Certifications

Gary Watts

Master Trainer

When Gary Watts was young, he had a typical boyhood obsession with dogs and puppies. Unable to have a real one of his own, he began collecting miniature glass dog figurines with his allowance money. His collection grew to more than 500, along with his knowledge of dog breeds and characteristics.

“I pretty much knew at an early age that I wanted to be around dogs and be a dog trainer,” says the owner of Watts Freestyle K9 Training.

He was elated when, as an adult, he was able to get his first dog, a boxer puppy. “I made the typical mistakes that people do—scolding the dog when it was something I caused,” he admits.

While Gary’s early years were filled with typical experiences—from a boyhood obsession with dogs to rookie dog training moves—the ensuing years have been anything but typical. His is a story of perseverance, patience, love, and, well, dogged determination.

“I lost my identity,” says the Iraq War veteran of injuries he’s sustained from combat. “Now I’m somebody else and I have to learn to deal with it.” Life for Gary is a day-to-day journey through the ramifications of post-traumatic stress disorder and a closed-head brain injury that leaves him unable to remember many things or organize himself consistently.

And yet, his childhood dream of being a dog trainer has been realized and is even supporting his healing journey. “It relieves my stress,” he says. “If I’ve had a bad day, as soon as I’ve got a dog in front of me, I’m good.”

Animals help keep Gary focused. His skills with dogs, honed through a 2½-year vocational rehabilitation program with renowned dog trainer Carl Reifs in Colorado, have enabled him to train service dogs.

Gary’s skill and story prompted Tehama County’s Chief Probation Officer Richard Muench to bring Gary and his dog, Abby, into the Juvenile Justice Center to model compassion, discipline, integrity and consistency to juvenile offenders. Once a week, Gary and Abby volunteer to go through training techniques with the young people. “They see somebody other than who they see every day and they get to see a dog,” says Gary. He has noticed immediate bonds between some kids and Abby, as well as a coming around of those who were initially reluctant.