Today we’d like to introduce you to Traci Murdock, CPDT-KA.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My first dog was smarter than me – I got into dog sports and activities in self-defense and figured out we were good at it and it changed the direction of my life and career.
I began by training my own dogs and then as a dog trainer – I became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and worked as a private trainer and an instructor in several dog training facilities since 2000. I have worked with individuals, families, organizations, rescues, shelters, celebrities, sports figures, and even the Frisco Roughriders to train their bat dog to retrieve bats. I began with the BEAST animal talent agency with my own dogs, then worked as the talent scout and wrangler for multiple species. When the BEAST owner passed, I started Hit the Mark Animal Talent agency to continue to provide talented animals to clients and provide classes and workshops to trainers, teaching methods for preparing animals and their humans for work on set and with human actors.
I’ve trained, participated, and competed with all kinds of dogs in all kinds of sports, like Flyball, Agility, Rally, Obedience, Conformation, Herding, Freestyle, Frisbee, Barn Hunt, and Therapy work, among other activities. I’m part of the group that brought Barn Hunt to DFW in 2013 and am a Barn Hunt judge and WCRL Rally judge. I have expertise with pet dog issues, nutrition, behavior issues, dog sports and activities, and rescue and adoption, and experience in just about any dog-related subject and volunteer as a behavior consultant and trainer for rescues and shelters.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I started my career working admin roles and ended my “day jobs” working in an interior design firm building hotels. Once I found dog training, I spent many years building my dog training credentials and business – then my dog was cast in an episode of Barney, and I was hooked. I was working with Animal Rescue of Texas with the dogs in their program and met Paige Anderson, who owned BEAST animal representation. I became her wrangler and talent scout and then, when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, continued operations so that she could concentrate on her treatments. When she passed, I started Hit the Mark Animal Talent to continue the business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Hit the Mark Animal Talent?
Hit the Mark Animal Talent provides animal actors for commercials, ad, film, TV, and events. We provide classes, workshops, and individual instruction for people to train and work with their animals on set.
My business model is a bit different than traditional agencies – I train the trainers to succeed on set and what skills their animals need to get cast and how to prepare them to work. Once on set, I wrangle the human, while liaising with the director and crew, and the human wrangles their animal. The classes and workshops have contributed to a robust talent pool of humans and animals that are successful on set and really enjoy what they’re doing, as teams and as individuals.
My website – www.hitthemarkanimaltalent.com – is an awesome place to see examples of our work in film, TV, commercials, and ads, and shows stills, videos, and some BTS. I have a Talent page that shows the animal actors’ images, skills, and accomplishments, and information on upcoming training opportunities and workshops.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I have lived and worked all over the DFW area – I grew up in Farmers Branch and Carrollton and settled in Carrollton when I got married. We are now in Fort Worth and I’m enjoying the difference in pace and convenience of the range of entertainment in Downtown Fort Worth. Since I “commute” to Austin for work a lot, it’s also convenient to 35W – I save an hour by not having to drive from Carrollton. I’ve enjoyed being close to Bass Performance Hall and the restaurants downtown and in Clearfork – there are lots of photography and thrifting opportunities and my mom and I go on backroads trips in the surrounding area.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hitthemarkanimaltalent.com
- Instagram: @hitthemarkanimaltalent
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hitthemarkanimaltalent
