The Extraordinary Journey of Dog Trainer Ernesto Robles

Can you guess what dog trainer Ernesto Robles’ biggest fear was for years?

Dogs.

That’s right. “When he was young he was chased after by pack of pitbulls and so he always had a fear of them,” says Ben Foo, owner of the Bowhaus Pet Company and Robles’ boss.

“But he wanted to get over that fear, so he worked with ‘Dog Whisperer’ Cesar Milan to get over it,” Foo continues. In fact, Robles was encouraged to adopt a dog, and was even featured in an episode of “The Dog Whisperer” called “Fear of Dogs.”

Robles also volunteered at the San Gabriel Humane Society to walk dogs once or twice a week, worked with dog rescue groups, and eventually received training to become a certified dog trainer.

His fear of dogs? Long gone.

His mission? Create a balance between dogs and their humans and connect these two worlds.

Robles hopes to fulfill his mission through working with Milan. “Throughout the years, he’s done several shows with Milan. He is working on his off time with him,” Foo adds.

His work at the Bowhaus Pet Company also enables him to bridge that gap. There, he conducts group trainings and private trainings.

He also hosts private and in-home training, which is more suitable for skittish dogs as Foo says, “the dog is very familiar with the environment. If they’re in their own environment, they’re more comfortable and less anxious so they pay attention better.”

In the end, it’s not just your dog that needs to go back to school. “It’s really training the parent 80 percent and the dog only 20 percent.”

Interested in enrolling your furry little one?

“We recommend a six session class,” Foo advises, but there are plenty of group training and private lesson options to accommodate almost any schedule and any dog.

The Bowhaus Pet Company is located at 2472 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 229-9835 or visit www.bowhauspets.com.