Hi, I am Bennie Copeland.
I’m here because I want to create understanding between dogs and owners.
I know what it’s like to have the frustrations of a dog that does not mind me no matter what I do.
I am here as living proof that you CAN have a happy family with a happy, obedient dog. This takes communication.
Through 13 years of training, I have learned how to communicate with dogs very well and I can teach you to do the same. Creating structure and being consistent are the keys to this great communication and a happy family.
Each post here is designed to help you with that communication. If you understand your dog and your dog understands you, then you are on your way to creating a great fusion between you and your dog to have one happy unit.
If you’d like to know why I started this, read below.
My story
When my daughter was 9 years old, she began seriously asking us to get her a dog. Putting her off, we told her that when we got the back yard fenced in, we would do it.
So for Christmas the next year, she asked for a fence! We had never intended on fencing in the yard and never imagined our daughter would outsmart us either.
We did get our daughter a dog—Gabby—in March of 2001, and we put her in charge of training.
The truth is, neither my wife nor I had the time and attention to devote to training Gabby. I was starting a new career after being fired from my second job, and my wife at the time worked nights. So we didn’t really follow-up with the training.
Our Difference
Dog training has been my life for over 13 years. For the last 8 years or so, I have considered myself a behaviorist, not a dog trainer. I understand dogs and I can communicate with them in a way most people can’t. In 1999 I decided to write a book. This book was a five-year project that once finished, I had no idea what I was going to do with it, or how I was going to explain how this book differed from every other dog training book already available.
I have talked to people in the publishing business and in the training world that have ventured on this path and I still felt like there was nothing out there that explained the human/dog relationship in the way I could. I also felt like there was just so much information out there that this was something that would be overlooked in the grand scheme of things.
My approach is simple. I have very basic certifications and I have no formal education in dog behavior training. I have learned what I now teach from observation and practice. I know it works, and I have seen the results of my teaching create close bonds between owners and dogs over and over in the past 13 years.
I know what works and what doesn’t work because I have done it. I have used every method of training at one time or another and I understand why certain things work in some situations and why they don’t in others.
FamilyDogFusion became my vision through friendship and trust in my friend Devin Best. He believed in what I had to say and he showed me that there is a way to reach a much bigger audience. The kicker is he doesn’t even own a dog.
The two things that sold me on this project were: 1) We can, through Social Media and the World Wide Web, reach a huge audience that is nearly impossible to reach from bookstores or libraries. 2) Devin really understands this arena and is willing to push me to create the content that is relevant to our audience.
I have reached a point in my training and profession that I have to charge a lot for my services. With this medium, we will be able to offer access to a wide range of people, not only to people who can’t afford my services, but also those who won’t afford my services.
Many people that know there is value in training still look for the cheapest route and the quick fix. This is not to say we are being cheap—what we are offering is a way for someone to really understand what they are buying.
What they are buying is communication; communication with their dog to create an amazing member of the family. By understanding how to communicate appropriately, owners will see the value in the information and continue the process through our offerings here at FamilyDogFusion.
We will offer everything from in-depth training and explanations of behaviors to just the basics. It is totally up to the individual to decide how much or how little they would like to get involved. Through personal contact we can help them to understand what they may be missing and during the process learn what we can do to improve the website.