Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Gill.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sarah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up with a dad that loved working his personal bird dogs and a mom that loves animals, so I was curious when it came to animals. I would work with them and learn new things in the dog training world, It wasn’t until a debilitating car accident in 2011 that I was put into the professional dog world. I was in a wheelchair with shattered feet, fractures in my legs and fractures in my spine and the inability to walk, but I was not going to let that stop me.
I defied the odds with the help of physical therapy and the moment I could walk, I went to school to be a certified canine master trainer. Since 2011, I have had 8 reconstructive surgeries on my legs, and for my 7th surgery I caught a virus that started to shut down my organs and I was in a coma for 2 weeks. Waking up from a coma has given me understanding of how dogs feel when waking up in shelters, so I donate time to different shelters to help dogs with aggressive tendencies.
My past has gotten me where I am and it is a blessing, it may have been rough, but that is what makes the end goal worth it.
Great, 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?
It has never been a smooth road, but to me, the goals that are harder to obtain have greater value. I suffer from PTSD, so every day is a battle and my legs give me grief with every step. I have found that dogs are the absolute best therapy for me now that I have both my body and mind in check.
Please tell us about Total K9 Focus.
My dog training business focuses on behavioral issues, basic obedience training, therapy dogs and service dogs. I work with several rescues across the country, I like to write articles and blogs with dog training advice. I use my past struggles to train the service dogs I take on.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I love the fact that no matter how big Dallas is, that it’s still a small city within itself. Growing up in Lakewood, playing soccer with DESA, and going to St. John’s Episcopal School has made me who I am today. I spend a couple of hours a day driving, so traffic is my number 1 dislike.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.totalk9focus.com
- Phone: 972-809-9134
- Email: totalk9focus@gmail.com
- Instagram: Www.instagram.com/totalk9focus
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dogtrainingdfw
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