10/23/2026
FYI: I also use AI!
Not to create training plans.
Not to work with dogs.
Not to write posts or articles.
Not even to create infographics or posters.
But I use it.
Sometimes it's to help me say what I want to say without rambling or repeating myself.
Sometimes it's to help me condense my (long-winded) notes into a "TL;DR" section for clients.
Sometimes it's to take something I want to say because I'm frustrated and turn it into something kind (usually on Facebook comments and replies 🙈)
Usually, it's to transcribe.
Some of my best thoughts about posts or articles happen when I'm driving, so I open the mic and just blabber on and it types it out for me so that I can remember later what I want to talk about and how I want to say it.
I also often use the transcribe feature when I leave a client:
- this is what we worked on
- these are what we noticed
- these are things we discussed
- this is the homework for you to work on
- these are the resources I'm going to send
Let's be real: AI isn't going anywhere.
It is scary to think of what it's going to do to our planet, our ability to think for ourselves, and our creativity... absolutely!
And I, personally, feel that there are ways to use it responsibly, and I do my best to do so.
Both things can be true at once.
But using it as a *tool* to help us be effective and efficient is not the same as using it to *replace* our knowledge, our experience, our education, and our professional opinions.
AI can't teach timing.
It can't teach kids how to be safe around dogs.
It can't train dogs, or people, to co-exist and live together cohesively, respectfully, and with love.
We trainers do that (and so freaking much more), no matter how much we use AI for the administrative stuff.
The cost of hiring an ethical, knowledgeable, experienced dog trainer is pretty high per hour. And that's because what we do is so much more than the hour that we spend with you. If AI can help us in that middle ground to help keep costs as low as possible for everyone, especially this day and age, I think we can find value in that.
✨ A quick bit of transparency about how I work:
I sometimes use AI as an editing tool when writing client emails and follow-up notes. I use it to help with organization, grammar, spelling, and workflow because between us, I have a learning disability.
The observations, assessment, training recommendations, and professional judgement are mine. I am not handing your dog’s case over to AI and asking it to create a training plan for me. I am using an editing tool to help me communicate my own work more clearly.
I honestly didn’t realize this was something I needed to disclose, but a recent experience made me realize that some people feel strongly about the use of AI in any capacity.
So, in the interest of transparency: if you are uncomfortable with me using AI-assisted editing as an accessibility and workflow tool, I completely respect that, we can find another way to communicate without AI assistance being involved, I will only need more time and patience writing about your case.
I’m also making one small business change moving forward: consultations and sessions will now require payment in advance. I’ve never had to do this before, as I have never been denied payment towards an invoice before. I hope you understand.
I really care so deeply about the quality of the work I provide, but I also have found that I need to use the tools and systems that allow me to do that work sustainably and effectively.
Thanks, as always, for trusting me with your dogs. Next week is a new week full of humans and dogs ready to learn and create positive changes. Onward! 🐾
