In his 20 year career as an educator, Mike Davis has had two influences. The first was his high school logic teacher who inspired him to become a math teacher.
The second was legendary dog trainer Dick Russell.
In 2010, knowing his health was in decline, Dick approached Mike to apprentice in his art of dog training, where he shared knowledge that was developed over his 50 year career.
Honored and humbled by Dick’s trust in him, Mike initially focused on Dick’s socialization sessions. He then became a fixture at Dick’s obedience classes, where he helped people and dogs with techniques, and where he immersed himself in what Dick did and said during his classes. This progression, very much in keeping with Dick’s method of training dogs, led to Mike leading a lesson or two during a class, and ultimately leading full classes under Dick’s supervision.
Rejoicing in Mike’s successes and “not beating him up, but teaching him again” when he stumbled, Dick allowed Mike’s signature to be the only other to ever appear on a Dick Russell Dog Obedience diploma.
After Dick’s passing in 2011, Mike founded Fleur de Lead Dog Training as part of his promise to Dick to further his legacy of helping people turn their dogs into the pets they dream of having.
Fleur de Lead is committed to the philosophy of dog training that is gentler, more rational and easier on both dog and human.