About
Meet Barbara
My life falls neatly into two chapters: before dogs and with dogs.
The second one is better.
I left a corporate career among suits and meeting rooms behind and stepped fully into the world of dogs, with one clear goal: to understand it deeply enough to move through it with confidence, competence, and respect.
I didn’t become a modern-day Dr. Dolittle. What I did become is someone who understands dogs well enough to translate them. Their behaviour, their needs, their stress, and their silence. For the people who live with them and often wonder what’s really going on.
What fascinated me early on was not just behaviour itself, but the intersection of physical health, emotional state, and learning. That curiosity led me to formal studies in animal behaviour and cognition, alongside hands-on training experience in real-life settings.
Today, I work with dogs and their humans as complete systems. No case is “just” a behaviour problem. Context matters. Environment matters. The nervous system matters. I focus on what drives behaviour, not just what shows up on the surface.
The EngaDog Philosophy
Science Meets Compassion
At EngaDog, lasting behavioural change starts with understanding. Every behaviour is communication, and every behaviour has a reason. Barking or pulling are signals, not flaws, and uncovering their cause is the first step toward progress. Training with EngaDog is practical, personalised, and rooted in real life. We work where life actually happens, considering both the dog’s and the human’s mental and physical load. By combining science-backed insights from canine behaviour and learning theory with empathy and respect, I help you see what’s really happening beneath the surface.
Last but not least: Progress happens best as a collaboration. I bring the science, experience, and guidance, and you bring your curiosity, attention, and willingness to practise in everyday life. Together, we make lasting progress, one small step at a time.
