Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell was born and raised in Wimbledon, England and has been working as a dog trainer in London and New York since 1990.

In the early 1990's, Stilwell created her own successful dog-walking company.  She recognized the need for qualified professionals to help her clients with the training process. While pursuing a successful acting career, she expanded her focus into dog training and behavior counseling by working with some of Britain’s most respected positive-reinforcement dog trainers and behaviorists.

In 1999, Stilwell moved to Manhattan and co-founded Dog Trainers of New York, a dog training and behavior modification company.  Her unique background, personal sensitivity and innate training skills quickly made her one of New York City’s most sought-after dog trainers.  With a particular fondness for rescue animals in need of behavioral rehabilitation, she devoted much of her time and energy to a number of the many animal rescue organizations in New York, serving as an advisor and giving regular seminars on the subject of dog rescue, training and rehabilitation.

In 2002, Stilwell expanded her business and created Dog Trainers of New Jersey, earning additional acclaim as one of the nation’s top dog trainers.  She has also worked as a volunteer adoption counselor for the ASPCA.

For the past three years, Stilwell has been working with some of Britain’s most unruly dogs – and owners – on her television show, It’s Me or the Dog, counseling families with problem pets and solving their dogs’ behavior problems. The program can be seen in the US, UK and over 20 other countries. Stilwell has also written a companion book for the series, It’s Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet. Her second book, Fat Dog Slim, was released in the UK in February, 2007.

Victoria is deeply committed to education and training as a way of reducing the number of animals that are abandoned due to lack of knowledge and understanding. Through her reward-based training philosophies, she gives dog owners the keys to a happy, confident pet and relationship and helps them develop and maintain the unique bond that a balanced, healthy dog-owner relationship can create.

Stilwell is certified by the Animal Behavior and Training Associates and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She has appeared on countless talk shows, news broadcasts and radio shows as a dog-training expert and her dog-related writings have been published in numerous magazines and journals.  Stilwell is also a patron of the Waterside Action Group (WAG), which campaigns against puppy farming; Deed Not Breed, campaigning to re-write the UK's Dangerous Dogs Act and remove breed-specific legislation; and Vets Get Scanning, promoting pet micro chipping and scanning by vets.

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