About the Author: 
Mehveş İpek
Founder – StarDogs Türkiye
APDT Member since 2008

At the beginning of the 2000s, positive, science-based dog training was virtually unknown in Türkiye. At the time, almost all training practices relied on pressure-based, traditional methods. A model centered on learning theory, trust, communication, and the emotional well-being of the dog had not yet entered the field.

My introduction to this methodology began in 2002, when I traveled to Greece to study with Yiannis Arachovitis. Yiannis had founded StarDogs in Greece in 1999 and was, at the time, the first positive dog trainer not only in Greece but across the Balkans. After graduating from the StarDogs Trainers’ Academy, I co-founded StarDogs Türkiye with Yiannis in Istanbul in 2003. He still continues his work today as StarDogs Greece.

From the outset, StarDogs Türkiye was created not simply to train dogs, but to educate dog trainers working with positive, science-based methods. Our intention was to establish a structured professional education pathway and introduce a new ethical and scientific framework for working with dogs.

The approach quickly attracted attention because it represented not only a different training technique, but a different professional culture. Instead of a trainer profile defined primarily by physical control and compulsion-based methods, a new generation began to emerge: individuals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, comfortable with academic learning, open to science, often fluent in foreign languages, and motivated by a combination of knowledge and empathy. The gender balance within the field also began to change.

Dog owners also began to adopt a more participatory role. Moving from the idea of “sending the dog away to be trained” toward actively learning alongside their dog required time, but people who genuinely cared about animal welfare adapted quickly. This approach encourages not only dogs to learn, but humans as well.

The StarDogs Trainers’ Academy has therefore never focused only on technical skills. Our goal has always been to educate trainers who understand canine behavior and learning theory, prioritize welfare, work ethically, and remain open to ongoing development and scientific progress.

From the first lesson, I tell my students:

“Today, I teach you this method because, based on current scientific knowledge, it is the most ethical and animal-friendly approach available. If tomorrow a better method emerges, we will learn that method together.”

Our priority is not rigid ideology, but scientific integrity, ethical responsibility, and the well-being of the animal.

Graduates of the StarDogs Trainers’ Academy do not simply complete a course and leave; they remain part of a professional community. Today, we have more than 250 graduates, and we remain in active contact with over 170 of them. The identity of being a “StarDogs Trainer” represents not only an educational background, but also a shared ethical framework and a commitment to continuous learning. Our graduates contribute to the spread of positive training principles in their own regions, forming a national professional network.

Continuous learning is central to this culture. We actively follow developments in the international positive training community, including organizations such as APDT and PDTE, ensuring that our methods remain aligned with evolving scientific understanding.

Before the pandemic, most training took place in person. Although courses were initially held in Istanbul, students traveled from many parts of Türkiye to attend, often becoming the first positive dog trainers in their cities. Over time, I also traveled extensively to work with trainer candidates across the country. These efforts helped establish the first generation of positive dog trainers nationwide.

Growth occurred organically. Graduates began working in their own communities, demonstrated effective results, and inspired others to pursue professional education. In this way, the network expanded steadily.

Media interest began early and remained strong. Newspapers, magazines, radio programs, and television channels showed considerable interest in this emerging approach. In 2008, we were invited to produce the Turkish version of the Underdog Show, originally developed in the UK, for one of the country’s largest national television channels. The program featured only our graduates and current students, and all participating dogs were selected by Yiannis and me from shelters. Following the broadcast, public awareness of shelter adoption increased noticeably, reflecting a broader cultural shift beyond training itself.

As participation expanded geographically, a strong professional network formed. Today, the vast majority of trainers in Türkiye who genuinely work according to fully positive, force-free principles have, at some stage in their professional development, participated in StarDogs education. For this reason, the identity of “StarDogs Trainers” represents a pioneering force in the professional history of positive dog training in the country.

During the pandemic, like many educational institutions worldwide, we transitioned our trainer education system online. What initially appeared to be a constraint became one of the strongest aspects of the program.

Today, the StarDogs Trainers’ Academy operates as a structured 35-week online program. Participants follow theoretical lessons at their own pace, complete assessments, and attend weekly three-hour live online sessions where they receive feedback on practical work and learn from one another’s experiences. Graduates can revisit lessons whenever needed, helping maintain continuity and professional development over time.

The online format has also increased accessibility for participants from different regions and life circumstances. Some are seeking career transitions; others balance training with existing professions or family responsibilities. The program has therefore become not only a pathway to professional qualification, but also an opportunity for long-term professional transformation.

As the profession evolves, the importance of ethical standards and professional communities continues to grow. In addition to StarDogs, we also established the Association of Positive Dog Trainers (POKED). The association is intended to be open to all who support positive training principles and animal welfare, while its leadership consists only of graduates of the StarDogs Trainers’ Academy. Its aim is to strengthen collaboration, protect ethical standards, and support the long-term development of the profession.

We are also developing a storytelling-based awareness project under the title #BaşkaBirYolVar, which can be translated as “There Is Another Way.” It begins with StarDogs Trainers’ Academy graduates speaking to future trainers and will later expand toward dog owners who choose positive training methods over harsh ones. At its heart is a message we have believed in from the beginning: that humane, science-based, trust-centered work with dogs is not only possible, but transformative. The life we live can change, and we have the power to choose the work we truly love as a profession. We also have a choice in how we train dogs — and that choice matters. I believe this message can resonate far beyond Türkiye.

My long-term goal is to contribute to stronger connections between the positive dog training community in Türkiye and international professional organizations such as the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). While national contexts differ, the shared goal remains the same: helping people better understand dogs and supporting relationships built on trust. Both in StarDogs and in POKED, we look to APDT — of which I have been a proud member since 2008 — as an important professional reference point, and we hope to develop opportunities for collaboration in the future.

The story of positive dog training in Türkiye is still being written. But for me, this is not only a story I witnessed; it is a story I pioneered. Watching highly capable individuals become skilled trainers has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Seeing the philosophy we introduced as a small seed grow into a widely recognized approach across the country has been deeply rewarding.

After twenty-three years, what continues to inspire me most is the possibility of genuine communication between humans and another species. Again and again, we see that the foundation of success is trust. To witness the moment when a dog truly understands — what I often call the “Eureka moment” — remains one of the most powerful aspects of this work. At its core, this story is about trust, understanding, learning, and the possibility of building authentic interspecies relationships.