About

WagTails

Who is this person?

Certified Canine Fitness Trainer

Wizard of Paws

Extensive knowledge in building a tailored fitness plan for your dog and your goals.

Professional Canine Trainer - Accredited

Pet Professional Guild

Knowledge of canine communication, learning theory and positive reinforcement strategies.

Founder & Captain

Victoria Disc Dog Club

Supporting the growth of Disc in the Victoria area!

Who Am I?

My name is Erin Lucier and I reside in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia with my two wonderful dogs.

My true passion is disc and there is nothing I enjoy more than partying on the field with my dogs.  Disc offers joy, creativity and connection that is hard to define.  Sharing this passion with others is a true delight.

I have a keen interest in canine structure and how it relates to movement and performance.   In addition I am passionate about canine fitness and injury prevention.

I actively compete with my dogs in Disc and Rally Obedience and have started to train in Agility and tracking as well.

When not training, you will find me in the forest with my dogs.  Walking amongst the trees, watching them run, sniff and just be dogs in nature brings me great happiness.

 Education/Credentials

Continued education is a constant in my life.  I enroll in courses offered by top positive reinforcement professionals to bring current, science based training to you and your dog.

• Pet Professional Guild – Professional Canine Trainer – Accredited (PCT-A)

• Wizard of Paws – Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT)

• Karen Pryor Academy – Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP)

• Canine Coaching Diploma – Canine Principles

• Victoria Disc Dog Club – Founder and Captain

• Something to Wag About – Podcast Co-Host

• Bachelor of Science – Zoology

• Certified Trick Dog Instructor – DMWYD

 

Experience

My passion for dogs first started in high school when I took a job as a Kennel Attendant for a wonderful Vet.  A couple years later I completed a co-op term as a technician assistant at the same vet office.  In 2012 I moved to Victoria and quickly found a job as a nightime care attendant for a dog daycare.  In 2019 I began volunteering with Smart Dog Training.  I quickly became an Apprentice Trainer and after receiving my dog trainer certification, moved into a Lead Instructor position.  Today, I continue to work as a contractor for Smart Dog and enjoy collaborating with other talented reward based professional trainers.

Training Philosophy

Both humans and dogs deserve a safe space to learn and develop their confidence.  I use science based, ethical methods with a focus on positive reinforcement to help you and your dog develop a relationship built on trust and joy.

Teaching Assistants

Thorin – Border Collie x Australian Shepherd

Thorin was born in October 2022 and is a perfect mix of spunkey and sweet.  He has a very solid personality and is one of the smartest boys I have owned! 

He gets along very well in my pack and has wondeful dog communication skills.  He has been a great assitanct so far when it comes to helping other dogs build confidence.

His favourite things are disc (this boy was born to chase plastic), playing with his sister Vilya and licking faces.

Vilya – Border Collie

Vilya was born in May 2019 and has been a wonderful addition to the family!  She is a high drive adrenaline junkie and has taught me so much about life with a reactive dog.  I have enjoyed helping her build confidence in the world so she can continue to enjoy doing the things she loves most (like catching discs!).

She is a force on the disc field and is tied for the 6th highest score in the world for the fun game of Frizgility!  She has also started learning foundations in nosework, tracking and rally obedience.

Pippin – Mini Australian Shepherd

Born in December 2016, I lovingly refer to Pippin as my little hobbit.  He loves people and will greet you with the biggest grin on his face.

Pippin was unfortunatley in a car accident in 2023 that left him paralyzed in the hind end.  He has proven just how much of a resilient guy he is and the zest for life he has.  He runs around in his cart like nothing has changed and still enjoys playing disc, hiking and swimming.

Pippin’s favourite things are licking people and sniffing everything he can get his little nose on.  He is a total lovebug.