Paws & People
PUPPY TRAINING

Paws & People PUPPY TRAININGPaws & People PUPPY TRAININGPaws & People PUPPY TRAINING

Paws & People
PUPPY TRAINING

Paws & People PUPPY TRAININGPaws & People PUPPY TRAININGPaws & People PUPPY TRAINING
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About

Paws & People - est. 2003 - is an integrative training business that focuses on the whole dog - socially, emotionally, physically, and nutritionally. Our programs are designed to create a willing learner, a skilled handler, and to train at the highest levels whether you have a family pet dog, are involved in dog sports, search and rescue, or want a working ranch dog. If you are looking to up your education we can help you with that! All of our programs are taught with marker reward training methods. Paws & People specializes in puppy training and adolescent development.



Nancy Tanner, CPDT-KSA

The Beginning

My professional career started in the mid 1980's while working on the ski patrol. My rookie year I was put on the Team with the K9 avalanche director, and my entire first season was devoted to carrying things around the mountain, being buried in snow-pits for search drills, and exercising and conditioning one of the dogs during the summer season.  I continued this work for 4 seasons, building my knowledge and skills, and can safely add that I was heavily influenced by this style of training, handling, and working with dogs professionally. I would later term this style of training, play with a purpose, which basically comes down to trust in the relationship while working together in some pretty intense situations. I never saw a dog harmed in work, and was never taught how to harm dogs in work, and our dogs were trained to the highest level of skill.

The Learning Curve

I spent years with my own dogs as a young adult, varying breeds, and learning as much as I could about communication, body language, and that relationships were normal. Why did I do this? I thought it was super interesting, and for no other reason. I traveled and lived in four different countries with my dogs along side me. Honestly, I am so grateful that there was no internet or tv show at the time telling me how and what my relationships with my dogs should look like. I believe with my first professional experience, and then boots on the ground learning by doing, I was continuing to build solid skills, love my dogs honestly, and have some amazing adventures together. During this time I hiked through four mountain ranges with one of my dogs, and too many miles to count.

Travels

I came from an animal rich home and upbringing, but the years I spent living in other countries turned out to be more animal focused than the job that originally brought me there. I always, like a moth to a flame, found myself drawn to a person or a farm that needed extra help, or just allowed me to help because I just kept coming back. I started to build my language with other species like I had with dogs, and found that ALL relationships were normal, with all animals. I always found more comfort working alongside people that saw and felt animals in this way. Every animal I was meeting or caring for was a new relationship, a new understanding, building more knowledge and more skill.

My Heart

And then as if I needed a deeper or richer experience with communication and what the heart was capable of, I got married, found a dog on a beach in Mexico, and had my first child all within a year. We adventured and worked from coast to coast, learned about each other, and built the foundation for Paws & People, without knowing that was happening, it was such and innocent and natural process. 

Same Same

My children were raised with my dogs and visa versa. We were a family in all sense of the word. At this very time, I was entering the world of dog sports. With my children and dogs in the car we traveled about twenty-five weekends a year around the state of Montana going to herding trials, clinics, agility trials, training workshops, and events. 

The Business Years and more

Paws & People was established in 2003. My focus at that time was competition and professional handler training. I learned super quickly that that niche group of Teams was super small. So I expanded my business while continuing to compete with my now four dogs.


I was invited to be a spokesperson for dog sports in the USA, through my freestyle dog sport, and had the experience to be on national tv with Martha Stewart, that was super special. I declined future offers as it would take me away from family and my new business, and my dogs, which is how this all started to begin with. I wanted to be honest with myself and with my new business, and especially my growing family.


In a matter of three years I started family pet training classes, competition classes, mountain adventure programs, and entered the world of consulting on serious behavioral problems. With each step of teaching, coaching, and competing, I was also a student, and on a wild steep learning curve. I poured through books, attended every conference I could afford, and volunteered at AZA accredited zoo's for training opportunities.


I became a certified professional trainer with CCPDT at this time, a member of the Animal Behavior Society, and started to write about the relationships we have with animals and how training fits into this.


Sharing my knowledge

For me, I am curious about everything, a robust learner. I guess I want to know why. I believe this is what has given me my observational skills, and why I can read dogs, and some other species, by the way that they move or behave. Observation without judgement. Sometimes I believe I chose this path that I am on and other times I believe it has chosen me because of the way that I learn and how I see the world.


I spent ten years of my career not only teaching and training in my local community, but giving presentations, speaking at conferences, performing at conferences, giving workshops and seminars, teaching canine nutrition classes, and giving free talks to my local community every year.


And then there was writing. A lot of writing. I had things I wanted to say, a conversation of sorts, and it seemed to come out better on paper than anyway else. It felt like flood gates had opened and I put it all out there. It was honest and raw to be sure, and of course lots of grammar issues, but this opened the doors to not only put my thoughts on my blog but to also write for other publications. I have been honored with writing awards and nominations over the years, and that has actually meant the most to me, perhaps it is the accumulation of my life's work in words that make sense to me. My words have gone far and wide over the years.

My Farm

As my business matured and grew so did my desire to make my business an integral part of my farm. I love the changes I am seeing, the opportunities for my Teams to work around farm animals and people doing chores, and to be in the great outdoors in all seasons. It's super real all of the time. It is what it should be as I enter the 20th year of Paws & People.


Outside of my teaching schedule, I am raising goats, border collies, quail, and ducks. I am a natural rearing breeder, and spend my time helping and assisting in births, raising my animals, learning about their species appropriate nutritional needs, and forming more relationships.


Our farm now produces - produce, herbs, dairy, eggs, and meat in a chemical free biodynamic way, that we started practicing in the late 1990's. We now give farm tours that are educational, and hopefully inspirational, and host farm pop-ups with other farms to support local agriculture. The learning and teaching never stop for me.


So you see it is a full circle kind of life. Everything that was important to me took me in directions that were unknown to me at the time that brought me back to the life I love so much. And this is my life's work I love to share with others. 

and if you would like the shorter version...

Nancy Tanner CPDT-KSA is a certified dog trainer and award-winning writer and photographer. She’s the founding owner at Paws & People, Border Farm, and The World Treibball League and has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show. She and her family live in Montana on their farm that is a blend of everything they do and love: working with dogs, biodynamic gardening, nutrition, and farming. Nancy has specialized in puppy training and adolescent development since 2003.

Award Winning writer and photographer.

Weston A. Price Chapter Leader

CCPDT Certified

AKC Evaluator

APHE Member

ABS Member

APDT Professional Member

Dog Sport Competitor

Raw Dog Food Specialist

Natural Rearing Breeder

Appeared on the Martha Stewart Show. 

NAPgA Member 

Paws & People, est 2003

the WHOLE ENCHILADA

MY DOGS

MAMA BEETZ

MAMA BEETZ

MAMA BEETZ

MAMA BEETZ - Born February 13th 2018 - She was the first Sexy Beast Border Collie to touch the earth, and captured our hearts.


We see her great grandma Meg, grandma Thistle, and mother Rhumb in her. So deeply sweet, intense with her work, and keen about everything in life.


VIDEOS

​ARTICLES - SEXY BEASTS

MASSIMO

MAMA BEETZ

MAMA BEETZ

MASSIMO - Born February 13th 2018 - He is from our Sexy Beast Border Collie natural rearing breeding program.


He is sweet, loving, and intense in his work. He inherited his incredible physical prowess from Rhumb, and is versatile in his skills - from intricate heeling patterns to disc freestyle to herding. He is amazing.

 

VIDEOS

ARTICLES - SEXY BEASTS

$eeker

MAMA BEETZ

$eeker

$EEKER

2007 - 2022

Border collie, born in August 2007, he is the hardest worker I have. Lovely, sweet, a true foody, and super intense.  


NADAC - N-NJC, O-NJC, S-NJC, O-NAC, S-TG-N, O-TG-N, O-WV-N, HP-N

MDSA - Novice Freestyle Dog

WTL - GGL1, PL2, DDL3, SIL4, WP5.


Treibball VIDEO Living VIDEO 

STORY

RHUMB LINE

$eeker

STORY 

My Story - My Rock

 2005 - 2020

Story was a large, powerful, kind, and deeply honest dog. To stand with him was a gift, and his power was humbling. 

HIS STORY


NADAC - 4245 life time points, NATCH, V-NATCH, N triple superior, O triple superior, E triple superior, N superior versatility, EJC - P5, TG-E P9, TN-E P20, WV-E P7

MDSA - Novice Freestyle Dog, Standard first leg, appearance on the Martha Stewart Show

WTL - GGL1, PL2, DDL3, SIL4, WP5


Championships VIDEO  Freestyle VIDEO.

RHUMB LINE

RHUMB LINE

RHUMB LINE

RHUMB LINE 

My Pirate Queen - My Everything

My Force of Nature

April 23, 2015 - December 17, 2019

 Rhumb was the foundation for our natural rearing breeding program

SEXY BEAST BORDER COLLIES ... 


Rhumb was incredible in work and as a mother, and remains in our hearts as kind, generous, loving, and intense in work. Her physical prowess is unmatched. 


 VIDEO SERIES

ARTICLE - HERDING LIGHTENING 

RHUMBS GIFT

FRANNY

RHUMB LINE

RHUMB LINE

FRANNY

My teacher, my muse.  

2000 - 2013

Franny never competed in any sport, but she trained for them all. She never had the desire to compete, she loved being with our family or in the mountains, it was that simple. Her heart was in the mountains, hiking, trail running, and rolling around in high elevation meadows. 


ARTICLE - SHE HAS NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR HER CHOICES

ARTICLE - FINAL WORDS FROM MY GRAN DAME

OCEAN

CHIQUITA

CHIQUITA

OCEAN

My Gran Dame,  a border collie/aussie cross. 2002 - 2015. 

She was my first competition dog, and my heart.

NADAC - 3010 life time points, Novice Versatility, Open Versatility, Elite Versatility, TG-E P15, TN-E P26, WV-E P10 VIDEO

MDSA - Novice Freestyle Dog

AHBA - Level 1 & 2

WTL - GGL1, PL2, DDL3, SIL4, WP5 (World Pusher!) VIDEO

ARTICLE - THE LAST DANCE

​VIDEO  RETIREMENT VIDEO 

CHIQUITA

CHIQUITA

CHIQUITA

1997 - Because she started it all.

PRESS

 

Canine Freestyle, New Tricks!  2006

Ready, Set, HIKE!  2009

Survey: Dogs Unleashed 2009

Xolo World Newsletter - Survey Results by Nancy Tanner

The Forgotten Victims of METH 2009 - by Judy Schaap

Dog is my Copilot - Boating Tips 2010  - by Pete Muennich Outside Bozeman Magazine

Summertime and the training's easy! 2008

WinterFest goes to the dogs! 2010   ... in the NEWS!

Free To Be... 2011 Whole Dog Journal Article - by CJ Puotinen

The Gentle Scent of Success 2011 by Lynn Kinnaman

Dances with Dogs - Balance Magazine 2010 by Michele Corriel

Expert Tips for Small Dog Play 2010 by West Paw Design & Nancy Tanner

New Dog Park 2010 by Erik Petersen 

Trail Tips for You and Your Dog June 2010 by Nancy Tanner - Montana Pioneer

SCENTS & SENSIBILITY - SNIFF OFF AT THE SUMMIT LODGE IN BIG SKY 2014

RADIO INTERVIEW 2018 

TV INTERVIEW MONTANA ABC FOX - 2017

Nancy Tanner - ARTICLES & MUSINGS

SEXY BEAST BORDER COLLIES

WRITING AWARDS

DOG WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

2012 – LIVING WITH A DOG OUTSIDE OF NEUTRAL – 7 PART SERIES – nomination

2012 – WHEN SENIORS HAVE DOGS – PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE – MAXWELL MEDALLION AWARD

2012 – TOP 10 TIPS FOR PUPPY OWNERS – nomination

2013 – SHE HAS NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR HER CHOICES, EVER – MAXWELL MEDALLION AWARD

2013 – TOP 10 TIPS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN PUPPIES – nomination

2013 – WHEN DOGS SPEAK THEIR TRUTH WE SHOULD LISTEN – nomination

2013 – WHEN IS A RESCUE NO LONGER A RESCUE? – nomination

2014 –BEST IN BLOG – http://www.nancytanner.com – nomination

2015 – SHUTTING A DOG DOWN – nomination

2015 – CITY SLICKER PUPPY – nomination – AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY CGC SPECIAL AWARD

2015 – MY NUMBER ONE RULE FOR MY PUPPY – nomination – AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY CGC SPECIAL AWARD

2015 – WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH CALVIN THESE DAYS? – best in photo series – nomination

2016 – HERDING LIGHTENING – RHUMB OFF LEASH – nomination

2016 – RHUMB & STORY – WINTER TIME – best in photo series – MAXWELL MEDALLION AWARD

2018 - TOP 10 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH A TRAUMATIC DOG EXPERIENCE  - nomination

2018 - TRADE SECRETS! satire series - nomination

2020 - RESCUE BLOOM - article for Dogs Naturally Magazine - nomination

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