A pawsitive performance
How Megan Brooking created a rewarding career by tapping into her passions
Megan Brooking has always loved animals, especially dogs. When she was young, she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Yet, as she began her postsecondary studies, she soon realized studying science was not for her.
So, she opted to study theatre and teaching, earning a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Theatre (BA ’08). She tried breaking into the film acting, but she found film an entirely different style of acting from the stage, one that she did not enjoy.
And that brought her back to her first love: dogs, and she struggled to find a path that would allow her to be involved with canines. “I didn’t even consider that there was any way to work with animals as a career that wasn’t as a veterinarian or being in the veterinary industry,” says Megan.
And that’s where she found her niche.
While using specialized techniques to address her own puppy’s reactivity as he matured, dog training emerged as a clear career option. As she saw the transformation in her own pup through the use of humane training methods, she began to realize she had the skill to develop these techniques into a new career path.
A new way to think about dog training
Over the years, dog training has undergone a renaissance, with wellness principles now shaping how animals are both cared for and trained. And Megan has embraced these new concepts in training, discovering a natural talent for the work.
Since 2018, she has owned and operated Extraordinary Canines, a Langley-based dog training facility that specializes in foundations training, nosework (an activity that has dogs searching for a variety of scents in different environments), and trick training. To expand her business, Megan draws on her theatre studies and now creates webinars, leveraging her comfort and experience performing in front of a camera.
“I’m used to being in front of a camera and a lot more relaxed if I’m recording online content or anything like that,” she says.
Megan has always had a penchant for managing diverse situations and enjoys a challenge.
“Even when you’re teaching the same curriculum, every dog is a little bit different,” she says. “And every person’s a little bit different. So, because of that living aspect of it, it’s always a little bit different.”
Megan’s training approach is rooted in problem-solving and focuses on humane, rewards-based methods. And now she focuses her work on proactive training, ensuring that puppies and new owners have all the tools they need to be successful.
“I got into the industry working with a lot of dogs with behaviour problems and now I’ve shifted towards specializing more with proactive and preventative training with puppy classes and beginner foundations training as well as enrichment activities.”
But loving dog training and running a business can sometimes be at odds. When balancing training dogs and managing her business, Megan refers back to her Theatre studies at UFV.
“Running a business is like directing a show,” says Megan. “Back in the day, we had the Directors Festival. You would direct your show, and you would promote your show. And so, you’re managing people, you’re managing schedules, you’re designing your scheduling, and then you’re putting it all together and presenting this thing.”
To learn more about Extraordinary Canines, you can visit their website: extraordinarycanines.com