85 - Rooted in Joy: Storytelling, Identity, and Creative Community with Stephanie Garza

In this episode of Toni Unleashed, Toni Shelaske chats with Stephanie Garza, founder of Pup Pup and Away, a dog training and enrichment company based in San Antonio, Texas. Stephanie is a certified dog trainer, behaviorist, and nutritionist with over 18 years of experience in the pet care industry. Stephanie specializes in approaching behavior modification from a holistic standpoint combining positive reinforcement training techniques and holistic pet care. But most importantly, Stephanie is the proud dog mom to Sully and Reishi, her two Miniature Schnauzers.  Stephanie shares her path from elementary school teaching to launching her own canine-focused business rooted in positive reinforcement and fear-free methods. They discuss how Stephanie built her team, developed programs like day training and enrichment, and created a space where dogs can thrive without traditional punishment-based techniques. She also talks about the challenges of pet parent education and the importance of clear communication and realistic expectations. Stephanie and Toni dive into misconceptions around behavior training, the nuances of canine body language, and how enrichment activities can help prevent behavioral issues. With a strong focus on compassion—for both pets and people—Stephanie offers a refreshing take on what it means to support dogs holistically. Instagram: @stephtheprodogmom and @puppupandawaysa TikTok: @Stephtheprodogmom and @Puppupandawaysa Facebook: @PupPupAndAwaySA Website: www.PupPupAndAwaySA.com    Pup Pup & Away PAWdcast can be found on Spotify, iHeart Radio and Apple Podcast