About Me
Welcome to Mountain Manners!
My name is Pacé (pronounced Pah-CHAY) Schneid and my goal is to facilitate clear and respectful communication between humans and dogs. My passion has put me on a journey to learn all that I can about canine communication, behavior, and psychology. When envisioning my business, I set out to create a venture aligned with ethics and community-oriented values that I feel good about. I have had the privilege and honor of learning under some amazing mentors from around the country who have helped me achieve a deeper understanding of what it means to create partnerships between dogs and people.
As a child, I had what felt like a telepathic connection with my standard poodle, Ottie. We had a fluid way of communicating non-verbally in a way I found very therapeutic. He was “the perfect dog.” Fast forward, I’m in my mid-twenties when I got my dream dog, Rowan, a wolfy looking shepherd/husky/malamute mix with a high prey-drive and a headstrong attitude. I found myself struggling with our communication and frustrated because I knew our relationship was not reaching its potential. There is a saying in the dog training world, “You don’t always get the dog you want, but you always get the dog you need.” Rowan proved this to be absolutely true and I have learned as much about myself in my journey to build our relationship, that I have learned about connecting and relating to dogs.
Currently, I am working toward my Relationship Based Behavior Modification (RBBM) Certificate with the Canine-Human Relationship Institute (CHRI), an organization dedicated to advancing the relationship between humans and dogs. The RBBM certificate takes multiple years to complete and has the rigor of collegiate classes. I have also completed several specialty courses/certificates:
●Relationship Based Behavior Modification Foundations (CHRI)
●Lost Dog Recovery (CHRI)
● The Art of Leash Handling (CHRI)
●Canine Nutrition and Digestive System (CHRI)
●Working with and Affecting Aggressive Dogs (CHRI)
● Movement Markers™ (Maryna Ozuna) – This three-day course is devoted to learning to identify maladies in canine gaits which may be affecting behaviors, understanding and advancing a dog’s proprioception, and body-work to help decrease discomfort and integrate a dog’s kinesthetic senses
In addition to these training courses I have also attended various online offerings to help expand my training and understand different modalities. As a professional, not only do I want to find methods that work for your dog, but I also offer various methods to find the right fit for your personal lifestyle.
For over a year, I worked as a lead trainer at a trainer-owned dog daycare where we integrated dog daycare “rejects” into our pack. I helped dogs that had been deemed unfit for multi-canine environments to relax and learn to socialize in healthy ways. This was an impactful experience in understanding how dog packs work as a unit and how to interrupt harmful or bullying behavior between dogs. Watching previously anxious dogs grow confident and learn to play socially has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career.
During our training sessions, we will build a framework for non-verbal dialogue. I will teach you how to read your dog’s more subtle cues to understand what your dog is struggling with. For fearful and reactive dogs, I can show you how to help your dog process their fight or flight triggers while also working to build their confidence through team-building exercises. Most importantly, I can help you understand how your own intention and state-of-mind provides feedback for your dog.
It is my honor to work with you and your dogs and together we will help build a world with more fluid and mindful connections between humans and their beloved canines.