Today we’d like to introduce you to Clara Patacini
Hi Clara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I had a passion for dogs since I was a child. I grew up with Gordon Setters during my childhood years. My parents brought home my first puppy when I was 11 years old and I’ll never forget how excited I was to see that floppy eared Gordon Setter in a laundry basket that my mom was carrying. My parents taught me all about care, grooming basics and a dog’s body language and what each one meant. I attended obedience classes with my mom and our new puppy. From there, I helped continue training at home. My mom would always carry a leash in her car in case she ever came across a stray and a few times she would find one and find them either their home or a rescue to go to. To this day, I too, always carry leashes in my vehicle when I come across a stray. In my middle school and high school years, that is when my parents starting bringing in foster fail Gordon Setters. We also had a rambunctious beagle that my mom fell in love with at a shelter.
In my early 20’s I brought home my very own puppy who’s name was Tucker. He was what started my passion to help rescue dogs down the line and find them rescues and permanent homes. Tucker achieved his Canine Good Citizen at a young age and bypassers would compliment on how behaved he was at a young age. Tucker was my soul dog and I was beyond lucky to have been his owner.
I moved to North Dakota in my mid 20s and started working for the Ft.Berthold Indian Reservation as a 911 dispatcher. Shortly after I started working, one of the officers comes in with a stray puppy that was being a nuisance to a resident in town. Animal control was notorious for not answering their phone and ignoring us when we called for help. I told the officer I could take the puppy home and hold for the legal 5 days until rehoming or finding a rescue to give it to. One puppy shortly turned into a litter of puppies which then turned into upwards of thirty dogs and cats that I helped rescue, rehab and rehome out of 1600sqft townhouse in North Dakota. The dogs that did stay for awhile at home, I would start implementing basic training. This included the basic commands and learning how to get used to a collar and leash. This also included manners and behavior modifications such as “no jumping, waiting to fed before eating, waiting at the door, getting in and out of a vehicle etc. Implementing the basics was crucial to helping find the dogs the best homes possible. Word spread fast throughout the small town and I was even known by “the towns rescue lady” by the city’s Chief of Police. I did help rehome one of the local city’s dogs that a sheriff had brought in for me to help. I also assisted with the local rescue group SARG (Stanley Animal Rescue Group) events and spreading the word on the animals that were seeking homes. I set up transport connections to rescues throughout the surrounding states and even transported a dog myself from ND to an MN rescue.
While working for the police department, I got to know some of the working K9s and became more accustomed to the German, Belgian malinous and Czech shepherd. I quickly fell in love with the German shepherd breed and sought out a breeder to get one. I was well aware of their high drive energy and their need to work. It took me about a year to find a reputable one who did their testing and who wasn’t just in it gor the money but had a passion for keeping up the German Shepherd legacy.
When seeking a dog I sought after one that would have the drive to work and had my wish granted. Riley, who is 5 years old, has taught me alot not only about the breed but also, becoming a better trainer. Through lots of patience and research of different ways to train, she has become a well rounded dog.
I worked for a local shelter and had the wonderful opportunity helping rehome dogs and really hone in on my skills. I learned alot from not only working there but also from each dog I handled. There was no better feeling than to help a wallflower dog become a confident dog that greets you at the gate. Every dog was different and each person that came through to look at them regardless if they adopted, I helped better educate them on what it took to care for them.
I am also currently active in the local rescue community and offer transport help on occasion when needed. I will also help promote local rescues and other trainers.
Not only do I heavily advocate for other rescues but also local trainers in the area and online ones as well. Without the help of local trainers and the connections virtually, I would not be the trainer I am today. I am still learning something new everyday whether it is a training technique or overall care of a dog, the learning never ends.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Every career has its obstacles and being a dog trainer is no different. The toughest obstacle as a dog trainer is training people. Training dogs can be easy but training people to help train their dogs is a whole other level. You can explain to your clients til you’re blue in the face about the importance of consistency and they still won’t do it. It’s about walking that fine line of patience and consistency with the client before moving onto another. Another obstacle is figuring out what methods work on each individual dog that I come across. I think of it as a puzzle I need to solve. Piecing together the foundational steps to then give the owner and the dog a strong team mentality.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Southern K9 Training ?
I specialize in the foundation of k9 obedience and building a strong bond between the dog and its owner. I strive to take the time to focus on the dog’s handler to teach their dog the foundational skills that will advance their dog in obedience. This creates not only a strong teamwork mentality, but also a bond between handler and k9 that is unbreakable.
What sets me apart from other trainers is I simplify instruction and focus on building up the handler’s confidence to work with their dog outside of my instruction.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The best part about Greenville is the sense of community. Although it is a large community, there are a plethora of people wanting to help each other in any way they can. There are also alot of activities and events for people of all ages.
The only dislikes about Greenville are the traffic, lack of driving skills and the poor quality of the roads.
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