INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: Vancouver Dog Trainer: Q&A Dog Training // Masina (She/her) & Q!
Masina & Q are up next on my blog. One of the things I loved about meeting Masina was her calm and cool vibe. I felt such at ease when capturing her and her best boy Q. And I loved how Q looked so content and right at home next to her, glancing at Masina to check in and loving all the cuddles.
What a beautiful duo!
For many years Masina was a professional dog walker. But in 2020, Q&A Dog Training was born! Q&A focuses on positive reinforcement training and also specializes in rescue and reactivity cases. Masina has clients Downtown, East side, & West side Vancouver.
“Masina brings a non-judgmental, fun, and calming energy to her sessions. Her curation of education and on-hands knowledge has proven to be a successful leading trait with humans and dogs.
As a strong, vibrant, and independent trainer for other aspiring BIPOC trainers, Masina is proud to be one of the first Black, Force-Free dog trainers in the lower mainland. ”
What is the most rewarding thing about your business and what you do?
Watching when the training clicks for the dog and then watching the human become excited and more confident in their own training skills.
Have there been challenges? If so, how did you overcome them and what positive things came out of it?
There’s always a lot of challenges when it comes to owning your own business. You are literally doing everything, especially if you are the only one to have your back. I think the most challenging thing on my end would be trying not to get burnt out. Dogs bring on lots of emotions for folks and as a humane dog trainer I have empathy and have to walk people through a lot of emotions with them & their dogs. That can sometimes be heavy but I make sure I follow it up with a lot of self care, nature, Q cuddles and time away from the dog training industry. I love what I do but there definitely needs to be a balance. I haven’t gotten fully burnt out yet and it’s almost been four years running Q&A, so i guess i’m doing something right!
What has been your proudest moment in your business journey so far?
Opening up September 2020 and it’s now 2024!
I’d love to hear about your dog! What is their name, age and type?
Q is my shadow dog, muse and bestie. He’s the Q to my A 🙂Â
He’s 6.5 years and just a ball of energy (he gets that from the black lab side). He can also just snuggle and relax at home like it’s no ones business. He also has his goofy pitbull moments and a big head which I love. He’s my forest running partner and I bring him everywhere if he’s comfortable with it. He’s great with kids, loves to wrestle with other large dogs and if he could live directly in the ocean he would!
What are some things that you love about your dog and why?
I love his big head which I call apple head. And his tail is a weapon!Â
The energy he gives off is soooo strong. He wont bark or whine but you will know he’s staring into the back of your skull and trying to sway you to take him out into nature even if you were just outside. I love his big sighs while we lay in bed like he’s having to get up for work himself.
I love watching him do scent work and hearing his nose turn on brings me so much joy. I love how he falls asleep in the car pretty much the moment he gets in. I love how he always brings me a stuffy when I get home with a wiggly bum. I love how he’s such a chiller and the little life we have grown together since he was 8 weeks old.
Does your dog have any special quirks or personality traits that are unique to them, or just simply make you melt?
Everything he does makes me melt, he’s so cute! Haha. But he loves to rock push. If you saw it, you would understand but he’ll push around rocks with his paws and dig and even push with his nose sometimes. With this comes some very intense vocalizations. He’s so into it but some people come over and watch or think that he might be in trouble!
Dogs can teach us so much about ourselves. What have been some lessons you have learned about yourself?
One of things I have learned is that I can be very patient.
To be in the moment more without my phone!
Not to take life so seriously. Dogs are usually around for 15-18 years if we are lucky and they seem to live every day to the fullest.
What does the perfect day, time spent together with your dog, look like for you both?
Sleep in! Head to the beach and both go swimming or paddle boarding. One more stop to the forest and then home to cozy up, snuggle and eat 🙂
Thank you Masina & Q!
Follow Q&A Dog Training on Instagram here @q.a.dogtraining and for more info on all the wonderful things they offer, check out their website qandadogtraining.com!
HAUS OF RUFUS
“Your pet is your best friend for part of your life,
but you are their best friend for all of theirs.”
Haus of Rufus is a pet friendly, photography studio in Vancouver that was born out of the love for our Goldendoodle, Rufus. We invite you to Haus of Rufus, a space where we help you capture meaningful, authentic and vibrant portraits of you and your loved ones.
And if you are lucky enough to be the guardian of a pet, we’d love to capture your bond, at any stage of their precious and significant life.