About Margarat Nee

Holistic Health

I was certified in Small Animal Acupressure in 2007 by Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute with instructors Amy Snow, Nancy Zidonis, and Kim Bauer. I also attended an additional course at Tallgrass on Tui Na by veterinarian Shauna Cantwell (on faculty at The Chi Institute). I have completed a total of 300 hours of training through the Tallgrass program. I am also a member of the International Association of Animal Massage & Bodywork.

In 2010 I recieved a Certificate in Herbalism from Rosemary Gladstar by completing her Science & Art of Herbalism course. I continue my herbalism studies through conferences, online classes, meetings, my personal case studies and reading, and through my membership in the American Herbalists Guild.

I completed Reiki level two with the Mountain and Mist Reiki Center in San Diego, and strive to adhere to the Animal Reiki Source's Practitioner's Code of Ethics (PDF file link).

In 2008 I attended a "Spirits In Transition" seminar on animal hospice care by holistic veterinarian Ella Bittel.

I have attended classes on homeopathy, teleclasses & seminars on natural nutrition for animals, and continually seek out education on other healing modalities, foods, and supplements.

I am a member of the Flower Essence Society, a well respected organization that is at the leading edge of research in the use of flower essence therapy. 

I am currently Lead Educator for Dexter's Deli, a health food store for pets in North San Diego County.

Behavior

Though my business started out emphasizing training, I decided in 2011 to move away from basic training services to focus on helping people understand natural dog behavior and to help dogs have healthier social lives.

I've been a dog enthusiast for most of my life. I started going to dog shows at the age of eight, and attended my first obedience training class at the age of ten with my Border Collie, Jack.

I learned a lot about dogs while working in show and boarding kennels starting at age thirteen. My real education came when I worked for Encinitas trainer Lu Meyer for over eight years. I learned various training techniques, and had the opportunity to observe the social behavior of dogs.

I left the dog business for a few years to finish my Master of Fine Arts Degree at the University of California, San Diego, but dogs remained an integral part of my life. I continued learning new training techniques, especially clicker training, which Lu had introduced me to. I decided to focus on using these new techniques that emphasize positive reinforcement rather than punishment and aversives. This became the heart of my ideas on training dogs, that the relationship between dog and owner should not be adversarial.

I continue to educate myself about dog training and behavior. As a former member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers I uphold their Ethics Statement, and continue to educate myself about "dog friendly" training methods. Recent books on training and behavior by respected trainers such as Suzanne Clothier, Patricia McConnell, Jean Donaldson, Turid Rugaas, and Pat Miller help me refine my methods. I've attended seminars by Donna Duford, Sue Ailsby, as well as the 2005 ClickerExpo, and keep up with the latest online trainer discussions

My dog, Vida, whom I found at the San Diego Department of Animal Services' Central Shelter when she was eight months old, has been trained with this new attitude. I couldn't be more delighted with the results, and with the trusting and companionable relationship that has developed. My relationship with Vida inspired me to venture out on my own as a trainer and as a wellness educator, in order to help others attain the same joy in having a companion dog in their life.

You can read about her on my blog - La Vida Fresca