Dog Training Expert

Melinda Benbow

Owner and operator of Urban Uplander Pet Care in Indianapolis, IN

Melinda, wearing a hat and purple sweatshirt, smiles while her small white and black dog noses her cheek.

Her professional knowledge of pet care and dog training has allowed her to create and manage one of the top pet-care companies in Indianapolis for the past seven years. Melinda and her company are dedicated to providing quality pet care in the form of in-home care, boarding, basic obedience, and socialization days. Through her services, she has been able to help the pet owners of her local community achieve balanced, well-socialized, and enriched dogs while fostering the dog-and-owner bond. Melinda has also directed her scientific understanding of operant conditioning and learning theory to her relatively new passion for upland sporting.

Melinda wearing camo trains a white dog to sit.
Melinda wearing a gray shirt surrounded by dogs.
Melinda crouching down in a field with her two dogs.

With this new hobby came her breed of interest, the elegant English Setter. As a novice bird-dog trainer, she has spent the past few years learning from both positive reinforcement bird-dog trainers and traditional bird-dog trainers on how to truly achieve a balanced dog in the field and off. Building these relationships has helped her in her efforts to bridge the gap between different methods of training and the people who utilize these methods. Even though her journey into the field world is still relatively new, she has been able to contribute to the upland community by showing average owners of sporting breeds that there is space for them within this community, as well as room for more women and people of color.

 

Melinda’s Dogs:

Sir McFluff'n Stuff (Fluff), Broomhilda (Hilda), Tay-Tay, Shotgun Sugar (Suge), Jasper

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

A woman crouching in the grass training her black and white dog
EPISODE 1: Communication—Bridging The Human & Canine Communication Gap
A woman teaching her dog to spin outside in a field
EPISODE 2: Vocabulary & Basics For Starting Training
A close-up on a hand holding a treat
EPISODE 3: Classical Conditioning—Building Positive Associations
A woman working with her dog outside to come on command
EPISODE 4: Operant Conditioning—Consequence-Based Training
A woman working outside to teach her white dog to sit
EPISODE 5: Teach Your Dog “Sit”
View All
A woman crouching in the grass training her black and white dog
EPISODE 1: Communication—Bridging The Human & Canine Communication Gap
A woman teaching her dog to spin outside in a field
EPISODE 2: Vocabulary & Basics For Starting Training
A close-up on a hand holding a treat
EPISODE 3: Classical Conditioning—Building Positive Associations
A woman working with her dog outside to come on command
EPISODE 4: Operant Conditioning—Consequence-Based Training
A woman working outside to teach her white dog to sit
EPISODE 5: Teach Your Dog “Sit”
View All

Melinda’s Favorite Gear

Orvis RecoveryZone® Couch Dog Bed

Orvis RecoveryZone® Couch Dog Bed

$298 - $449
Orvis RecoveryZone® Lounger Dog Bed

Orvis RecoveryZone® Lounger Dog Bed

$209 - $319
Personalized Recycled Water Trapper® Grid Pet Placemat

Personalized Recycled Water Trapper® Grid Pet Placemat

$50 - $60
Grid Recycled Water Trapper® Mat

Grid Recycled Water Trapper® Mat

$45 - $365

Expert Advice From Melinda

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