About Me
Helping dog people overcome overwhelm to strengthen their relationship with themselves.
Annika McDade
Annika McDade
intuitive connection coach & professional Dog trainer
I’m Annika McDade, the heart and soul behind Canine Connection Training & Coaching. If you’re here, I imagine you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of how to bridge the gap between your dog’s behavior and the life you truly want to live. Maybe you’ve done therapy for the deep inner child reflections, or worked with trainers for your dog’s challenges—but something still doesn’t feel right. There’s something missing.
That’s where I come in.
I’ve spent the last 15+ years blending my knowledge as a triple-certified Professional Behaviour Consultant with my passion for intuitive life coaching. But my expertise isn’t just about working with dogs—it’s about helping you understand how your dog is mirroring the parts of yourself that are ready to grow, heal, and shift. Our dogs and relationships can be our greatest teachers, and through them, we have the opportunity to heal, grow, and transform—not only our relationship with them but with ourselves and our lives.
I’ve been where you are. Life hasn’t always been easy for me. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re doing everything “right” but still not feel like you’re enough—I’ve battled anxiety, perfectionism, and a tendency to over-function as a way of coping with the chaos. I learned to push through, achieving external success while ignoring my inner world, until my dogs and my body showed me I needed to slow down and listen, once and for all.
I believe that when we truly listen—when we slow down enough to connect with ourselves—we begin to see the wisdom they’re offering us. Our dogs show us our blind spots, trigger our unhealed wounds, and teach us how to love and accept ourselves exactly as we are. Through my own dogs and transformative experiences, like working with wolves in Inner Mongolia, I’ve come to deeply appreciate how our relationships are a mirror of our inner world.
It’s not about “fixing” problems; it’s about shifting the patterns that are no longer serving you and creating space for you to see your dog—yourself—and your life—differently.
My approach blends science-based knowledge and holistic wellness with soulful curiosity, creating a space for true transformation.
Let’s begin the journey of transformation, together.
I grew up in a chaotic household, where safety & survival meant tuning into other’s energy and emotions with an intensity that shaped who I am today. My father’s struggles with addiction, homelessness and mental illness taught me how to navigate unpredictability, set boundaries, build resilience, and connect deeply with the emotional experiences of others. While those experiences were painful, they gifted me the insight and empathy I now offer in my work.
For years, anxiety ran my life, disguised as over-productivity and perfectionism. Society praised my ambition, but underneath, I was caught in cycles of people-pleasing, self-doubt, self-sabotage, victim mentality, and burnout. I searched outside of myself for solutions to feelings that could only be addressed within. It wasn’t until my own dogs helped me see that I was creating the chaos from the inside of me…
Eventually my body also began to show the dis-ease. Lost hair, weight gain, IBS, chronic inflammation and fatigue, chronic pain and reoccurring injuries. My body was screaming at me to listen! As someone with a holistic approach to wellness, I could no longer ignore my body’s wisdom.
With help (a lot of it) from healers, energy workers, nutritionists, dieticians, naturopaths, osteopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, psychics, doctors, plant medicine, coaches and therapists, I came to acknowledge that the wisdom I seek is within me. I could not access it without the support of others.
My Story
My dogs. my body & my relationships became my greatest teachers, challenging me to confront the patterns and beliefs that no longer served me. They mirrored my struggles, revealed my blind spots, and invited me to explore parts of myself I had long unconsciously avoided.
Through them, I learned how our relationships—especially the ones that challenge us most—are reflections of our inner landscape. They are invitations to grow, to surrender, to trust the process, and to embrace the discomfort of change.
Now, I help others explore this same journey of transformation. If your dog has brought you to a place of overwhelm, frustration, or emotional exhaustion, know this: they’re showing you the way.
You already have everything you need within you. I’m here to help you reconnect with it. Through this process, you’ll discover that the peace, confidence, and connection you’ve been searching for have been waiting inside you all along.
- Annika McDade
FUN FACTS ABOUTMe
Favorite Quote
“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert
Astrology
Scorpio Sun, Aquarius Rising, Aries Moon
Human Design Type
Projector 3/5 Line
Song on Repeat
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
Guilty Pleasure
Really bad reality tv
Favorite Place to travel
Morocco, Nepal or Turkey or Italy or…
Love Language
Words of affirmation & physical touch
FAVORITE BOOK
Becoming Supernatural - Dr. Joe Dispenza
Word that describes me
Authentic or if my Mother answered, she'd say tenacious
Favorite Snack
Give me some crunchy plain kettle chips, anytime
Favorite Meal of the day
Literally any meal, food is life
My Education & Certifications
✓ Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner Certificate
✓ Trauma Informed Practice Training Level 1 - Trauma Informed Practice Institute
✓ Somatic Practitioner & Coach in Training
✓ Healing Touch For Animals - Level 1
✓ Dogma Certified Behaviour Consultant (DDT)
✓ HeartMath The Resilient Heart - Trauma Sensitive Certificate
✓ Certified by the Karen Pryor Academy (CPA-CTP)
✓ Certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA)
✓ Sophomore in The Academy For Dog Trainers (CTC)
✓ Reiki Level 2 For People and Animals
✓ 3 Levels of Tellington T-Touch
✓ Certified by Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid
✓ Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers
✓ Broadcast Journalism College Graduate
After nearly 15 beautiful years of mastering the craft of dog training, it is time for me to step into my soul purpose of deeply supporting the human end of the leash.
I created this coaching space for women who feel stuck, disconnected from themselves and overwhelmed—women who want to break free from anxiety, self-doubt, and unhealthy patterns but don’t know how. If you’ve ever thought:
“Is this all my fault?”
“Why can’t I figure this out?”
“Am I good enough?”
I see you. And I want you to know that your struggles are not a reflection of failure—they’re an invitation to grow.
I believe our dogs are not just companions—they come into our lives for a reason and are profound teachers, stirring within us the parts that most need healing. Ready to reconnect to yourself? Let’s connect.
