MEET ALEX

MEET

ALEX

Training Without Conflict™
Certified Trainer

I’m Alexandra Hynd, and my journey with dog training began when I met Mischa - a beautiful German Shepherd pup I adored but who filled my life with stress and heartbreak.

By seven months old, she had become highly reactive: barking and lunging at every dog we passed. This was a huge embarrassment that weighed on me daily. She chewed everything in sight and was still puppy-biting like she meant it long past her baby stage. It often felt like my entire life revolved around her, and yet she wasn’t even happy.

She would not come when she was called. She would not stop chasing wildlife. She would not do what she was told.

I tried following tutorials online, but it only made me feel more hopeless and a bad dog mum when nothing worked. Finding good advice was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I was at my wit’s end.

Tiny black & tan German Shepherd Mischa as an 8 week old pup asleep on a wooden floor. She has on a pink collar and her head is on a small cushion. She has a fluffy dark green blanket tucked over her and a brown stuffed toy horse under her paw

At last it dawned on me: If I wanted the dream dog I had pictured when I first met her, I would have to knuckle down and learn to speak her language from someone who understood it. That was when I had my first lesson with a professional.

Young German Shepherd pup Misch lying attentively in down position with a meaty bone between her paws. She's lying on a polished hardwood floor in front of grey kitchen cupboards, head tilted, looking at the camera..

Everything became better, and I was finally making progress. Eureka! From there, my passion for repairing relationships between people and their dogs caught fire. I wanted to do for others what that trainer did for me; but not just that… I wanted to do better. I set out to find the best-of-the-best to learn from, so no dogs or owners had to slip through the cracks. I enrolled in the Training Without Conflict™ school for dog trainers, and gained my certification under 2x World Champion, 15x National Champion Ivan Balabanov.

Ivan taught me how to really create a bond with a dog. Not a superficial, transactional relationship based on bribery with treats, NOR a drill-sergeant-and-recruit type of relationship so often touted by today’s trainers. He taught me how to play with a dog, how to become the most loved person in their life, and at the same time, gain fantastic obedience and fix behaviour issues by addressing the hard-to-see causes.

Ivan showed me how dogs tick.

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Alex kneeling on mown grass with Mischa (Black & Tan German Shepherd), Fable (Black & White Aussie Shepherd) and Addi (Sable German Shepherd) all in down positionr. Alex is patting Addi, smiling, and wearing a grey t-shirt & black cargo pants.
Alex and Fable (Aussie Shepherd) on a gravel path with grass and eucalypts in the background. Alex is bending down to lift Fable's face to hers in a loving, trusting gesture of companionship and love.r

I had no inkling of how much I would be able to accomplish with Mischa by speaking her language. In comparison, my previous progress with her was nothing. These days, with knowledge gained from whom I genuinely believe is the best trainer in the world, I am achieving everything I ever wanted to with her, and so much more. Mischa is my demo dog. She helps me train puppies and reactive dogs. And I’ve coached others to the same success with their dogs.

Now, through Promise K9, I am chasing my dream to transform the way humans relate to our wonderful, loyal companions, and to spread the news that there is a better way to train dogs. I promote training that builds connections, restores broken relationships, and sparks joy all along the way!

I hope you will let me demonstrate what you can achieve through coaching, and show you how to make a true companion of your dog.

Alex 🐾

Our Team

Fable posing in sit position by a red blossom plum tree with red lead in her mouth, she is facing right and looking at the camera
Mischa posing in sit position by a red blossom plum tree with red lead in her mouth, she is facing left and looking at the camera
Addi standing by a plane tree in autumn with golden leaves on the tree. She has a green kerchief around her neck and her tongue is hanging out. She is facing forward and looking slightly past the camera
Alex in a floral dress sitting outdoors on a wooden bench with Fable (black and white Australian Shepherd) at a lookout. They are in a rural setting with green fields, river and trees in the background. 
Sable, obedience trainee. Sweet but a boof-head...
Breed: German Shepherd
Loves: PLAY

Alexandra

Founder, TWC Certified Trainer, nerd.
Breed: Human
Loves: Dogs

Addi

Black & tan, show-off. The one that started it all. She
is in my logo.
Breed: German Shepherd
Loves: Competing in Obedience, Rally-O,
helping Mum with the young pups and
difficult dogs

Fable

Black & white, no. 1  companion and fancy-pants.
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Loves: Competing in Obedience, Rally-O, and being the centre of attention

Mischa

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What is TWC?

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone thought I was “just playing” with my dog when I was actually training them in the TWC system… I’d be rich.

Certificate logo with blue circle, white center, black and blue text, and green outline, indicating TWC training certification for a professional dog trainer.
Alex is playing with Addi in a garden setting with a blue spruce tree behind them. Addi is leaping up to grab the green ball tug toy and Alex is stepping back to keep her balance and prevent Addi jumping on her.

So what exactly is Training Without Conflict™?

It’s a little hard to explain, but bear with me.

In the Training Without Conflict™ school for dog trainers I learned how to teach during play. I learned how dogs think and how to change behaviour, yes. But more importantly, I learned how to make dogs (and people) love to train. When your dog loves to do what you ask, and you have taught them the concepts of obedience to authority in play, it is amazing what you can do together.

Most people these days think training dogs falls into two categories:

Those who force dogs into compliance with harsh, almost heartless methods BUT who gain reliability,

OR

Those who insist that we can only kindly use treats to train BUT who will forever have their dogs on-lead, isolated from society, or at least 50 metres away from triggers.

I used to believe this too.

Training Without Conflict™ showed me another way. You can have reliability, off-leash recall, obedience, and real behavioural change, and at the same time strengthen the bond between human and dog companion more than any trainer who can never fully trust their dog despite the good intentions and the treats.

Training Without Conflict™ is about putting the dog’s emotions first, which, if done right, allows for reliability, it does not hinder it.

I think that’s the best way to explain it.

And if you want it to find out more, visit the Training Without Conflict™ page here.

I would highly, highly, recommend purchasing Ivan’s Cornerstone Collection video lessons. It will change your dog’s life.

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