A sensitive Border Collie led Edyta Daniel to VSA and a new career coaching people and dogs.
When project manager Edyta Daniel and her husband brought home their Border Collie puppy, Rudy, from a farm during the Covid pandemic, she never imagined this decision would completely transform her career path. Today she is a successful graduate of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior (VSA) with a thriving dog training business in southern England, specializing in helping sensitive dogs and their owners navigate behavioral challenges.
“We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” Edyta recalls of those early days with Rudy, a working-line Border Collie. “As first-time dog owners who knew nothing about dogs, the first year or two had just been crazy.”
They engaged a positive dog training professional to help manage and cope with Rudy’s challenges, and Edyta became captivated by the process.
“I had dogs growing up, but they were family pets, not part of my professional world. The more I worked with Rudy, the more I realized how much I enjoyed helping him and learning about dog behavior,” she says.
Becoming a Professional Dog Trainer
Edyta decided to take the leap when her staff job was phased out. Looking for the best place to start, Edyta turned to the trainer who’d helped them with Rudy. “She recommended the Victoria Stilwell Academy, and that’s how it all started.”
She dedicated her evenings to the online Dog Trainer Course while working four days a week at a temporary position. “I loved every second of it,” she says.” I was like a sponge, just absorbing all the information. It was amazing and so well put together.”
Edyta was impressed by how well-organized the course was and how deeply it covered everything from basic dog behavior to running your own business. The detailed feedback she received from her faculty advisor continues to influence how she works with clients today.
“The course gave me more than just the foundations. It gave me everything I needed to get started, even in the business side of things,” she says. “By the end of it, I felt ready to start taking on clients.”
On the personal side, as Edyta began to understand how the environment impacts sensitive dogs, she noticed parallels in herself. Initially living in Manchester’s city center, both Edyta and Rudy struggled with the urban environment’s sensory overload. This shared experience led the family to relocate to the quieter English countryside, where both have thrived.
Personal Coaching to Give Individualized Support
Today, Edyta focuses on one-on-one training and online coaching, with a particular emphasis on helping sensitive dogs like Rudy. “I’ve really embraced the coaching model,” she says. “Instead of just weekly sessions, I offer daily coaching where dog owners can contact me at any time. I love providing that tailored, constant support.”
While she enjoys the variety of training, she’s especially passionate about helping sensitive and reactive dogs like Rudy. “Rudy has taught me so much about working with nervous and reactive dogs,” Edyta says. “He’s a very sensitive dog, and I have to be careful how I communicate with him. It’s a two-way conversation. I learned that the hard way, but it’s made me so much better at reading dogs.”
Edyta’s background in project management has also proved helpful, equipping her to stay on top of her to-do list and feel comfortable when juggling multiple clients. “They’re all mini projects by themselves,” she says of working with different dogs and their guardians.
For those considering a career in dog training, Edyta strongly endorses VSA. “I always recommend the Dog Trainer Course because I know how in-depth it goes,” she says. “I’ve definitely made the right choice, especially with all the support that you get during the course—support from my faculty advisor and the Facebook groups where you can turn for help from other students and graduates. That’s really invaluable.”
“The community at VSA is amazing. There’s always someone to turn to, and that continued support has been so important to me.” Today, Edyta’s desire to make a positive impact drives her. “It’s about the people and their dogs,” she says. “That’s what makes this work so rewarding.”
Learn more about preparing for a rewarding career as a dog trainer with VSA’s premier Dog Trainer Course.
