We’re drowning in canine content material, however Morgan Starr slashes by the muck with grit, information, and a refusal to romanticize what it takes to lift a superb canine.
Typically, it takes extra than simply treats and a stomach scratch.
Clicking on the Wild Canine Instagram, you’ll see most of the good, the unhealthy, and the fuzzy relating to what to anticipate with canine possession. Head coach and enterprise proprietor Morgan Starr is the central determine of the channel, and if there’s one factor you may rely on with Wild Canine, she’s gonna shoot you straight on why proudly owning any sort of “doodle” is perhaps a case of “do you perceive what you’re about to get into right here?”
We dwell in a world obsessive about canines. A canine walks right into a bar? (No, this isn’t the setup for a joke.) Everybody needs to say howdy. Spot one in a cowboy hat, and folks soften. Ask round, and also you’ll discover of us who can recite their favourite breed, dream in regards to the canine they will get, and rave about their go-to pup-friendly hangout.
Social has Gone to the Canine
Social media is overflowing with canine content material, and the numbers show it. (Or is it paw-rove it? I hate myself for that joke.) As of 2024, round 35% of pet homeowners have created devoted social accounts for his or her cats and canines, with canine influencers usually pulling in additional engagement than their human counterparts.
High-tier pups like Doug the Pug boast almost 18 million followers, whereas others like Blue the Husky and Titan rack up hundreds of thousands extra throughout Instagram and TikTok. Past the movie star standing, common canine homeowners are always posting, sharing, and discussing all issues pup-related — from coaching tricks to weight loss plan hacks — with “canine walks” and “pet food” alone making up over 90% of pet-related conversations on platforms like Reddit and X.
Whether or not it’s a Golden Retriever in a cowboy hat or a humorous video of a dachshund in a blanket burrito, canine content material isn’t simply in style — it’s a cornerstone of on-line tradition. Wild Canine has 100K followers, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at (once more, I hate myself).
Pet Love
In keeping with the American Veterinary Medical Affiliation’s 2024 Pet Possession and Demographic Sourcebook, 45.5% of U.S. households — roughly 59.8 million — personal not less than one canine. This makes the nice bois the preferred pet within the nation. The whole variety of pet canines within the U.S. is estimated at 89.7 million. (Duh. Cats are tremendous. At greatest. I stated what I stated.)
And actually, is anybody shocked?
Milan Kundera as soon as wrote, “Canine are our hyperlink to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent…To take a seat with a canine on a hillside on an excellent afternoon is to be again in Eden.” We don’t simply love canines — we want them. For peace, for consolation, for his or her unfiltered pleasure. Even Dean Koontz, a horror author recognized for really twisted tales, bought delicate about pups: “After you have had a beautiful canine, a life with out one is a life diminished.”
Meet Morgan Starr
For Morgan Starr, her love of canines transcends the acceptance of needing a lint curler on your life. She’s knowledgeable canine coach and founding father of Wild Canine ATX, based mostly in Hutto, Texas. With over a decade of expertise, Starr blends behavioral experience with content material creation, utilizing social media as each a enterprise instrument and an academic platform.
Her coaching philosophy is rooted in balanced strategies — combining constructive reinforcement with structured tools- and he or she’s unapologetically pragmatic in a canine world usually divided by on-line opinion wars.
Talking with Starr from her dwelling workplace, I used to be shocked that my canine was the one who interrupted the dialog. (She’s an angel. However likes to bark at actually anybody who walks in entrance of her home when she’s on window watch.)
Mentioning how a lot my canine sheds, I had a whole lot of questions on how a lot hair she offers with every day. Spoiler: she swears by a robotic vacuum — a should while you share your life with a golden retriever and a black lab. The lab’s coat is manageable, however her golden sheds make it appear to be a full-time job. Fortunately, her dogs-in-training have their very own devoted house: a separate room, yard, and occasional entry to the workplace.
Residing in a barndominium in rural Texas offers her simply sufficient separation between dwelling and work. Nevertheless, she jokes that out within the nation, you simply get used to the fixed swirl of canine hair, hen feathers, and the occasional little bit of hen poop — it’s all a part of what she calls “nation life.”
Her Canine Coaching Origin Story
“Initially, I needed to be a veterinarian, however then I spotted I didn’t like the thought of chopping into animals.” She began within the boarding world, the place days had been chaotic, canines had been usually untrained, and burnout got here quick. It left her pondering she won’t need to work with animals.
However after a stretch of neighborhood school and watching The Canine Whisperer each day after class, she had a lightbulb second: you might practice the unhealthy canines to be good ones. A fast Google search led her to Starmark Academy in Hutto — one of many nation’s few formal canine coaching colleges — and her profession started there.
She’s been coaching professionally since 2015 and hasn’t seemed again.
Starr’s Coaching Philosophy
Staying the course with canine coaching is a fancy subject, and Starr believes that e-collars are a strong option to maintain canines centered on their habits.
E-collars, or digital collars, are among the many most hotly debated instruments in canine coaching. Critics argue they depend on ache and worry, probably inflicting nervousness, confusion, or aggression in canines, particularly when misused or with out correct conditioning. Many trainers and behaviorists advocate as an alternative for constructive reinforcement strategies, backed by science as humane and efficient.
Conversely, supporters declare E-collars, notably trendy ones with vibration and tone settings, are priceless instruments when used responsibly. They level out that E-collars could be life-saving for critical habits points like car-chasing or aggression and permit for off-leash freedom with dependable recall.
Balanced trainers usually take a center floor, utilizing E-collars to not punish however as a communication instrument, like a faucet on the shoulder, together with rewards and construction. Finally, the talk hinges much less on the instrument itself and extra on the coach’s philosophy and talent, the canine’s wants, and the way the collar will get used.
Regardless of their love of canines, she additionally loves making movies that individuals get enthusiastic about. “I like making content material. I grew up the place I used to be at all times making dwelling movies, so I like filming on all our household holidays. I benefit from the enhancing course of, though it offers me fairly a headache most days. However I’ve at all times loved Creation stuff on the whole. So I used to be like, ‘Nicely, I like canines and I like making humorous movies.’ So, with the ability to put these two collectively helps my enterprise develop. It was a win.”
She continued, explaining why her movies work. “The most important factor I’ve discovered? Reduce extra out. Individuals need bite-sized content material, not a textbook.”
Social media grew to become a cornerstone of her enterprise not out of vainness however of necessity: “I used to be low-cost and didn’t need to pay for Google adverts.” What began with a viral video of her lab bringing in a useless rabbit has since advanced into a world presence, with shoppers from Canada to Spain discovering her by sharp, helpful, and genuine coaching content material.
Now Starr is a social media guru who tries to clarify the nuances of canines and the breeds to contemplate with a whole lot of care, together with huskies. Huskies are sassy and have thick coats, not splendid for a state that repeatedly hits 100+ levels eight months out of the 12 months. Nor are they canines that need to chill. “The best canine for you depends upon your life-style, not how cute the breed is. Huskies look cool — however they’re chaos in Texas.”
Starr, for her half, was a stan of labradors and golden retrievers. However, she made it clear that every one canines had been cool together with her, “I spotted you may make the unhealthy canines good canines,” — a crux of her coaching methodology. However with amusing, she concluded, “I like canines greater than individuals. They’re simpler.”
Comfortable Tails
Once I requested her what made her glad, she stated it wasn’t taking a trip or spending cash on the finer issues in life; as an alternative, it at all times got here again to the four-legged loves of her life.
“What makes me glad? Serving to extra canines than simply those in my zip code.” However that idealism does include a worth: individuals. Everybody loves canines, keep in mind? “I don’t want to inform everybody I’m a canine coach. Typically I simply say I’m a enterprise proprietor so I don’t get caught seeing 50 canine pics at a celebration.”
Are you able to think about? That’s lots of tales, photographs, and recommendation. Some day, it’s simpler to say you’re a company accountant.
Regardless of her on-line success, she retains a grounded perspective on burnout, content material technique, and the duties of sharing canine coaching recommendation within the web age. “Canine coaching is lots like parenting — everybody thinks they’re doing it the proper method, and everybody thinks you’re incorrect.” She admits that the remark part could be brutal. However her north star helps canines and people who love them succeed.
Simply keep in mind: canines could be sassy, particularly huskies.
