It was my desire to have an active lifestyle with my entire family that drew me to get not one but two Irish Terriers. After the birth of my second child, new found passion for marathon running, working full time and budding personal training career, I was beginning to feel a little stretched at the seams.

Enter Brad Pattison…and my life and my dog’s lives all began to change.

I took the dogs through Brad’s Street Safety Training in the winter and was finally able to manage them properly. We could go hiking, mountain biking, running, anything I could imagine and I thought they were doing great, but I hadn’t tried 6 Legs To Fitness™ yet!

After spending a summer attending Brad’s 6Legs™ classes in Calgary, I was completely hooked. I knew this was something I wanted to continue and I wanted to share with everyone I knew. That summer I managed to single parent 2 kids, work 50 plus hours a week at the office and provide enough mental and physical stimulation for the dogs that their behavior and our bond increased tenfold. The changes I saw in the dogs from that bonding experience were incredible. I also saw amazing changes not just in my body, but in my spirit and who I was becoming as a person. I believe the confidence I gained from these physical and mental changes was the catalyst in which ultimately empowered me to leave the engineering world behind and follow my heart to where I truly wanted to be in life.

I became certified as a personal trainer, which I absolutely love, but felt there was more I wanted to be doing. When the opportunity to become a 6Legs to Fitness™ Instructor presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity. If I could make one person feel as great about themselves, their dog, and their relationship with their dog as I had felt, that was something I knew I had to be a part of.

Now I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with others while giving them and their dogs a phenomenal workout experience that is both physically and mentally challenging while raising their confidence and spirit along with their heart rate.

These moments are precious, invaluable and genuine, yet are so often overlooked by every victim of the “hustle and bustle” of everyday life.  We get caught up in focusing on some dangling carrot in the distance , blinding us from the simple beauty of the present, to then get there and realize we actually wanted broccoli….what a tragedy and waste of a perfectly good life!

You need to claim them these moments, grab them by the horns and wrestle them to the ground with every ounce of determination and courage left in you.  They are plentiful to those who choose to risk being vulnerable, who choose temporary pain for permanent happiness, who choose to trust the unknown and flee the safety of our comfort zone and who are ready to  have a gut-busting laugh at their own expense.

Easier said than done?  Heck ya! Practice what I preach?  I would be a hypocrite not to. My recent uncertainty with life and purpose began gnawing away at my soul.  I was drained, lacked motivation and became very inpatient with the “destiny elves” who kept forgetting to drop me a map from the sky outlining exactly where I was and should be going.  Many blood tests, meal tracking and appropriate sleep led me to look truth in the eye.  My outer self was in prime shape, but my inner-self and I needed to have a “heart to heart”.  I was at an intersection and a choice was inevitable: Do I Work to Live or Live to Work? But could I risk leaving a field I worked in for over 15 years?  What if it didn’t work out?  What if I can’t pay the bills?  What if I stay exactly where I am, do nothing to change my situation and remain in comfort and safety?   I owe it to my myself, to the challenges I have overcome,  to the fights I have lost, to the sanity and wellness of my heart-body-mind-and soul, to be true to myself. My passion and desire for challenge had been ignored for too long and needed to be rekindled.

Why 6Legs to Fitness™?

Spending the last 20 years as a competitive athlete and a professional working with inner-city children, at-risk youth and newcomers, I have witnessed and strongly believe in the power and value of strong leadership, discipline, trust, commitment, wellness and building healthy relationships. And my love for animals- deeply rooted since the day my dad tried to raise roosters in Urban Montreal, as I chased flies for the frog I saved from a swimming pool, played hide and go seek with Donald my duck and spared the lives of mice and hamsters from my resident cat.  

This passion for animals grew to new heights 7 years ago when I overcame my fear of dogs, instilled by a run-in with a mini “Lassie” as a teen.  As I opened my heart and soul, the connection was undeniable.  I began fostering, raising, training (informally) and sitting dogs while soaking up all the canine knowledge my little’ brain could hold.
 
A few months ago I put on my “entrepreneur hat” and began brainstorming ideas on how to tie in all that I love into a business I can call my own. One day a close friend emailed me a link for Brad’s 6Legs to Fitness™ course.  We would watch his show religiously and had already grown to respect and admire his approach and beliefs with every success we had with our own dogs. I felt so excited about this opportunity that it literally scared me.  That’s when I knew this could be what I was looking for. A prolonged fight between head and heart and 10 rounds later, my head caved and the spark within my heart began. This flame burned all arising fears to a crisp and two weeks later I was in Kelowna. It’s funny how the pieces can sometimes fall into place the moment you follow your gut and put your head to rest.

The weekends were filled with endless hours of  training and challenges that tested every aspect of our character.  Fierce sweat loss and a pooped out dog and owner complimented the years of life lessons crammed into a few days , but the guidance and support from Brad and his team made this the life-changing experience I needed and will never forget.  The first morning back in Calgary I woke up, pinched myself and gave my head a shake to make sure this wasn’t some sadistic heartbreak of a dream from which I never wanted to wake up….it wasn’t.  This is my life, my reality, and I am exactly where I am meant to be and so pumped to bring anyone and everyone along for the “heart-pumping, arm-pit drenching,  fun and irreplaceable bonding experience” of a ride we like to call “6Legs ™ to Fitness™”.
See U Soon at a Park Near U!

Contact Information:
(e) packleader@ruffnit.com

After enrolling in a Street Safety Class with one of Brad’s CET's, I really enjoyed doing urban agility and found that my dog absolutely loved it. But I was looking for something more challenging for me that I could participate in with my dog.
Going to a 6 Legs to Fitness™ class was the answer! What could be better than being outdoors, getting a great work-out, stimulating your dog physically and mentally, being with other dog lovers and having fun? I improved my fitness level significantly, developed a greater bond with my dog and met some great people along the way.
As an educator in an alternative type of schooling, when the opportunity presented itself to become a 6 Legs to Fitness™ instructor, I knew I wanted to be certified so that I could share my experience of 6 Legs to Fitness™ with my students and present them with an alternative to “traditional” physical activities.
 
All you need is enthusiasm and a willingness to push yourself to improve your fitness level. 6 Legs to Fitness™ is now an integral part of a healthier lifestyle in our household. I know that it will be part of yours as well once you experience it.
 
Cheers

Contact Information:
(p) 403-512-6794
(e) lpratte@shaw.ca

Leslie Reid

(not currently teaching classes)

I was constantly looking for ways to help people and their dogs become closer by getting owners intergrading their dog into their busy lives and truly enjoying one another. The first step in this goal was to become a CET through Brad Pattison, which I accomplished in 2008. I am extremely excited to now offer 6Legs to Fitness™ which allows me to bring a new aspect to this; fitness.

I understand the time constraints in life that sometimes make us all spend a little less time with our dogs than we would like. Coming to a 6Legs to Fitness™ class is the best way to achieve your fitness goals and allowing you to spend a little extra quality time with your dog. Come out and enjoy the outdoors with your pooch while I help you get a full body workout.