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Meet Houston's Dog Whisperer - Jim Burwell

“Obedience training is one of the best things you can do for your dog. Five basic commands can make the difference between an animal that’s out of control and a pet that is a pleasure to live with.” — Jim Burwell

The Story of Houston’s “Dog Whisperer”

The success of your dog’s training and behavior management begins with knowing about the trainer, his history and experience in dog handling and behavior training.

You should be as comfortable with the trainer of your dog as you are with the teacher of your children. Accept no less than the best in training, handling and caring for your dog.

Jim Burwell is one of Houston’s most established and thriving dog trainers. His at home dog training process, The Burwell Method, constitutes the culmination of 20 years of experience teaching canines of virtually all breeds — and educating their owners.

Everything Started with Charlie

Jim never intended to build a career as a dog trainer. He didn’t even intend to buy a dog. But one evening in 1986, Jim found himself in a tuxedo with an 8-week-old golden retriever he’d “won” by successfully bidding in a charity auction. He named his new pal “Charlie.”

Over time, Charlie proved to be headstrong, dominant and tenacious. But Jim was equally determined. And through obedience training, they both learned, and their bond grew. Through Charlie, Jim found new motivation, new inspiration and a new business opportunity. Charlie inspired Jim to change to a dog training career in mid-life, and what a change it was!

Business Changed from Banking to Barking

After two decades working in Houston’s corporate world, Jim began looking for a new and more fulfilling career opportunity. Having spent productive years as a commercial banker and then as the owner of a prominent sign and graphics business, Jim now sought a career opportunity that would enable him to leverage his financial and management skills. Moreover, Jim thought, the new career as a dog trainer would ideally give him greater independence and, just possibly, allow Charlie to go with Jim to work!

A career in dog training offered these benefits and more. As a trainer, Jim would have the ability to experience the satisfaction that comes from seeing well-trained, happy animals bring joy to their owners, and also to help abandoned, lost and rescued dogs find their way into good, permanent Houston homes.

Largely self-taught, Jim started small. He trained the dogs of friends and family. All the while, he diligently studied dog-training books and videos and attended seminars to learn everything possible about dog behavior training and canine-human interactions. He confides now that he was looking for the proprietary “tricks of the trade,” which he assumed were being passed privately from trainer to trainer. In fact, Jim gradually learned that there were no tricks to dog training. Success came instead from months of intensive study, many hundreds of hours of practice, and a thorough understanding of pet dogs and their relationships with owners.

Rise to Regional Prominence

Since 1988, Jim’s grass-roots, in-home dog-training business has grown to become Texas Dog Training, Houston’s most esteemed pet-dog training curriculum. Motivated by his love for dogs an armed with his curriculum, Jim has successfully trained thousands of dogs within the familiar environment of their own homes. In recent years he made his training available through Rover Oaks Pet Resort, which he founded in 2001.

Jim has also become actively involved, and taken on leadership roles, in the dog-training industry. Through seminars, lectures and instructional classes sponsored by the industry’s professional organizations, he stays abreast of current techniques and new information on canine behavior.

Houston’s “Dog Whisperer”

In 2003 the Houston Chronicle’s “Texas Magazine” published a cover story on Jim entitled “Dog Whisperer.” The glowing, five-page article resulted in nearly 2,000 phone calls and approximately 750 emails that included requests for dog training, behavioral counseling and people-training!

Many people wanted to learn the skill set of dog training. They were looking to transition from careers in the corporate world to a better, more enjoyable style of living and working. Some wanted to expand their pet-sitting businesses to include dog training. The overwhelming response generated by the article helped Jim to better understand the far-reaching demand for pet behavioral problem-solving and, consequently, the need for quality trainers.

From Training Dogs to Training Trainers

In response to the need for dog trainers, Jim researched the academic requirements of the nation’s top dog-training schools, and then authored a comprehensive training program that gives people the tools and knowledge to be competent and successful certified Petiquette dog trainers. He then began using the curriculum to successfully prepare private students to work as dog trainers, either independently or through pet-related businesses.

Simultaneously, Jim thoughtfully laid the foundation for an exciting new business opportunity, which he designed to accomplish two goals:  First, the business would allow Jim to continue in home dog training and educating dog owners, so that beloved pets and their masters can enjoy long and fulfilling lives together. In addition, it would ensure that Jim’s training technique, which he dubbed “The Burwell Method,” remains ever constant, effectively incorporating all he has learned over the years and passing that knowledge on to a new generation of pet dog trainers.