An interview with Marco Ojeda: One of Sayulita’s Great Dog Behavior Consultants

Today I am meeting with Marco Ojeda, Dog Behavior, Rehabilitation, and Training, an advocate of fulfilling relationships between dogs and people. Marco´s job is mostly as an interpreter, mediator, and trainer for people and dogs in Sayulita, but he also works closely with SayulitAnimals. I’m excited to meet the man whom I‘ve heard nothing but great things about.

Marco, you have a great reputation when it comes to helping dog owners and their dogs. From where did this love for dogs originate?

Since I was a child I loved being around animals, especially dogs. In 1979, my grandma from California introduced me to her neighbor who was a professional dog trainer. I was just a kid, and barely spoke a word of English, but I immediately knew that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up.

‘’More than training, I provide the means for people to be able to commune with their dog, enriching both their own and their dog’s life," says Marco.

What, in your opinion, is the essence of communicating with your dog?

Personally, I don’t believe in quick fixes. Meaning, people thinking that just by training a dog everything is fixed like magic. Training behaviors is just one part of the puzzle. I believe in the importance of getting to know your dog and taking time to do that. Try put yourself in your dog paw’s, and try to open your heart, mind, and soul. Try to be patient, observant, and respectful to your dog. It is said that dogs speak, but only to those that only know how to listen.

What are the kinds of (behavioral) problems you can assist with?

Well, it´s not that I only assist with behavioral issues a dog may have, I actually want people to understand that it is best to contact me even before they get a dog, be it a puppy or adult, adopted or bought, this is the key to prevent behavioral issues. Dogs are dogs and they do dog stuff, but people don’t seem to grasp that in a whole, or in other words, they don’t have a holistic view of living with dogs. That´s where I come in and assist. That being said, when people call me it is because they already are facing turbulent times with their pup, adolescent, or adult dog, sometimes even their senior dog. I can assist in pretty much anything that may be happening in a household, from clearing up misunderstandings like a dog supposedly being defiant or disobedient, to bettering their communication skills towards their dog, to giving people tools to help their dog overcome fear, to treating hyperactivity, anxiety, stress, aggression towards dogs or humans, excessive barking, resource guarding, potty training, and training special behaviors or improving them since they were already trained before.

You also work closely with SayulitAnimals in Sayulita. Will you tell us more about this?

When it comes to dogs, I help where I can. I give workshops to the people who foster in Sayulita (I believe people have to be educated on reading dog behavior and communication skills). This will minimize misinterpretations, lower expectations, increase empathy, and results in better bonds, clearer communication, and a better life for the dog, owner, and the community they live in. For the less fortunate dogs (abused, with phobias, temperament problems like being afraid etc), these workshops provide great tools to deal with day to day life and to prepare them for their new homes.

Where can we find you: Marco Ojeda, Dog Behavior, Rehabilitation, and Training?

I live in Guadalajara, but I travel all over Mexico, helping dogs and their people. However, Sayulita is one of my favorite towns to work in, and I am there as often as I can. For additional information or questions, you can reach me at Marco Ojeda, Dog Behavior, Rehabilitation, and Training here.