Real life training for real life situations
INSTINCT TO HEEL
Dog Training and Canine Rehabilitation
Our philosophy is that no dog is beyond help, and we have expertise in rehabilitating dogs just like yours.
At Instinct to Heel, we specialize in dogs that are difficult to rehabilitate. We haven’t met a dog yet that we can’t help, and we welcome all dogs no matter how aggressive, even “dangerous dog” designated animals.
"Because of Ellie we now have our pup back. Ellie worked with him for 4 weeks and he went from being a dog that did and would send my kids to the hospital for stitches to a loving part of our family."
OUR STORY
Ellie Punch
Founder, Master Trainer & Dog Behaviour Specialist
Over the past six years, Ellie and her trusted canine rehabilitative assistant, Chess, have helped improve the relationships between hundreds of dogs and their owners.
Unlike many trainers, it wasn’t Ellie’s love of animals and dogs that inspired her to pursue a career as a dog trainer. Her journey was much more personal.
To her horror, her otherwise well-behaved and beloved dog, Chess, suddenly became aggressive when in contact with puppies. Looking for answers, she searched online and contacted trainers far and wide.
The consensus was that she should muzzle Chess for the rest of his life or have him euthanized. Unwilling to accept this dire advice, Ellie began a journey to rehabilitate her own dog and this, in turn, led her to find her calling.
Ellie graduated from Canada West Canine Centre in 2015 with multiple certifications that include Certified Master Trainer, Obedience Instructor, Kennel Management and Tracking Through Drive.
With the wit and charm of her Australian background, Ellie won’t hesitate to inform you that behind every misbehaving dog is an owner that needs some training, too. Ellie takes a holistic approach to dog training, and success depends on both owner and dog being directly involved in the training process.
Ellie is great with dogs and humans alike. She is a gifted empath with the ability to connect with people from all walks of life on a deep and intimate level. She leads them to a deeper understanding of how they relate to their dogs.
Ellie doesn’t just improve your dog’s behaviour; she teaches you WHY your dog behaves the way it does. With this understanding, she will help you achieve lasting and meaningful improvements in your relationship with your dog.
"Sampson started showing serious signs of aggression towards others including people he knew well and our three children at home around the time he turned a year old. We found three trainers before her, and each one either didn’t help or caused more troubles."
OUR SERVICES
"Ellie definitely has a gift working with dogs"
BOARD & TRAIN
$995/week
The board and train experience is designed to tackle a broad range of behavioural issues. Owners are an integral part of the training process with hours of education and practical implementation.
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Fear/Anxiety
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Aggression
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Resource Guarding
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Socialization Problems
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Separation Anxiety
Free Ongoing Support and After Care
Dog training doesn’t end when your board and train is complete, and we offer ongoing support to all of our clients for up to three months.
*Ellie gives back to the community
PRIVATE LESSON
$185/hr
Private Lessons
Personalized one-on-one training
We work with you directly to identify the specific training issues that affect the relationship between you and your dog.
Training is personalized to meet the needs of you and your dog and can include the following:
Recall
Leash Control
Sit/Stay/Down/Place Commands
Behaviour Corrections
Jumping
Nipping
Progress at your own pace working directly with a Master Trainer to:
Learn tips and tricks to improve your dog’s behaviour
Gain general knowledge about canine behaviour and how humans can best interact with their dogs
Optimize the connection between you and your best friend
TESTIMONIALS
"Ellie is incredible at what she does!"
"Sampson started showing serious signs of aggression towards others including people he knew well and our three children at home around the time he turned a year old.
He was very (Very) loving towards myself and our family, but he was always an anxious pup.
We started basic obedience classes when he was about 6 months old, but it did not help his attitude towards others. As he got older it only got worse. He was always taken outside with us and around people often, but slowly started letting us know he wasn't comfortable. And then the pandemic happened. Things were shut down and we were left to figure things out. Over time as things started opening up a bit we tried finding someone to help. We found three people before Ellie, and each one either didn’t help or caused more troubles.
Because of Ellie we now have our pup back. Ellie worked with him for 4 weeks and he went from been a dog that did and would send my kids to the hospital for stitches to a loving part (main) of our family.
The first week we went to see him we could all see the change. As the weeks went on we were amazed and Sampson was so much happier. It has now been a few months and he continues to be an awesome part of our family.
If it was not for Ellie I know for sure we wouldn't have Sampson anymore.
Thanks you so much."
Catherine & Sampson
"Ellie gave my anxious rescue dog with a previous bite history a reset and showed him how to be a dog.
Most importantly she taught me how to treat him like a dog and what he needed from me. She was so informative, helpful and really put in the time. I am so grateful for her great knowledge and how she shared it with Bailey and I.
Bailey is now living his best dog life thanks to the brilliance of Ellie and her board and train program."
Michelle Dupius & Bailey
"Ellie is incredible at what she does! Our young dog started barking and lunging at people and we had no idea how to handle the behaviour.
Ellie went out of her way to give us the training, tools and knowledge we needed to be confident and calm leaders. Now we can bring our dog on all our adventures without worries!
We even get compliments on how well he is behaved! Ellie was so nice to work with and my only regret is not finding her sooner!"
Nicole, Nacho & Spinner
"Ellie is a gifted dog trainer who helped me, in only a few training sessions, better understand my dog and interact with her in a much healthier way. Not only was Ellie fantastic with my dog, but she was also patient with me and helped me to understand why my dog was misbehaving. The solutions she offered were easy to learn and effective at curbing my dog’s misbehaviours. I cannot recommend Instinct to Heel highly enough!"
