{"id":152,"date":"2024-01-31T02:30:41","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T02:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/?page_id=152"},"modified":"2024-03-05T19:35:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T19:35:46","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About The Trainer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trainer Biography<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It all started when I was a child. I was raised with and around dogs, but mostly, those dogs were just simple pets, or farm dogs running around on the property. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was never a lot of involvement with the dogs, however, they were just kind of there. I had known people who had dogs that had integral roles in their lives, but never saw first hand, those integral relationships working with the dogs still, the dogs were just there.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
I had my own dogs growing up, a chance to learn a whole different kind of teaching responsibility to me as I saw it once I got older, but the journey was painfully bumpy. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The dogs wouldn\u2019t listen, they got off the leash or out of the yard and wouldn\u2019t come when called. They got in the way and just were -across the board- incredibly difficult to manage, interact with, and handle. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
They would even bite or nip on occasion, behaving aggressively with myself and sometimes, others, and even would go after the cats on occasion. It was unpleasant all the way around.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
I had always known, and seen on television shows or in public, working dogs- dogs that shared a relationship with their owners\/handlers, responding to commands, being obedient, and participating in their lives with their humans in a very responsive and interactive kind of way. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
I KNEW it was possible, but never had any first hand examples or experiences.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
When I was around 10 years old, I went to visit my Grandfathers Farm. He had a smaller head of cattle, but had recently gotten some kennels and some cattle dogs. I was very exited! <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
He asked if I wanted to see the dogs work, and I was over the moon in anticipation when I told him \u201cYes PLEASE!\u201d. He went to the kennels, and let one of the dogs out, a little black dog named Rip and hollered at him. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The dog dutifully followed, with a wagging tail, close to my Grandfather as we walked to the cow pens near the pasture.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

When we arrived to the pens, there was a very large, very rowdy bull in one of the pens, separated from the cows. The bull was seemingly very aggressive, as he scratched and bucked around the pen. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I thought to myself, how in the world my Grandfather had managed to get the bull in and out of the trailers, and how they managed to move cows in and out, what a dangerous feat that would have had to have been.
My Grandfather looked down at me and asked me if I was ready. I excitedly said \u201cYES!\u201d and my grandpa whistled, gave Rip a few quick words and the dog seemingly flew into action. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\n
Rip darted into the pen with the large disgruntled bull, immediately started putting pressure on the bull, barking occasionally, and very elegantly and skillfully moving around the bull and away from the bulls many attempts to trample him. <\/h5>\n<\/div>
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

It was a strange kind of dance. Within nearly a blink, almost as fast as it began it was over, and both the bull and dog were at rest in the pen, together, no more flying dust, no more attacks from the bull, no more barking from the dog.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

WOW!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was hooked, and as we walked back to the pens to put Rip back, I was deep in contemplation with myself, digesting what I had just witnessed. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
My Grandpa gave Rip a good few pats, some encouraging words and told him to get back into his pen, and Rip jumped right in, and drank graciously from his water bowl before planting himself into his doghouse and resting.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
That was a formative moment for me- and I promised myself the next time I owned a dog, I would do it RIGHT! <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
I had FINALLY seen it done before my eyes, that it was possible, and committed to myself that, I, would experience that same kind of interactive cohesion and communication with a dog some day, even if it weren\u2019t as intense as working with cattle- that I would have an obedient and responsive dog.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
When I had turned 19 the Big Day came. I had gotten my own dog, with prior research and self education about K9 Psychology and behavior, and set out on my own adventure.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

I had rescued two large dogs- A German Shepherd\/Siberian Husky cross and a 9 month old Catahoula Lab Cross. It was only supposed to be one, but, the Catahoula touched me in a certain kind of way.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When I went to go pick up the Catahoula, the first thing he did was attack my room mates dog (we had walked to make for a tired dog coming into his new home). I asked the owners for the leash, and corrected the dog gently. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
He immediately stopped, sat, and looked up at me. It was done. He was, what I didn\u2019t know at the time, going to eventually be my primary driving force, my biggest fan, and best friend.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\n

What a decision\u2026they were both males, one was intact and one was neutered. Both had aggressive tendencies in one way or another.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I arrived in Colorado Springs when I was 20, and landed a job at a training facility that specialized in difficult and aggressive dogs as a kennel aid, eventually evolving into a lead trainer position.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
after leaving on my own, did outreach and a lot of volunteer work In my community with aggressive dogs, honing my skills, and providing services for severe cases that couldn\u2019t afford the services for nearly 8 years.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
before starting my own training company and relocating to the San Luis Valley in Colorado to really push my skills, working more with livestock training.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\n

In Loving Memory of and a life Inspired by my Grandfather Cay Zortman. For all the things nobody said, and things no one did- may I do them in your Honor and Memory.  

Heres to 3AM combine rides, oily mechanic shops, dusty garages and birthday pinatas, dirt roads and cattle rows, and all the memories that never got to be made.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Thank you to my Dearest Samson, and my Sweet Minobe- my teachers, my best friends, my family.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
May I carry your memories and legacy to the moon. I hope you\u2019re proud of me.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

My name is Alaura Zortman, and I am a Professional Dog Trainer!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trainer Biography It all started when I was a child. I was raised with and around dogs, but mostly, those dogs were just simple pets, or farm dogs running around on the property. There was never a lot of involvement with the dogs, however, they were just kind of there. I had known people who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-152","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nAbout The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Trainer Biography It all started when I was a child. I was raised with and around dogs, but mostly, those dogs were just simple pets, or farm dogs running around on the property. There was never a lot of involvement with the dogs, however, they were just kind of there. I had known people who […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NAKEDK9 Training\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-03-05T19:35:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-10.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/\",\"name\":\"About The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-31T02:30:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-03-05T19:35:46+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About The Trainer\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/\",\"name\":\"NAKEDK9 Training\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#organization\",\"name\":\"NAKEDK9 Training\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/nakedk9-vector-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/nakedk9-vector-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2116,\"caption\":\"NAKEDK9 Training\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"About The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training","og_description":"Trainer Biography It all started when I was a child. I was raised with and around dogs, but mostly, those dogs were just simple pets, or farm dogs running around on the property. There was never a lot of involvement with the dogs, however, they were just kind of there. I had known people who […]","og_url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/","og_site_name":"NAKEDK9 Training","article_modified_time":"2024-03-05T19:35:46+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-10.jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/","url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/","name":"About The Trainer - NAKEDK9 Training","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-01-31T02:30:41+00:00","dateModified":"2024-03-05T19:35:46+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/about-us\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About The Trainer"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#website","url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/","name":"NAKEDK9 Training","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#organization","name":"NAKEDK9 Training","url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/nakedk9-vector-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/nakedk9-vector-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":2116,"caption":"NAKEDK9 Training"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":648,"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152\/revisions\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/susan.walanski.com\/nakedk9\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}