Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoë Holloway.
Hi Zoë, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up with a dachshund named Hershey. My parents gifted him to me on my 6th birthday. That was my roll dog! However, he was so very bad. He would run away, bite at strangers, was reactive, and all around didn’t like many other dogs. He was lawless! But he had so much personality, every day was a new day with that dog! Hershey passed in 2019 right after I graduated from college. I had plans to move him and myself out to Arizona but he had to join me for that journey in spirit. When I moved to Arizona, I moved in with my now wife and her Maltese, Lady. Lady immediately began filling my heart with the love that Hershey took with him. Though Lady was far better behaved and quiet that the man himself, she and I quickly bonded. After about a year and a half of being in AZ, we decided it was time for another dog. I had been talking about getting a Doberman as my first big dog. My wife figured with their athletic build, they’d never be good at cuddling. She voted for a Rottweiler. So we compromised and started looking for Rottweilers. It was a casual search. More like in the field research. Until we came across Queen. We got her at a pet store in Phoenix. Stay as far as you can away from pet stores! I asked if she was 100% Rottweiler, he told me she was. But he didn’t have any papers for her. We were already in love so we took her home. We eventually found out that she was not 100% Rottweiler and lodged a legal complain against the store. When bringing Queen home, I could only think of Hershey and how rogue he was. I knew that she would grow up to be massive so I decided on day one to start training her so we could live in harmony. As I posted our training journey on my personal social media pages, my friends and family encouraged me to start dog training. I was still very much a novice and had no interest in other people’s dogs. One day, my wife and I took our two dogs to a field in our neighborhood to play with the dogs and get some sun. That day quickly turned into one of the most agonizing days of my life. Lady was attacked and killed by a stray dog right in front of us. We did everything we could but could not save her. I was frozen in time and couldn’t imagine how we would move forward with life as usual. After many days of tears and asking myself, “why her???”, I concluded that I did want to help pet parents and their dogs. I wanted to be sure that others had the tools to prevent situations like this. Tools that I did not have. So I became a dog trainer! I started at a board and train in Phoenix and that taught me so much! I was around so many different dogs and their nuances, I learned canine psychology, I got firsthand experience! After a few months, I was let go as they didn’t need my services anymore but I still had to eat! So I decided to move forward and forge what is now The Dreaded Trainer. Now, almost 4 years later, Queen and I have trained pet parents and dogs all around the world! We travel around the state to train and speak and we get to meet so many delightful people. I hate that the catalyst to this had to be the tragic loss of our dog and I strive every day to guide The Dreaded Trainer in Lady’s honor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely been up and down. You question if this is really your calling when things aren’t going right. You are certainly sure that this is where you are supposed to be when things are going well. The biggest struggle I’ve faced and continue to face is the entirety of running a business. I am the accountant, customer service agent, marketing department, social media manager and so much more. It can be taxing but it is very rewarding because the end result is helping a dog and their family.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a dog trainer focused on improving relationships between dogs and their owners. Many trainers out there seek to fix a problem. I am not a fixer. I am a relationship guide. The goal at the end of training with The Dreaded Trainer is not to have a perfectly trained dog rather, it is leave owners with a better behaved dog and the tools they need to continue into the future with their pet. I’m most proud of how I’ve grown and learned as a trainer. I was never too closed minded and with the help of my mentor, Jerri Scherff, fallen in love with the open minded approach she coined. As dog trainers, we need not box ourselves in at the risk of missing ever evolving education in the canine space! But we also must be aware and clear on what we stand for so as not to pollute our mission.
I want owners to understand the “Why” behind their dog’s behaviors. Many people think (as I used to) that dogs are mentally as complex as humans and that is far from the truth. I have a message to spread and people to educate and that job is never done.
What were you like growing up?
The Zoë you meet today is the Zoë I grew up as. Funny, bright, intuitive, and curious. I was definitely more shy as a child and can be even now but I try to push past that. As a kid I was passionate about music. I still am. I wanted to be a rockstar because I wanted my music to help others as music had done for me but now, I’m a rockstar in a different way. I’ve always loved animals and also wanted to be a vet but couldn’t get past the sad moments a veterinarian would have to endure. Now I get to work with dogs on a daily basis and see the impact I’ve always desired.
Pricing:
- $750- 4 week package
- $900- 6 week package
- Virtual training
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedreadedtrainer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedreadedtrainer
Image Credits
Kimberly Carrillo- Good Vibes Dogtography
