Katie Flynn Worcester’s Very Own Dog Whisperer

By Christine R. Walsh

Katie and her dog Piper

Begging and scrounging for food he’s not meant to eat. Jumping all over the pricey loveseat and dirtying the pillows. Tossing angry yelps at passersby on the street. No, this is not a rundown of an horrendous blind date, but it could be a description of your own furry little friend, Rover.

But don’t give up on man’s best friend, despite his unruly behavior and tendency to pee on all things you consider sacred. Call Worcester’s very own “Dog Whisperer,” 26-year old Katie Flynn.

Flynn owns Door to Door Doggy Corps, a business that helps dogs and dog owners develop more effective relationships through one-on-one training sessions. But as Flynn was quick to point out in a recent interview, sometimes the owners need more training than their precious pups.

“I tell every client the same thing,” Flynn said. “Dogs don’t follow the frantic leader. They follow the calm leader. [Owners] need to take a leadership role and go forward calmly. If you have a fear of a dog jumping up, they are going to do it because the dogs feel your emotions. I encourage clients to be stable pack leaders.”

According to Flynn, only the strong and serine will effectively train a dog and allow him/her to feel safe. Setting firm and well-defined boundaries for a pet allows him/her to feel secure and act in a predictable and appropriate manner.

Flynn is a trusted and knowledgeable dog trainer because she’s been around the kennel block a few times. Her love of dogs started at a very early age.

“I’ve always had an innate connection with dogs,” Flynn said. “My first word was ‘dog.’”

Flynn began working in a kennel at 16. She watched as more experienced co-workers gave group training lessons to dogs and, when Flynn turned 18, she too began conducting training sessions. But she soon realized that she could strike out on her own and create a business.

She attended Becker College, where she received an Associate’s Degree in Animal Science and then went on to attend Worcester State College to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Finally, with the support and encouragement of both her mother and father, she went into business for herself.

Today, Door to Door Doggy Corps provides excellent training experiences for all of Flynn’s clients. By training the dog in its home environment, according to Flynn, the pet is less likely to be distracted by unfamiliar stimuli that he might come across during a group training session at a kennel. Dogs are also likely to exhibit certain undesirable behaviors in their home environments. Flynn can get a feel for what the dog is like at home and then solve specific behavior problems.

As talented and as hard working as Flynn is, even she has come across at least one wily pet who deserved to stay after the training for a little doggy detention hall.

“A dog, 5-years old, lunged towards me twice,” recounted Flynn. “He was very aggressive. This dog was furious. Before I came into his home, he was running the show.”

Flynn knew her own boundaries and her exemplary business ethics came into play. Instead of charging the client for her time with the pugnacious pooch, Flynn opted to give the client the session for free and recommended that the dog be taken to a behavior specialist.

Each day, Flynn goes from home to home and helps owners with persnickety pugs who sneak treats, bearded collies who bark too often and spastic spaniels who jump up on the neighborhood kids. She connects with each of her clients as well as she connects with their beloved dogs and hopes to one day acquire her own kennel where she can train a greater number of furry friends.

Now if Flynn could only train those unruly boyfriends…

For more information, go to www.doggycorps.com