About

Hey there! My name’s Stef and this is Diwa Dogs.

I’m an IAABC accredited dog trainer and a Certified Control Unleashed® Instructor based in the Philippines 🇵🇭. My mission is to help you strengthen your relationship with your dog through management, enrichment, and positive reinforcement dog training. Learn from our daily stories, training tips, enrichment games, and free resources.

The word “diwa” is Filipino for “spirit”, “thought”, or “cause of inspiration and energy”—the ideal word to describe what our canine companions mean to us.

After experiencing the joys and benefits of positive reinforcement (+R) dog training, I started Diwa Dogs to inspire Filipino dog guardians to teach using science-based, fear-free methods.

The dog training industry in the Philippines is unregulated, yet people are slowly becoming aware of the importance of animal welfare and meeting their dogs’ individual needs. I’ve made it my mission to make +R accessible to the community, whether that’s translating some of my Instagram posts to the local language or giving dog guardians opportunities to consult with me for free.

I applied for the IAABC-ADT exam received my credentials on August 5, 2023. This means the Philippines now has an IAABC accredited dog trainer. Then, I started my certification program to become a Certified Control Unleashed® Instructor under the mentorship of the founder of CU, Leslie McDevitt. I became the first CCUI in the Philippines on July 13, 2023. 🎉

Stef and Windy on the street, Windy’s paw on Stef’s hand

I’m based in Northern Mindanao with my husband, three kids, four dogs, and three cats.

Due to the pandemic, I started my dog trainer journey studying, attending dog training conferences, and providing online consultations to private clients. Since June 2021, I’ve worked with dog guardians from Metro Manila, Bicol, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.

💡 Fun fact: My partner, Windy, is a 2-year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the first Corgi in the country to earn the Advanced Masters trick dog title by Do More With Your Dog. Join her in our many adventures @goodgirlwindy.