Teaching Humans to Train Their Dogs
By Mary Ann Hutcheson
Pets need training. Period. Jaime Gwyn has been around dogs her entire life. At age eight, her mother brought home a Rottweiler puppy named Willie T, the first of many dogs Gwyn would own. Her mother enrolled them in the Greater Columbia Obedience Club, where they excelled and graduated together. Since then, Gwyn has dedicated herself to developing her dog obedience training skills.
At 18, she was hired by Cayce to help launch animal control programs in Cayce, West Columbia, and Springdale. She advanced from animal control to dispatch, then joined the Cayce Police Department, becoming their first female patrol canine handler. She apprenticed with a dog trainer for two years in her free time and eventually purchased and certified her own dog for official duty. Her rescue dog, “MIA,” (Missing in Action) became a prolific search-and-rescue dog. As a member of the Lexington Countybased search-and-rescue team, Gwyn served as head trainer, specializing in tracking and detection. Gwyn credits her experience and training for her confidence in helping others to train their dogs to be a lovable pet.
Gwyn has worked with a variety of breeds, including Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois, Anatolian Shepherds, and French Bulldogs and believes all dogs should be trained for the safety and enjoyment of the dog, family and others around them. Today, Gwyn works with families in their homes to address dog-related issues. She offers services focused on addressing behavioral problems, including aggression, basic obedience, and how to avoid the chaos of dinner and snack time, before a family decides to surrender their pet to a shelter. An owner might comment, “We’re having a baby, and this dog’s just too hyper,” or, “We wanted to love this dog, but it’s too much to have a dog in the house.” Gwyn advises that most dogs develop obedience or behavioral issues when they lack purposeful activity. If they are not assigned a job, they will find alternative ways to occupy themselves. Gwyn reminds her clients frequently that animals are excellent at “reading the room” if an owner is not taking the lead, and encourages them to do so.
If your family is considering adding a dog for the first time, Gwyn can also assist by interviewing your family to determine which breed is the best fit. For example, some breeds may be more active and need higher energy families, which may not suit every household. She offers behavior training services to help keep dogs out of shelters and prevent unnecessary euthanasia. Gwyn also supports families with children interested in AKC dog activities.
Her most important message is that owners must be actively involved. They need to lead their dogs and consistently apply the training methods Gwyn demonstrates. Without ongoing effort, dogs may revert to previous behaviors, leading to frustration and potential surrender to a shelter.
Gywn continues to work with her own animal breeds and shows French Bulldogs in competitions. Her family owns one rescue Pitbull, six French Bulldogs, and a 14-week-old Rottweiler, all of whom, she emphasizes, are loved and live in absolute comfort. For more information on training your dogs, please contact Jaime Gwyn at 803-600-4358 or email her at jgwyn2016@ gmail.com.
