Hi, I’m Ferdous.
pronounciation: fair-dos
they/them & she/hers
My Background
You know how a lot of dog trainer bios start with “I’ve had dogs my whole life”? Well, my path wasn’t quite so obvious.
When our family cat was rehomed due to my mom’s allergies, I was so sad! Cat Fancy magazines from the library were my only connection to animals for years. My first real experience with animals began when I was a teen, doing barn work in exchange for riding lessons. One of my most peaceful memories is a cold winter day in the barn; sun barely risen, breath rising in clouds from the whickering horses. I wanted to stay forever.
Years later, I entered the animal world formally when I became a surgical assistant at a high-volume nonprofit veterinary hospital, then at a private practice. I gained seven years of experience in handling and treating cats and dogs—along with the occasional pig, goat, and sheep—as patients, and much of my current knowledge of physiology, pathology, and behavior is informed by my years of being arm-deep in dogs (literally).
I got my first dog, Dosha, when I was 24, and boy was his puppyhood a wild ride! My second dog, Muma, came about a year later. It turned out that Muma had a lot of behavioral challenges. Learning about her is what led me to the amazing world of ethology (animal behavior). I began work at a local dog care company as a training apprentice, eager to know as much as I could.
With the help of a wonderful mentor and team at the company I worked for, I completed an apprenticeship, studied for and passed my CPDT-KA certification test, and began training on my own. Because of their guidance and support, I was able to start my own dog training business.
So no, I didn’t grow up with dogs…I found them. Or maybe they found me. Either way, I feel lucky every day that my job is to help humans and dogs live in harmony. Welcome to Deep Breath Canine Behavior Support!
My Methods
When your dog shows undesirable behavior, I believe in investigating their health, breed, environment, and many other factors before even beginning training. If your dog is experiencing hip pain, then the first step to addressing his reactivity will not be to teach him obedience. Instead, we’ll start with alleviating his discomfort, which then makes the space in his brain he needs to learn new skills. If your dog is a working breed who’s tearing up your house, then it’s important that we create healthy outlets for her innate, breed-specific behaviors. If your dog was bounced around from home to home, or spent time in a shelter or rescue, then we start with offering stability and decompression, not heeling or recall.
Dogs have rich emotional lives. To work with them ethically, I eschew the use of force in every way possible. My process hinges on providing for both the dog and the human needs, pinpointing the root of an issue, and treating that—not on changing a behavior with no regard for why it’s happening. For example, if your dog is barking at every passing person, I won’t focus on the barking. Instead, I’ll ask why she’s barking. Once we’ve answered that question, we can change the behavior in a way that considers what need she is trying to meet.
My training is about teamwork. You, dear guardian, are an essential part of the process, and your involvement is necessary to create sustainable change. Your safety, emotional well-being, opinions, and abilities are of paramount importance, and I will work to support you in every way I can. You deserve it just as much as your dog does.
In keeping with every reputable animal behavior organization in the world, I do not rely on punishment to change behavior. If you’re currently using equipment designed to cause fear, pain, or discomfort (such as electric collars, prong collars, or choke chains, among other things), I will help you transition to equipment that is safer for both you and your dog. Without judgement or shaming.
Love and curiosity are incredible motivators for change. Let’s start there, together.
My Philosophy
I believe all living creatures deserve care, respect, and understanding. Humans and dogs have an incredible bond that goes back tens of thousands of years. I strive to honor that bond by focusing on what dog-human families need to thrive. For me, that means making space for agency, getting curious about the function of behaviors, and seeking to understand animals—human and dog—as whole creatures shaped by genetics, health, the environment, past experiences, unique personalities, and more. To do this responsibly, I’m always learning (from books, courses, fellow animal professionals, and more), and I pull from evidence-based, scientifically sound methods.
I chose the name Deep Breath because it embodies the relationship I want to foster with animals. When I breathe deeply, I start to feel calmer and more connected to the world around me. I want teaching and learning with animals and their humans to feel like that. I want us to be kind to ourselves, take the time needed to make thoughtful decisions, and make not control, domination, or perfection the goals, but rather compassion, acceptance, and peace.