Hooves & Paws

Animals and Allreds

Before bobsledding, football, writing and journaling, Alexandra worked as a dog trainer outside Washington D.C.  She worked with people and their pooches to create happy, respectful relationships.  As is most often the case, the people need far more work than the pups. Thus, her first dog title: Teaching Basic Obedience: Train the Owner, Train the Dog (TFH Publications)

Allred left the world of training for more than a decade before returning to help her canine friends when she discovered the new trend of shock collar training. While trainers can “guarantee” immediate success, Allred says, “I can also guarantee many unstable and uncertain dogs who never fully bonded with their owners.  Let me offer up this scenario … two dogs are outside.  One was trained through positive reinforcement and many hours of old fashioned training while the other was trained in two weeks on a shock collar.  But one day, neither is wearing a collar, both are outside and both see a squirrel across the street.  Which one is going to respond to a verbal command? “

Allred wrote freelance for Canine Press, Dog Fancy and has blogged for a number of parenting sites regarding dogs and children. She wrote a fun-fact book on both dogs and cats and adopted more animals but was in for a pleasant surprise when a goat came with her horse, Star.

Star, the inspirational equine character in She Cries, made the pages of National Geographic for Kids when he was photographed with his best buddy, Cookiedough.

As a dog trainer, Allred has appeared in Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Dog Fancy, Columbus Dispatch, Dallas Morning News, Washington Post, and New York Times.

Today, the Allred family has owned many goats, guinea pigs, dogs, cats and horses.

In 2011, Allred published the book, Allie Goes to School, in tribute to her friend and fellow dog trainer, Robin Vitullo.  Robin’s dog, Allie, had worked as a therapy dog in an elementary school until a parent complained about dog hair and Allie was removed.  But under Allie’s watch, grade scores and classroom moral had risen as Allie helped children with test anxiety, speech impediments, autism, abuse and other fears.

Together, Robin and Alexandra created the training club, Midlothian Puppy Club, to help distressed owners and abandoned dogs in need of a new home.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midlothian-Puppy-Club/115572938490546

Most exciting is a new friendship with the non-profit organization, PATRIOT PAWS.  When co-author and friend, Capt. Marshall Allen, lost his beloved Rottweiler of 11 years, Allred set out to find Marshall a new companion.   She was very fortunate to meet Patriot Paws owner/director Lori Stevens, who met with Capt. Allen and found him the perfect match ….

For more information about Patriot Paws, its amazing history and staff and how they literally change lives … please log on to www.patriotpaws.org and GIVE to this amazing organization!!

HINT!  Alexandra Allred hopes to pen another children’s book about Patriot Paws and Capt. Marshall Allen.  Be on the lookout!

For more of Alexandra’s writing on dogs & strollers, dogs & children and general basic obedience tips, check out these links:

http://www.pregnancy.org/article/jogging-dogs-and-baby-strollers

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=27860606

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43902-2004May20.html

http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/training/dogs/dogandbaby.asp

http://www.babyzone.com/mom_dad/home_food/family_pet/article/choosing-dog-breed

http://www.gooddogz.org/index.php/content/view/102/138/

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_JogDog.php

http://www.gooddogz.org/index.php/content/view/64/99/

http://www.iheartpaws.com/articles/189/1/Jogging-and-Other-Aerobic-Exercising-with-Dogs/Page1.html

http://blogs.dogtime.com/dogasaur/2010/01/a-best-friend-yes-best-runner-maybe-not

http://www.babyzone.com/mom_dad/home_food/family_pet/photos_questions-before-family-dog/6

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1638937

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35604-2004Dec29.html

http://www.talkinganimals.net/archives_synopses_05a.html

http://www.iparenting.com/mom/0301.htm

http://thebark.com/content/%e2%80%9creading%e2%80%9d-dogs-help-children-learn