"Your Journey to the Ideal Dog Starts Here"
At Pawfect Match Coaching, we are dedicated to guiding pet lovers in making informed, responsible choices to find their perfect furry companions. We believe in fostering lifelong harmonies between pets and their owners by providing expert advice, personalized coaching, and ongoing support.
As a breeder, Darla is passionate about Great Danes, emphasizing health, temperament, and conformation. She proudly breeds, shows, and titles health-tested Great Danes, with many achieving prestigious titles such as Triple Crown Champions, which include trick dog, stunt dog, and canine fitness champions. Her Great Danes have also excelled as professional animal actors and trick dog grand champions.
A passionate educator, Darla uses Puppy Culture protocols to give her litters the best possible start in life. These protocols help puppies become well-adjusted and confident, ready to face the world.
I'm Darla Wotherspoon, a coach who empowers potential dog owners with knowledge about breeds, needs, and lifestyle matches.
Darla Wotherspoon Owner of DOGS- Dogs Only Getaway & School and Aristocrat Great Danes.
Darla has been a dedicated dog enthusiast and professional for over a decade. As the owner of DOGS - Dogs Only Getaway & School and Aristocrat Great Danes. She has specialized in dog boarding, daycare, breeding, and training, particularly focusing on Great Danes.
Darla began her journey with DOGS - Dogs Only Getaway & School 10 years ago, offering premium dog boarding and daycare services. Through her work, she has had the pleasure of caring for and understanding many different breeds, tailoring her care to each dog’s unique needs.
Darla also assists a couple of rescues due to need to help all dogs with specific needs and customized training. They are often the ones that come with the most severe traumas and when you can provide them structure training in combination with the rehabilitation they receive in the shelter ( love , kindness , handling , socialization , cuddles ) , it’s a great recipe for success .
Darla's certifications are a testament to her commitment and expertise in dog training. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (2018), Certified Trick Dog Instructor (2021), Canine Fitness Coach, Stunt Dog Judge, and Animal Actor Evaluator. She has completed numerous other dog training certification courses, including service dog training, and is dedicated to continuous learning.
She also offers private lessons and board & train services to address common behavioral issues like over-excitement, jumping, and leash pulling. Darla loves empowering dog owners with the skills and knowledge they need for effective training, including specialized lessons like crate training.
Darla’s commitment to her canine companions is only equaled by her dedication to their owners, ensuring every dog has the opportunity to lead a happy, healthy, and fulfilled life.
Work With me
How to Narrow Down The Perfect Dog Choices
Firstly find out about some of the most common myths around choosing the right dogs breed. Some may surprise you. Click the photo for the link to the report.
We also have a free resource guide available to download.
We hope you find this resource valuable and eye-opening.
Choosing the right dog is a big decision, and our goal is to help you make the
best choice for your lifestyle and needs.
Let Me Coach You to Become The Best Trainer for Your Dog
"Transform your bond with your dog through personalized, hands-on coaching. Unlike pre-recorded courses, our live group or private coaching sessions offer expert guidance, real-time support, and tailored techniques that enable you to train your dog to be the companion you've always dreamed of."
Check out our free private 30 minute coaching session.
Success Stories
At Alley Katz & Hounds- a volunteer operated non profit shelter- we have rescue pups who come to us from abandonment, neglect and unfortunately abuse in their history. We work with them therapeutically to rehabilitate them but some of our pups sometimes have behavioral needs that need a little extra help. Sometimes they just need a pre adoption training to assist them with transition from life in a pack to life in a family as the only dog, or with only one or two. Darla has been such a gift to our organization. We know who to entrust with our emotionally fragile pups when they need the extra training. From helping an overly excitable duo of pups to learn the basics of being calm, sitting, waiting , and walking in leash, to teaching pups to climb into a car and like in one minute or less, to helping us address a much more serious issue of food aggression in one of the mama dogs. In that particular case Darla made herself available to advise us over WhatsApp during the whelping process when mama dog became aggressive as well as by providing training and guidance and later formal onsite training on helping this mama dog overcome the issue . She did so well in training and follow up here that she can now eat in the same room at the same time as her best dog friend, making her much more adoptable . Even with my lifetime of experience with my own dogs and years as a volunteer rescuer I learn something new and valuable from Darla almost every time I watch her with a dog. We, at Alley Katz & Hounds affectionately call her our very own dog whisperer .
Ally Katz & Hounds
I highly recommend Darla as a dog trainer if you’re looking for one.
She possesses extensive knowledge of dog behavior; she is also very caring and professional.
She knows what is needed to help dogs and their owners succeed in their relationship.
She uses positive training techniques which is key in helping you grow the relationship between you and your pooch.
I have a one year old Labrador who loves her and loves to go to training.
I cannot express how thankful I am for her patience and dedication.
She is invested in your success which is something you really do not often find in the dog training community.
She knows how to break down training techniques into smaller steps.
She pulls ideas from her vast knowledge of showing her Great Danes
Thank you Darla
Jennifer S.
Darla worked with me to help me raise and train my Service dog Shiloh bred at her facility Aristocrat Great Danes . Not only did she help him to become the best he could be in his role of Service dog but also to become a Grand Champion. During his first two years Shiloh earned the following Accolades : Canine Conditioning Fitness Level 1, Level 2, & Level 3 Trick Dog Novice , Intermediate & Advanced,
Youth Champion Dominican, Champion,, Grand Champion PanAmerican Champion, Campeón Quiqueyano, Caribbean & Central American Champion. This was in addition to supporting all the training necessary for becoming a Support Dog for Disability . I cannot emphasize enough the amount of dedication she devoted to Shiloh. Thanks to Darla, the relationship I developed with Shiloh helped me to regain confidence I thought I had forever lost. That would not have been possible without the bond of mutual love and trust I developed with this beautiful amazing dog, the hours and hours of training we spent together, and most important of all Darla’s empathy, support, and understanding when I struggled. Darla’s love for her dogs, and her regard for their well being and happiness is always first and foremost , and she is such a genuine advocate for families and owners to be able to enjoy their best life together. She is an excellent breeder, trainer, mentor, advocate and teacher. I am forever grateful for her and especially for the joy I have shared with Shiloh.
Francyine D.
FAQS
Time Commitment Required for Training:
The time invested now will save you more time and frustration in the long run by preventing destructive behaviors and misunderstandings.
We offer flexible virtual coaching sessions to fit into your busy lives. Our coaching sessions focus on making noticeable progress quickly, with clear milestones and fast-tracked success.
With my guidance thru coaching you can easily fit in a couple short 5 minute training sessions throughout your day.
Previous Negative Experience with Dog Training:
I too have had some negative experiences with trainers using methods that were undesirable. I can completely reassure you that our approach is different and tailored to both the dog's and their family's needs. Customized Plan:Our customized, holistic approach considers your specific situation, the dog’s temperament, and your goals. We guide you to be your dog's best trainer. This way you are the one with the tools using positive reinforcement techniques that are kinder and more effective than some traditional methods.
Cost of Dog Training Sessions:
A well-trained dog leads to a happier household, reduced stress, and can potentially avoid costly damage or medical bills in the future. We offer one time coaching sessions for a pay as you go, or coaching packages to spread out the cost.By offering virtual private and group coaching we can save you not only the money of traveling back and forth to scheduled classes but also that time involved in the travel.
