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About Us : Gina Micciulla "Tough but tender." "Sweet but strong." "A big heart with a little attitude." “There are many reasons we resist change some of these reasons are: fear of losing something of value, misunderstanding and lack of trust, low personal tolerance for change, and disagreement of the merits of change.” – Chris Bach My name is Gina Micciulla and you’ll find that I and my troop offer something quite different from traditional behavior and training programs as well as the usual dog behavior information. This approach utilizes a dog’s natural problem solving ability to teach them how to live in our foreign world without force, corrections or bribery. This method of dog training is referred to as "THE THIRD WAY," which means that we focus on three things: 1. KNOWING more about dogs and their natural behavior I used to believe I had to dominate my dogs and be the Alpha pack leader. However, I often found myself challenged and frustrated. I needed to change and find a way to achieve a better working relationship with my dogs. I have been training dogs for many years while attaining a career of another nature, but decided to go full time and give up my corporate career with a different attitude and approach. In 2000 via a life and career change, I started creating Unleash Yourself by doing dog outings and then opening a dog daycare facility. Being a CHANGE AGENT and working toward a shift in the paradigm I have continued to evolve my own personal belief system! When I was introduced to THE THIRD WAY it completely changed my belief system and approach to living with dogs and kids. If you too are ready to explore a different belief system about your relationship with your dog, then this is going to be a very satisfying, intensive learning experience. Although we love people, we are first and foremost advocates for dogs. Our mission at Unleash Yourself is to not only show you proven methods for improving communication with your dog, but also to help you recognize, some of your own behaviors that may be confusing your dog. One of my students recently said to a friend…”I happen to know a great place where there is a very intense but passionate instructor who can teach you how to relate to your dog”. Another client shared with me that when she told her friend she was meeting with me to help with behavior issues with her dog, her friend said “Oh, you are not going to like Gina, she is way too Intense, she kicked my dog out of her daycare”. So you can see this approach and my personal teaching style will not appeal to everyone, it seems to appeal to those who have already tried many other techniques and realize they too may not be comfortable with what they have been taught or the way they may currently feel about the relationship with their dogs. Although my belief system has progressed, from the old school thought of force to the positive movement, going from beating our dogs into submission to bribing and loving them too much, my unique method offers an attitude and approach that results in the BALANCE that is greatly needed to prevent the continued widespread mislabeling of aggressive and dominant dogs. I believe we are all doing the best we can with the information we have. Presently there is too much information “out there” about dogs and kids that must be re-considered, for the greater good of our human/animal/child relationships. (Remember, we used to smoke on airplanes) Although proven magical, THE THIRD WAY theory and techniques will challenge the ideas held true by the mainstream especially that of the wolf pack model. So, be prepared for an eye-opening experience. There is no pecking order or alpha dog here... only creating harmonious relationships between humans and dogs. Resulting in RELIEF! I believe in cooperation not competition. There is plenty for all of us, if you believe it. My Initial behavior consultations with new students begin with a pre-scheduled visit to the dogs home environment, after reviewing a history questionnaire about the dog and the families past behavior. When some one initially contacts me for help with their dog, I let them know up front that I will be giving them different information about dogs. I do not advertise my business and the majority of my business is referral or on line search. I am asking people to look at things from the dogs point of view, which requires being open to a different belief system. I have no desire to convince or argue people of my way of thinking; the students who find me are ready for something different or are ready to learn for the first time about natural dog behavior. It is amazing how my relationship with my own dog has evolved and changed as I changed my expectations. Balance, Freedom, Peace! Gina Micciulla
Click here if you want more info about Gina…. I work closely with veterinarians to insure that behavioral problems are not due to underlying medical problems. I sold my dog daycare in 2005, to my intern, Cinzia Romoli and I still use the facility today to teach and hold workshops. I taught classes out of my garage before opening the daycare and training facility in 2000. Having the dog daycare, I was able to work with many, many different types of dogs and their humans. I have an undying inner passion that seems to push me... even though I originally struggled doing things “out of the box” with my unique teaching style and methods instead of what mainstream considered “the right way” to do it all! I have and continue to invest much time, energy and money in my education to continuing my evolvement as the effective, intense, passionate, behavior educator and trainer that I am today. I did not originally find myself in the business of dogs. Instead, I spent 17 years in the radio biz, moving from city to city for different gigs. That career path took me from Phoenix to Chicago to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. After many years of constant moving, quality of life became more important and that same career brought me to Portland where I worked nights with the #1 radio show on KUPL and mornings on KBBT until 2000. It wasn't uncommon for me to be scolded for talking too much about dogs on my radio shows... therefore; it was only natural that I would end up in the career that I have created for myself today. During my 17 year radio career I spent much time educating myself practicing and experimenting with many different methods. I also volunteered at no kill shelters, guide dogs for the blind, attending many seminars and learning from different trainers and behaviorists all over the world. I also shined shoes, waited tables, performed in theatre, installed cable TV, landscaping, pet sitting, dog poop pick up, cleaned kennels, construction, video/sound editing, advertizing, sales, housekeeping and the list goes on… There is also a similar local historical story that took place in the early 80’s, that of a vet in Eugene who performed the first TPLO surgeries in Oregon. His fellow colleagues thought he was nuts (this was back when a dog tore an ACL they would just cut the leg off). But his clients where open to what he believed to be the solution for a common problem…The consumers where the ones who where open to something different and now many years later TPLO surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed today on dogs by many of the same colleagues who doubted his different approach originally! "Risk is the price you pay for opportunity" -- Writers from 30 rock. I went through a vigilante phase, where I would see people… what I consider abusing their dogs… after almost being shot and beat up for confronting people. I decided this was not an effective way to help the good of the animal and human relationship. So I got myself “in-check” and decided to be more productive in my cause and left my corporate radio career to change the dog/human relationship, one person at a time. I decided to become an entrepreneur. My investors and first paying clients where actual listeners and advertisers of my radio shows (I am an opportunist). I quickly started studying again with many trainers including my mentor for the last 7 years Chris Bach developer of THE THIRD WAY. Now several years off the air and listeners from my old radio shows still contact me for training or behavior solutions, I believe that is because of the impact that I made “on the air” and continue to do today “off the air”. During my radio years, what set me apart from other “on air” talent was my unique personality and child like honesty. I am not one to stuff my words to make sure people like me or to be politically correct, so my radio program directors where always nervous, until the ratings came in. I learned a very valuable lesson in my radio career “It is easier to get forgiveness than permission”. I live outside the box kind a like the Wright brothers who invented the airplane. "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." |