Dogs have always been my world. Over time, that passion grew into my career.

My name is Chantel Hoffman, founder of Upshot Kennels & Training, and this isn’t a story about a straight path. It’s about being redirected over and over again until I finally paid attention to what was right in front of me. I grew up around dogs, hunting, and the outdoors. My dad had a deep respect for working dogs, and from a young age, I saw that dogs aren’t meant to just exist in our homes - they need purpose, structure, and clear guidance to thrive truly. That understanding stuck with me long before I had words for it. I was also heavily involved with horses through 4H, and that shaped how I see animals to this day. They forced me to become aware of my body language, my energy, and my consistency. Without realizing it, I was learning the foundation of communication. But the turning point started with a small dog... a Boston Terrier my mom gave me for my birthday. She became my entire world. I spent hours training her, teaching her everything I could, bringing her everywhere. My mom even signed us up for group classes when I was only 11 years old. I didn’t know it then, but that obsession with understanding and building something deeper with a dog... that was the beginning.

 

After high school, I tried to go in a completely different direction. I moved to Toronto to pursue interior design, and it fell apart. The school turned out to be fraudulent, and suddenly I was stuck, working multiple jobs, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with my life. That’s when dogs found me again. My roommate had a puppy she didn’t have time for, so I stepped in. I started working with the dog - structure, leash work, and basic obedience. The change was undeniable. When she came home and saw the difference, she laughed and said, “You should be a dog trainer.”That offhand comment changed everything.

 

Not long after, I met my mentor Kirk Barclay, who saw me working that dog and invited me into his world. What followed was nearly two years of hands-on experience - group classes, private sessions, problem dogs, high-pressure situations. Long days, early mornings, constant learning. I wasn’t just watching... I was in it. At the same time, I worked at a dog daycare, handling dogs of every breed, temperament, and behaviour you can imagine. That environment forced me to read dogs quickly, make decisions under pressure, and understand behaviour on a deeper level. It wasn’t controlled or perfect - it was real. It forced me to read behaviour quickly and understand patterns, triggers, and energy in a way you can’t learn from a textbook. That combination of structured training and real-world chaos shaped how I see dogs today.

 

I didn’t stop there. I knew there was more to learn, so I pushed further. I expanded my knowledge by learning under Oscar Mora and Haz from Shield K9, even travelling back to Toronto after moving to Alberta to attend their seminar. That experience challenged me differently - it sharpened my understanding of how dogs truly learn, especially when it comes to creating a dog that wants to work with you, not one that simply responds to pressure. Play became a huge part of how I train. It builds engagement, creates clarity, and strengthens the relationship in a way that feels natural and meaningful for the dog. When a dog is clear, connected, and mentally invested, everything else starts to fall into place. And that’s something that continues to evolve. I’ve never stopped learning - because in dog training, there is no finish line. There’s always another layer to understand, another dog to learn from, and that’s what keeps it exciting.

 

That’s where things really clicked. Balanced training isn’t about being harsh or controlling... It’s about being honest. Dogs, like us, need to understand what’s right and what’s wrong. When everything is only positive or unclear, you don’t get a confident dog... You get a confused one. Clarity is what allows a dog to relax, to make better decisions, and to exist in the world without constant uncertainty. When communication is fair, consistent, and understood, dogs don’t just behave better - their entire mindset changes.

 

Somewhere in the middle of all that, the dog I had been helping train became mine. Willow. The dog I never planned on owning, but the one I couldn’t imagine my life without. She’s more than just a dog to me. She’s a reminder that the best things in life aren’t always planned. Eventually, I came back home to Alberta - and this time, I stopped fighting it. Upshot Kennels & Training was built on years of curiosity, failure, pressure, and an obsession with understanding dogs and actually communicating with them.

 

Along the way, I fell in love with the American XL Bully. Not because they’re trendy, but because of who they are. Loyal, intelligent, misunderstood, and incredibly capable when given the right guidance. Today, I raise and breed them with a strong focus on health, OFA’s, structure, and stability. If a dog doesn’t meet that standard, they remain exactly what they should be... family. But breeding will never be the foundation of what I do. Training is. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about perfect dogs, it’s about better relationships. It’s about helping people understand the animal in front of them, communicate clearly, and build something solid enough to hold up in the real world.

 

Looking back, I realize I never really chose this path. I just finally stopped walking away from it.