ABOUT KIRK

I am the dog behaviorist. Dogs are my life. 

I grew up training sled dogs in Western Québec, Canada at the International School for Earth Studies. At age 11, my family decided to adopt a pack of Siberian Huskies as a new form of winter recreation — dog sledding.

As you can imagine, I spent most of my time growing up observing and working with these dogs. I got pretty skilled at understanding their behavior and their ways of relating to each other and to their human counterparts. When I was old enough, I taught international students of all ages how to manage sled dogs in our Dog Sled Management courses at Earth Studies, which included a hefty emphasis on dog behavior and pack dynamics.

Most kennels are characterized by loud and aggressive barking. Dogs are on chains and sled launches are uncontrollable. Mushers have shear panic attacks if one of their dogs gets loose. The musher may never see the wandering dog again. After 2009, my family’s Siberian Husky kennel had none of that. We overhauled our behavior techniques. The anxious energy level in the kennels dropped dramatically. 

This study in "natural management" methods radically informed my philosophy and approach as a dog behavioralist. I decided I wanted to teach the method to others, and started "The Dog Masters" in 2015 in Houston, Texas, where I went to marry the love of my life. In Houston, I worked as a veterinarian kennel technician, dog walker, and volunteered my time at the local rescue shelters, along with running my dog behavior business.

A year after marriage, we moved to the place of our dreams, Denver, Colorado. While in Denver full-time, I am committed to helping dog owners create more satisfying relationships with their canine companions. Here, I organize my own dog friendly hikes, group walks, behavior seminars, and social meet ups throughout the city. I am also still actively involved with my family’s nature education and sled dog training programs in Canada. 

We currently have 2 cats (Neeps and Clé) and 2 dogs (Papou: male, 2yr Siberian Husky and Violet: female, 5 yr black lab). They are all rescues from our time in Houston.

I love the indomitable Spirit of dogs. My parents empowered me with a deep sense of accountability and responsibility towards others, especially animals. I am inspired to be a better leader by learning from the many lessons that dogs teach us. I truly believe dogs help us understand unconditional love, how to lead others and respect other viewpoints. I want to make the world a better place by reconnecting people with nature through animals.