Hi, I’m Danielle! I’ve always felt a deep connection with animals, and growing up, I thought the only path to working with animals was within a veterinary clinic. Knowing I would struggle with the emotional toll that work entails, I ultimately followed a different path into human healthcare.

However, life has a way of leading you exactly where you need to be.

In 2023, I brought home Pico — a 14-week-old Potcake rescue from the Cayman Islands. I was SO excited. I pictured all the places we'd go, the sights we'd see, and the adventures we'd have together. As I navigated through puppyhood into adolescence, then his teenage years, we started to see reactivity both on and off leash. It was quick and sudden. Reactivity wasn't part of the life I had pictured for us, and suddenly, the way we experienced the world together looked very different. Navigating his reactivity became a deeply personal journey filled with learning, patience, advocacy, plenty of trial and error, and significant growth.

I felt we needed professional help after exhausting other options and trainers, I found Justine with HalliDog Training. She heard our story, explained behaviours and methods, and helped us reach goals I thought weren't possible! I can now do things with Pico that felt like would never happen due to his reactivity, and I do them with confidence. Knowing I have the support to talk things through and set Pico and me up for long-term success.

Once we completed our private lessons through HalliDog, Pico and I moved into attending group and mini classes. We found something I hadn't realized how badly I needed: community. We met owners and dogs navigating many of the same challenges, and for the first time, I felt understood rather than judged. I wasn't the person with ‘that dog’—I was simply someone doing my best for a dog I loved.

After attending classes, showing up to every training opportunity and seeking out more opportunities to strengthen my bond with Pico, I was invited to spend time with Justine and Amy while they worked with dogs in their programs, shadowing and assisting where possible. This has given me invaluable hands-on experience working with and handling dogs of different sizes, temperaments, personalities, and needs. Learning from them while working with a variety of dogs has continued to build my confidence, knowledge, and appreciation for how truly individual every dog is. During this time, I noticed how fulfilled I felt in my soul and my heart, with encouragement, I started to see a future path open up.

Although I continue to work with HalliDog supporting their owners and dogs with training walks and overnight care, I saw an opportunity to offer other services to people and dogs as well. This is where Spicy Paws Pet Services has come to life. In many ways, caring for animals has always been part of who I am - I’ve always been the person people call when they’re travelling and need someone to care for their pets, or when their dog needs a walk or a quick check-in.

As someone who understands firsthand the emotional roller coaster that can come with loving and advocating for a dog with big feelings, I know how important it is to find someone you can genuinely trust with them. Having a reactive dog also taught me what I wanted from the people I trusted with him: someone who would listen, respect his boundaries, follow his training, advocate for him, and never make me feel embarrassed about the dog I love.

Whether your pet is sweet, spicy, nervous, adventurous, misunderstood, or somewhere in between, my goal is to provide kind, compassionate, and individualized care while meeting them exactly where they are.