1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 In this heartfelt and compelling episode, we meet Zuzia Kubica - Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, founder of CoeurCanin, and passionate advocate for animals who walk the wilder edges of society. From befriending street dogs as a child in communist Poland to developing a thriving behavior consultancy in Quebec, Zuzia’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Zuzia shares how her upbringing among free-roaming animals and a nature-loving family laid the foundation for a life built on curiosity, empathy, and quiet rebellion against coercion. Her first dog, Zorro - a reactive, resilient former shelter dog - became her greatest teacher and helped inspire protocols she still uses today. With stories that span cultures, continents, and communities, Zuzia brings a unique, deeply humane lens to behavior change. In this episode, we explore: ✅ Why Zuzia never had to “crossover” to positive reinforcement ✅ What she learned from working with clients in high-risk or marginalized contexts ✅ How freestyle training became a powerful healing tool for both dogs and humans ✅ Her reflections on burnout, emotional labor, and setting trainers up for long-term success ✅ The vital need for trainer education that includes human-centered skills and support Zuzia’s experiences - ranging from musical canine freestyle to navigating the emotional terrain of helping humans with trauma - highlight the richness and responsibility of being a modern animal trainer. This conversation is a tribute to empathy, perseverance, and the beautiful messiness of human-animal relationships. Links coeurcanin@yahoo.com http://CoeurCanin.com&amp;nbsp; Formation CoeurCanin:&amp;nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/FormationCoeurCanin&amp;nbsp; CoeurCanin group (in French but can be posted in English):&amp;nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/groups/49236022174 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coeurcanin/&amp;nbsp; BlueSky:&amp;nbsp; https://bsky.app/profile/coeurcanin.bsky.social &amp;nbsp; Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples http://ata-ripple-makers.libsyn.com/website <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36932965/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/189431490