Today we’d like to introduce you to Beccy Hughes.
Hi, Beccy. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved animals and always had pets. When I was 8 years old, I saw dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time and said I wanted to be a marine mammal veterinarian. I decided to attend college at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, and major in their Marine Science program. After a year, a biology professor told me I should have gone the biology route, taken veterinarian medicine, and then specialized in marine mammals. At that point, I was already committed to completing the marine science program. I bounced around ideas about where the degree could take me, and in my senior year, I finally found something I was good at. I was part of the first round of interns for a sea lion training company that was contracted at a show in Myrtle Beach, SC. I spent about 9 months learning how to care for and train sea lions as an intern, and following graduation, the company hired me to travel with them, educating the public all around the US about sea lions. I did that for about two and a half years, then left to move to Texas to start a new job training domestic animals. This job allowed me to work with multiple species, from dogs and cats to pigeons and macaws. After four and a half years, I was ready to move on again and was rehired by the first company I worked for, but at their new contracted facility in Pigeon Forge, TN. This time, I was back to working with sea lions, but I also was working with dogs, macaws, and ducks. Not only did I work with animals daily, but my partner and I had three dogs of our own (Harvey, the corgi, Sully the chow/boxer, and Tigerlily, the corgi) that I would go home and take care of along with train occasionally. A few years ago, we suddenly had inter-household dog aggression issues. Our two sweet corgis were no longer getting along. We sought help from a behavioral specialist, learned new ways to manage our situation, and tried to work on the training to get them back together again. It was such a stressful time for all of us.
In the summer of 2022, I started thinking long-term about my career. Unlike so many in my field, I was very fortunate to have kept my job throughout the Covid pandemic. But I started thinking about wanting to be home more to be with my dogs and how I could do training and be home. After extensive research, I discovered many dog training programs I could go through and become a certified dog trainer; ironically, I found out in the fall of 2022 that the company I was working for was closing down due to the owners retiring. I decided to finish my certification and then try to open my own dog training company. I left my job training marine mammals/exotics in December 2022. In April 2023, I finished my program with The Victoria Stilwell Academy and became a Certified Dog Trainer. With the help of my support system, I then created Smokey Mountain Awesome Reinforcement Training, better known as S.M.A.R.T. With Dogs LLC.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life is never a smooth road. There are always bumps along the way. But isn’t that what’s great about the roller coaster ride? Caring and training for animals is rewarding but also challenging and heartbreaking. We watch animals grow old, get sick, and pass on, or sometimes leave a facility for our own needs. It’s never easy to say goodbye. The other thing that needs to be talked about more is how prevalent burnout and compassion fatigue is in this field.
It’s hard to fully take a “day off” in this field because we care for living things that need us. That meant long hours, sometimes no days off, and very little pay; then, I was coming home to a high-stress environment where my dogs were having their own issues. I have spent the last decade learning how to be a better trainer, which only sometimes comes from a book or a webinar. Mistakes were sometimes made repeatedly until I learned how to do better. It’s also been a massive shift in learning to own and run a business for myself. Many dog trainers start at a shelter or other dog training facility and then branch off independently. I am coming from a completely different road in the training field and trying to navigate how to make it work.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about S.M.A.R.T. With Dogs?
I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Victoria Stilwell Academy. I specialize in basic manners and behavior modification. My training style leans heavily towards positive reinforcement training. Not only do I focus on the management and training of dogs and their people, but I also have a strong focus on how to incorporate enrichment into the daily lives of those dogs. It’s amazing what some enrichment to exercise both the body and mind can do to an animal’s behavior positively!
I do in-home training. Which means I come to you! Most of the behavior “issues” are in the dogs’ home, so I want to help people learn to work with their dogs’ needs and the human’s wants and needs to create a happy home life. I have different training options for people, too. First, I offer a package of 1-1 coaching. This is where I teach the dog’s guardian how to train their dogs in their behaviors. Secondly, I offer a day training package for guardians who are too busy or overwhelmed with everything else on their plate. This option is where I come in, do all the training for them, and then meet with the guardians to review what the dog has learned. Everything I offer is completely customized for each client. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t setting a strict plan of the same thing for everyone because everyone is an individual and has their wants and needs.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been the perfectionist, leader, and “I can do it on my own” type. I played contact sports through college and have always been a hard worker. Once I set my mind on something, I never give up easily. I hate to fail and let people down.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.smartwithdogs.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartwithdogs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093333543748
Image Credits
Peter Eick
