You & Your Dog:
Understand Your Dog. Evolve Together. Change Your Life.
ABOUT CHRISSY AND THE NATURE OF ANIMALS
Chrissy Messick, MS, CTC, CPDT-KA
The nature of anything is its true self - without all the things we "think" it should be. We’ve forgotten our natural wisdom beneath the clutter of the world. To reconnect with ourselves and see our dogs clearly, we must look at the five pillars of well-being because behavior is just a symptom of something deeper.
I'm Chrissy Messick, and The Nature of Animals is my life's work of returning to authenticity - for myself, for the dogs I work with, and for every guardian I have the honor of supporting.
For 15 years, I provided medical care for elite athletes at the University of Washington and traveled with USA National Teams, including the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. With degrees from Washington State University and Indiana University in Sports Medicine, I understood the body, performance, and healing at the highest levels.
But I didn't yet understand myself.
Growing up in an environment that didn’t feel safe taught me to be silent, to be the "good child," to suppress everything. I became a perfectionist who didn't trust my own judgment or voice. When my husband and I brought our two dogs (Bill and Zoey) into our home "to practice" for having children, those dogs changed everything. They became my greatest teachers in learning kind and effective parenting skills, rediscovering my authentic self, and learning to trust my intuition.
I learned to combine my passion for healing with my love for animals. What started as "practice" became my purpose: giving dogs a voice and helping them be heard and understood - because I never was, and I'm still learning how to do that.
I created The Nature of Animals in 2017 and continue to evolve alongside the animals and humans I work with. With certifications through The Academy of Dog Trainers, the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Intuitive Interspecies Communication, and Animal Energy Certification Training, and many other continuing education courses, I work with guardians and their dogs on puppy foundations, fear, anxiety, reactivity, and aggressive behaviors.
Through force-free methods, applied behavior science, and a holistic approach addressing physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being, we create understanding, trust, clear communication, and practical skills - for both of you.
My personal healing journey and professional mission are inseparable. I'm not teaching about transformation - I'm living it.
Chrissy & Ginger
CERTIFICATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
MY APPROACH
FIVE PILLARS OF WELL-BEING
In this video, Chrissy describes her methodology for working with animals and their human families.
A Holistic Approach: Five Pillars of Well-Being:
I work from a holistic perspective, which means looking at the entire interconnected system - not just your dog, but you, and the relationship you're building together. This approach examines five essential pillars:
Physical - Body systems, pain, discomfort, nutrition, and the biology both you and your dog may be hiding
Mental - How trauma, environment, learning experiences, and conditioning shape both human and canine brains
Emotional - The nervous system that drives all behavior; recognizing and safely expressing feelings for both of you
Spiritual - Energy, intuition, authentic nature, and seeing beyond behavior to who you and your dog truly are
Relational - Your own growth as a guardian, the partnership dynamic, and how you evolve together
Understanding each of these pillars creates a foundation to build upon - not just to "fix problems," but to help both you and your dog thrive authentically.
Animal Communication:
This is all about connecting with and understanding your animal companion on a deeper level.
My goal is to bridge traditional science and the intangibles. It's combining scientific knowledge and inner knowing or intuition. This isn't a "gift" that only some people have. It's a skill, just like learning any new skill, that takes time to learn and apply. By combining training and animal communication (intuitive interspecies communication) I can help you and your dog on a deeper level - mind, body, heart, and soul.
Currently, there isn't a way to statistically measure results but there is exciting research in the field of parapsychology that is happening as you read this! I measure accuracy through consistent and repeated results in a change in behavior, validation from the humans of the dog I'm connecting with, validation from the veterinarian I'm collaborating with for medical issues/assessments, and case studies.
If you are interested in learning more about what a session looks like I would be happy to talk with you!
To learn more about the current research that is happening in this field, here is a place you can check out:
TRAINING SERVICES
Initial Assessment
ASSESSMENT:
Consists of 2-3 one hour sessions depending on the situation.
The assessments consist of taking a detailed history using the five pillars of well-being.
We use this valuable information to implement an action plan to help create a safe environment for you and your dog, create a training plan, and address any non-training issues.
Behaviors I work with:
Reactivity
Fear/Anxiety/Stress (FAS)
Mild to Moderate Separation Anxiety
Resource Guarding
Destructive Behavior
Fear/Aggressive Behaviors
Training & Behavior
TRAINING & BEHAVIOR:
Welcome to the forefront of dog training, where science meets connection, communication, and understanding. At our core, we understand that the scientific study of animal behavior is pivotal in fostering harmonious relationships between humans and their animal companions. We take into account everyone's physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational needs to create the best opportunity and environment for you and your animal companion to succeed.
Our methodology is rooted in the principles of force-free, science-backed teaching coupled with safe management practices. Through this approach, we empower our clients to actively engage in teaching their pets beneficial behaviors and fostering positive associations, all within a secure setting.
Rather than merely addressing surface-level symptoms (behavior issues), we delve deep to uncover the underlying causes of behavior issues, promoting overall well-being through targeted interventions. Our aim is not to punish and "correct" but to understand, nurture, guide, and "see" our animal companion which fosters a bond built on trust and mutual understanding.
Beyond training your dog, we equip you with the essential skills and tools necessary for long-term success. Because a healthy relationship is a two-way street, we prioritize empowering both you and your animal companion to navigate life's adventures together with confidence and joy. Welcome to a journey where every small success marks a milestone in your shared growth and happiness. This is key to creating a healthy relationship that lasts a lifetime!
TRAINING OPTIONS:
One Training Session - $175/session
Three Session Package (discounted price) - $499
Five Session Package (discounted price) - $830
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
During a session, I will look at the animals' purpose, agreements between guardian and animal companion, specific questions the guardian might have, energy levels and a healing/clearing, if it is desired.
Topics I Address:
Behavior Issues
Medical Issues
End of Life
Animals that have Transitioned
Is this Animal a Good Fit for our Family?
Relationships & Growth
General Questions you may Have for your Animal Companion
TRAINING & BEHAVIOR TESTIMONIALS
Jenny, Bard, & Charlotte
Chrissy has been instrumental in helping our German Shepherd, Charlotte, to feel calmer and more confident. Like many German Shepherds, Charlotte is reactive to other dogs and strangers, and her reactivity has been difficult to manage. Thanks to Chrissy's consistent, positive reinforcement and desensitization work, we have a much easier time walking Charlotte and introducing her to new things. And the best part of it all is that Charlotte absolutely LOVES Chrissy and literally does pirouettes when Chrissy arrives for a training session. We highly recommend Chrissy to anyone who needs help with dog training, but especially for anxious, reactive dogs.
Phil & Bandit
I recently had the pleasure of working with Chrissy, a fantastic dog trainer. From the first day I met her, I could tell that she was very knowledgeable and passionate about helping dogs and their owners. Chrissy has an incredible ability to break down complicated behavior training into a small series of achievable steps with positive reinforcement. This skill makes it easy for me to understand what steps my dog must go through to learn different behaviors. She empowers me to be able to train my dog myself, which gives me more confidence in taking care of my dog.
Moreover, Chrissy is very friendly, engaged, professional, and she is simply fantastic with dogs. Her ability to communicate with them is impressive, and she makes training so much fun for both my dog and me. My dog Bandit was extremely submissive and scared of any training before working with Chrissy. She turned his attitude completely around with her friendly approach to teaching. Now Bandit is excited to learn and always looks forward to training sessions with Chrissy. Overall, I highly recommend Chrissy to anyone looking for a great dog trainer!
CONTACT US
Please fill out the following form with your inquiry and we will get back to you within 24 hours. We look forward to speaking with you!
Email:
theanimalnature@gmail.com
Location:
Lafayette, CO 80026