost for them and their dog. I love the life I live with my dogs and my goal is to help other owners reach a dream life of their own.