Mastering the art of interspecies communication and social learning is crucial.
It’s been the core way we connect, understand and influence our dogs for more than ten thousand years.
Our modern world puts a lot of pressure on dogs to comply with a rigid set of expectations, and a lot of pressure on us dog moms to make sure our dogs are obedient to a one-size-fits-all standard that so commonly results in failed families or crushed dreams. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can enjoy a great life with our dogs without relying on obedience, behavior training, rewarding compliance, or on corrections for disobedience.
Our dogs need to feel connected, secure and trusting, and we share these same needs. As social mammals, both humans and dogs naturally thrive on cooperation, which respects our individual needs, preferences, personalities, and past experiences.
You’ve always wanted a deep, trusting relationship with your dog. When you brought your new dog home, you thought that you’d communicate easily, and develop a trusting bond that would help you resolve any behavior struggles that cropped up, and have success in everything you do together: work, play, life, sports.
Then, Real Life Happened.
You got frustrated or stressed about your dog’s anxious, reactive, over-aroused, or obsessive behavior. Even though you’ve tried so hard, you haven’t found the advice or guidance that works or sticks, and feel like you have failed your dog. Sometimes you’re embarrassed and imagine people see you as incompetent when your dog is acting out. Ugh. Now, you’re feeling stuck and overwhelmed.
You feel like there’s something missing in your relationship with your dog. It’s a piece that seems important, but you can’t put your finger on it, because you’re doing ‘all the things’ you’re supposed to do to train your dog correctly. You know that without that ‘something’ you can’t have the life you and your dog deserve.
Perhaps your puppy seems to be a biting, chewing, attention-demanding, never- settling whirlwind that has you living on the edge of exhaustion, wondering when it will ever get better. Now, your pup is worried about new things, new people, and you worry about making mistakes that will lead to a life of struggle. But all you’re getting is more advice to train more, socialize more, engage more. Is this really what life is supposed to be? You feel helpless as your pup feels more overwhelmed.
Maybe you’re training in your favorite dog sport … but it’s not going well. You’ve worked hard, trained hard, and yet, you just can’t seem to have the success you dreamt of with this dog. You thought you had a great relationship for success, but you’re heartbroken, and it’s hard to hold back the tears and hide your disappointment from your dog.
The Struggle Is Real …
For many dog moms, stress, worry, frustration, and overwhelming challenges can begin to dominate our life. Whether for help with a behavior struggle, or for help with how to train a new dog to behave … trying multiple trainers and methods only creates more confusion, worry, or frustration than before.
The solutions don’t seem to last, feel right, or work effectively for you and your dog.
We so often end up in a cycle of confusion and stress, dealing with a dog that pulls, lunges, barks excessively; chases impulsively, refuses to listen, melts down, shuts down, or simply freaks out.
Amid constant anxiety and doubt, you worry if you’re making the right choices or if you’re inadvertently harming your pup’s future. It’s confusing and disheartening.
The Truth is …
Dogs pulling on the leash, barking at every distraction, obsessively chasing, displaying nervousness about ordinary things, or underperforming in dog sports …
…are not training issues.
They are symptoms of deeper miscommunications, misunderstandings, unmet needs, unrealistic expectations … and amplification of significant gaps in our relationships with our dogs.
I also know that’s not your fault. You HAVE put in the time and effort to get a great relationship with your dog …
It’s not you, it’s the inherent limitation of any dog training method.
What I’ve discovered is that there are communication and connection skills that make all the difference between a rocky, failed relationship and a brilliant partnership with dogs.
I’ve taught thousands of dog moms simple and practical partnership lifestyle skills…so they can feel confident and have the freedom to do all they love, together with their dogs.
I can teach you too.
That’s when the magic happens:
📷 The photos you see on this page are snapshots of a life of brilliant partnership. Just looking at them makes my heart dance, no matter how many times I’ve seen dog moms get off the behavior training struggle bus and enjoy the sweet ride of partnership! 💖☯️
With over 35 years of experience, I’ve helped thousands of dog moms with simple partnership lifestyle secrets that transform the way they connect and communicate with their dogs, including dogs that are sensitive, anxious, hyper, or reactive.
When I first said yes to my dog friends that asked me for lessons after seeing my success and the partnerships I had with my dogs on and off the herding field, I had no idea how hard it was going to become.
Many students struggled because their dogs, even though well trained in obedience, couldn’t handle the distracting environment of my farm. The dogs had no self-regulation, and the dog moms had no connection with their dogs in the ‘distracting’ environment of my farm. (or any similarly distracting environment, such as ordinary, real life)
My struggle to better help these devoted dog moms and their dogs quickly steered me down a new path of discovery. I questioned why my relationships with my own dogs were so different.
… in everyday life, off-lead adventures, in dog sports like agility and herding – without concern about ‘distractions’? And without focusing on training obedience and micromanaging my dogs?
My dogs CHOSE to be attentive to me without prompting, they loved when I called them, they enjoyed walking with me, they didn’t get over-aroused and unruly around things that triggered most other dogs.
This was not a smooth and easy path, however. In order to better understand my students’ struggle with their well-trained but reactive and easily aroused dogs, I experimented with raising my border collie puppy with lots more training than was normal for me. That was a real eye-opener! Phoenix was my greatest teacher and the inspiration to develop my partnership lifestyle method – through blood, sweat and tears, as the saying goes.
My small farm in northern Illinois became a busy beacon for those who had exhausted all other training avenues, needing to start over with their dogs, and for those that wanted to get started right. 🐾💕
I had a proven system that worked consistently well for my students and clients, earning referrals from veterinarians, dog trainers, behaviorists, and from happy clients inspiring their dog friends to want THAT relationship with their own dogs!
Now, I was ready for the next phase of my work: to share the power of partnership with dog moms around the world.
🐾 What if we nurtured your dog’s natural desire to partner with you?
🐾 What if your dogs could learn to behave without being trained to be obedient?
🐾 What if your dog wanted to behave, and would … if you built a lifestyle based on trust and dialog?
💚 That’s exactly what is possible for you and your dog!
Learn our partnership skills for communication, connection and dialog so that you become a love magnet your dog can’t resist responding to! Build trust and confidence with baby steps toward partnership every day.
Develop Your Dance as Connected Partners: Your dog loves to run to you when you ask, holds at doors and gates, responds to personal space requests, and learns to walk WITH you – all without obedience training commands.
Use simple holistic tools to rebalance and heal; become a kind loving leader; and learn to walk in partnership with your dog for a life of freedom enjoying activities that you both love.
This is NOT your ordinary online training class … It’s a Real Coaching Program!
This community is one of the best parts of this program, and feels like a sisterhood.
Connect, share and engage with your sister dog moms as much as you like inside our private Facebook group. This is a fully supportive group that offers only love and empathy.
So much support, sharing, celebrating…real friends are made and genuine, heartfelt support is freely offered. 24/7 – you are never alone with our international group.
This is really special! You have full access to our best masterclass workshops that will guide you deeper into our partnership principles and skills and problem solving strategies! There are over 45 Masterclasses in the BPA library for you to check out as you need.
These lessons and discussions go deep … and pull in not only my own 35 years of experience, but tap into our coaches and members experiences and transformations. Very powerful stuff!
Every quarter, we’ll gather for a LIVE Online virtual training clinic. You won’t believe the results you will achieve from this level of coaching, planning, staying on track toward your dreams!
Partnership skills, mindset and confidence expansion … planning for success, coaching, and review of your submitted videos will ensure that you and your dog are on the fast track to success.
Easily listen to replays of coaching call and masterclass replays in your favorite podcast app on your phone. Listen on-the-go when it’s convenient for you!!
The full vault of coaching replays are all easily searchable by keyword so that you can find the precise topic that you need help with, any time you want, no waiting!
Empowering you with everything you need to master practical partnership skills that replace the need for behavior training, obedience commands, and micromanaging — while preventing (or resolving) reactivity and anxiety … renewing your dreams for a life of fun and freedom with your dogs!
When you create a trusting, cooperative partnership … a whole world of possibilities opens up for you and your dog!
The system you’ll discover in the Brilliant Partners Academy program is exactly what I’ve used to nurture brilliant partnerships with my own dogs … pups I’ve raised, and difficult dogs that I’ve rescued – to be wonderful companions and world-class sheep herding competitors.
And it’s the same exact system thousands of students and clients have learned, and I want to help you experience results like these for yourself!
As enthusiastic and confident about how this program can transform your relationship with your dog, I also want to be clear about what BPA is not … so you know exactly what you’re about to experience:
√ This is NOT one of those programs that promises a ‘10 minutes a day training cure’. The truth is that just like any fulfilling, long lasting relationship – trusting cooperation with your dog is a commitment to a lifestyle – not a setup training technique. Our simple and practical partnership principles will yield quick wins and lifelong results, but you do need to commit to working through the hard stuff, like unraveling old habits and old thinking.
√ It’s NOT a system that dismisses how smart and sentient your dog is … nor does it rely on behavior training or obedience to trained commands in place of a trusting, cooperative and mutually respectful relationship … because even positively rewarded obedience is still enforcing obedience and expecting compliance. That’s a primary reason that dogs become reactive and anxious.
√ And, it’s NOT for someone who is not passionate about being the BEST they can be for and with their dogs … [and making the world a better place for all of us in the process].
The Brilliant Partners Academy coaching membership is the direct result of over 25 years of study, and of working with and analyzing experts in connected fields of study. PLUS years of real-world case studies and success stories with students and clients to develop a holistic, socially intelligent system of interspecies communication and cooperation that is proven in real life. Like any science, it’s an evolving and never ending process of discovery and leading-edge breakthroughs that I eagerly share, first with my BPA members!
There is nothing I’m more passionate about than helping dog moms transform their lives with the power of partnership!
You and your dog are together for a reason … and I believe it’s to help each other be the best you both can be!
I am so eager to guide and connect with you in BPA…hope to see you on the inside!
Many blessings,
Kathy xo
Stella talks about her reactive poodle...
“Bela was not enjoying her walks and neither were we…I was so frustrated and sad. This partnership lifestyle is so much easier! It is the best decision I have made in years.”
~Ulla K and Bela
Lisbon, Portugal
“My rescue dog Charlie was totally overwhelmed at everything in his new environment. I was exhausted, humiliated and frustrated. After BPA, I’m so happy and amazed at how wonderful life is with my dogs!”
~Sue Mimm, with Charlie and Leila
Tyrol, Austria
“There was a time when walks were difficult, unhappy and uncomfortable … but today, our walk was perfect.
I am here, standing on the building blocks of the Brilliant Partners Academy …
… all the insights and wisdom of classes, live coaching, sharing with and learning from fellow BeePees.”
~Marianne with Clover and Bowie
Huntington, NY
“My dream dog had become a nightmare, my life was in turmoil and my family was miserable. With our partnership foundation, life is liberating, joyful and totally works! Who knew?”
~Dee and Phalen
“I thought: I’ve tried everything, training classes, behavior sessions, reactive dog classes, I have nothing to lose. 10 months later, we all enjoying our Brilliant Partners lifestyle and I’m so proud of my 3 fur kids!”
~Bettina, with Murphy, Mary and Bear
"After being kicked out of obedience class, I found Kathy Kawalec. Instead of focusing on obedience and training, we breathed a sigh of relief and began focusing on appreciating each other and observing and listening to each other. Life since is a daily delight with my girl!”
~Jane and Skye
"After adopting Bella who was reactive to EVERYTHING, I never dreamed I would be hiking with BOTH of my dogs, enjoying nature without constantly scanning, and I love having the tools I learned in BPA to keep my little pack safe, calm and happy!"
~Terri and Bella
“My dream agility puppy was OCD, over-aroused and uncontrollable on walks and in the agility building. Now, we live in partnership because who I am for my dogs comes from my desire to live with my dogs in a way that feeds our souls - not my ego."
~Kim with Summit
"We enjoy our walks and adventures and cuddles. I trust her so she is off lead and exploring so much more which she loves. My relationship with Jess is 90% joyful, loving and fun, rather than 90% worried, stressed, upset and frustrated like before."
~Erin with Jess
"We had a rocky start and when nothing was working, I regretted getting him. Finally, through Kathy's program, I had a mindset breakthrough that changed everything with my dog.
I don't cry with frustration anymore. I love my boy with all my heart and he now comes running to me with a smile that is something I cherish and makes me cry with joy. "
~Lori with Cabo
"Is this the same dog that threw herself at the patio door with manic barking that drove me to exhaustion? What I love about my life with Freya now is the feeling of partnership.
I get such a thrill when I go outside to check on her in the garden, and she immediately looks at me, and if I need her to come in, she skips happily along at my side. My heart feels lighter, and I am in awe about how amazing she is."
~Pauline with Freya
"I am no longer an anxious ball of nerves on walks. The progress we have made is beyond anything I had ever imagined possible.
We no longer chase wildlife, joggers or cyclists and we can walk where other dogs are and remain relaxed and connected with each other -- on leash and off!"
~Ros with Phoebe, Myrtle and Ekko
Absolutely! Whether you’re a new dog mom, have years of experience, or are dealing with a puppy, rescue, working dog, or a sport dog, this system is designed for you. My approach is tailored to meet the needs of any dog, including those who are reactive, fearful, or anxious. I personally ensure that the strategies we use are adaptable to your unique situation, helping you grow into a calm, confident dog mom.
You're in the right place. Many dog moms who join our community face similar challenges. My method focuses on building trust and communication that addresses the root causes of anxiety and reactivity. By nurturing a deeper understanding and partnership, you and your dog will start seeing significant improvements.
Brilliant Partners Academy isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about transforming your relationship with your dog. Unlike traditional obedience training, we focus on partnership and communication that align with natural canine behavior. You'll learn to connect with your dog on a deeper level, which is both more effective and fulfilling.
While every dog and situation is different, most members notice positive changes within the first few weeks. As you apply the principles of partnership and communication, you and your dog will begin to understand each other better, leading to quicker and more lasting results.
No worries at all! All sessions are recorded and available for you to watch at your convenience. Plus, you can always submit your questions in advance and I'll address them in the session, so you can catch the replay when it suits you.
I've made everything as straightforward as possible. You can access the academy from any device with internet access, and I’m here to help if you encounter any issues. Plus, our community and support team are just a message away if you need any assistance.
You will receive an email with all of the details within minutes of your purchase, and you can login and get started immediately! Just follow the roadmap and you'll be on your way to a brilliant partnership life with your dog.
Yes, you can cancel your membership at any time. Just let us know 48 hours before your monthly or annual renewal date, and we'll handle it for you. I want you to feel secure in your decision to join us, with the freedom to decide what's best for you and your dog.
Yes, there is a 7-day, 100% money-back guarantee. If you find that the academy isn't the right fit within the first week, I will gladly refund your investment. I'm committed to helping you find the best path to a brilliant partnership with your dog, and if that's not here, I'll honor your decision.
Don’t let another day go by feeling frustrated or disconnected from your dog. Join Brilliant Partners Academy now and start transforming your relationship today. Remember, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll enjoy the peaceful, cooperative, and joyful life you and your dog deserve!
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