About
I graduated from the University of Vermont in 1999, with a degree in Animal Science. In the Fall of 2002, I completed The Academy of Canine Behavior’s “Apprentice Program” in Dog Behavior and Training and worked on staff, full-time at The Academy for three years. I will be forever grateful for the exposure I received during my time at The Academy that spanned all types of breeds, temperaments, personalities and levels of intensity of aggression, anxiety, fear and exuberance that has equipped me to work with almost any type of dog and behavior.
I started my business, Sensitive Dog, when I saw the need for in-home training, in September of 2005 and have been bringing balance and ease to the human-dog relationship ever since.
I am the host and creator of “The Dog Talk Show – An Evolved Perspective on Life with Dogs”, a talk radio show all about dogs. The Dog Talk Show airs LIVE on Wednesdays from 2-3pm (PST) on KKNW 1150 AM in Western Washington. The Dog Talk Show with Julie Forbes is available to download for free as a Podcast on iTunes and all of the past shows are also archived on www.dogtalkshow.com. Our first show was on February 18, 2009. We hit the ground running and have been gaining speed ever since.
I have been a Training Coach for Heeling Allies, Psychiatric Service Dog/Mental Health Service Dog training company since it opened its doors in 2008. I work with clients who have received service dogs from Heeling Allies and coach them on how to communicate with their dogs and reinforce the world-class training they have received from the Heeling Allies trainers. For more information about Heeling Allies visit www.heelingallies.com.
I am an expert in the pet food industry and my education in the science of nutrition and experience in the pet food industry for over eight years has equipped me to fulfill my passion of educating pet owners to make healthy, informed choices about what to feed their pets. It is my intention to cut through the deception and lies of the multinational companies that own the majority of the most recognized brands of food sold in grocery stores and pet super-stores as well as explain the lack of regulation in pet food labels that allows them to get away with this offensive deception.
I have been a dog columnist for The Academy of Canine Behavior’s newsletter and the pet columnist for ‘Mo Magazine. I am currently the Dog Behavior, Training and Nutrition Examiner for Examiner.com, and also write articles for The Barking Lounge’s newsletter.
Other dog training experience I have dipped my toes into includes, but is not limited to:
- Competition Obedience Training
- Agility Training
- Tricks Training
- Herding
- Therapy Dogs
- Scent Tracking
Perhaps my greatest teachers are my own dogs. My first dog, Chewy, who I got when I was twenty, taught me about unconditional commitment and love and illuminated the depths of emotional intimacy that can be shared between two species. Chewy died of cancer at the age of twelve, in September of 2009 and he is still teaching me about myself as I learn to love him through his death and beyond.
My current dogs are Leia, a seven year-old dachshund, Levi, a two year old Australian Cattle Dog (Red Heeler and Chewy’s protige), and Telle, a three year old Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler), a sweet blessing that came to us after Chewy’s death. They keep me humble and remind me everyday that it is much easier to be consistent with other people’s dogs than it is your own.
