Marie Hanson shares experience with The Dog Whisperer

Marie Hanson (née Blain) of Stockton has spent a lifetime caring for others as a registered nurse. While much of her professional career was rooted in Glenboro, her dedication didn’t stop there; on her days off, she often travelled to Winnipeg to work in intensive care units. That instinct to nurture, however, began long before her nursing career; it started in her childhood with animals. Raised a farm girl, horses were her first love, followed closely by dogs.

“Horses were my first love, but as I got older, looking after them became a bit much,” she said with a smile. “So I guess I shifted more of my attention to dogs.”

That shift would eventually take her far beyond Manitoba, to Santa Clarita, California, where she immersed herself in a five-day intensive training course with Cesar Millan, widely known as The Dog Whisperer.

Marie’s daughter, Rosalind Kelly, said her mother had been closely following Cesar Millan’s teachings for years. “I absolutely knew she would be interested in training with him,” Kelly said. “She and I had seen him on tour a few times. She hesitated at first, but it was inconceivable to me that she wouldn’t go to something that would be life-changing for her.”

“Rosalind showed me an ad and encouraged me to go for it. That was in 2012, and it didn’t take a lot to convince me to enrol,” Marie said with a laugh. “It was the second-best money I ever spent; the best was for the dog fence around my yard.”

When asked about the experience, her eyes lit up and a warmth spread across her face as she described the expansive 43-acre ranch nestled in the arid, rolling hills of California’s Santa Clarita Valley. The grounds were designed to mirror the rugged terrain of Cesar’s homeland in Mexico, while also offering a high-tech training centre alongside a serene retreat for rehabilitating dogs. Marie described the landscape as a blend of natural red-dirt ridges and beautifully landscaped areas, all tied together with a distinctive villa-style architecture.

Marie spoke of the signature morning pack walks, which took place before the hot Californian sun fully emerged and temperatures began to soar. The early-morning sessions followed a network of paved roads and hiking trails winding throughout the property, designed to simulate real-life environments while reinforcing calm, structured movement for both dogs and handlers. On one occasion, Marie had the opportunity to be the pack leader. “I was nervous,” she said, “but very, very grateful. I felt wonderfully blessed to have that experience.”

She was one of many drawn from around the world to learn from Millan. “There were people from Brazil, Australia, Germany, as well as all over the United States,” she explained. “I’ve stayed in touch with many of them over the years, we all became friends.”

Marie learned a great deal throughout the five-day experience, but perhaps most affirming was the realization that her own instincts around dog training were already on the right track. Central to that belief was treating a dog for what it is, a dog, rather than projecting human emotions or expectations onto it.

From her time at the ranch, Marie took away what she refers to as three “pearls,” lessons she continues to use and share with others. Listed in order of importance, they are: exercise first, followed by structure through rules and boundaries, and lastly, affection. “Affection is important,” she explained, “but only after a dog’s physical and mental needs have been met.”

While the training confirmed much of what she already believed, Marie is quick to say her motivation for travelling to California was never about becoming a professional trainer or following a trend. “I just wanted to do it right for my dogs,” she said simply.

The five days were intense blending theory, live demonstrations and hands on practice to develop key skills including; leash handling and mastering the walk; understanding energy and its impact on dogs; and effective communication through leadership.
Each day featured classroom learning, real world exercises and guided self-reflection to enable a transformation in not just a dog’s behaviour, but your own mindset as well.

That philosophy has guided her ever since. Since 2018, Marie has fostered more than 50 dogs, carefully preparing each one for life beyond her care. Even after they’ve found their forever homes, she has stayed in touch with many of the families; offering guidance and encouragement when needed, but mostly just to hear how each dog is progressing.

Marie’s connection to dogs, however, reaches back long before her time with Cesar Millan. In 2003, Marie accepted a three-month placement as a travelling nurse in Bakersfield, California. It was there she came across a stray puppy, no more than six months old. “He didn’t have any issues other than being a little rambunctious,” she recalled. “I took him in and brought him home with me.”

That energetic puppy quickly became her “heart dog,” a relationship she describes as her proudest achievement.

“He was 12 when he passed in 2015. He had a very good life here,” she said, reflecting on a bond that quietly shaped the way she would care for every dog that followed.

Just as memorable as the lessons themselves was Cesar Millan.

“He really is magical with dogs,” Marie said, before sharing a story about a timid dog who ran to hide in the ditch during a morning pack walk. “He just walked carefully up to him, knelt down, brushed him gently, and the dog followed him out.”

She added that Millan’s warmth extended beyond the dogs.

“He has a wonderful sense of humour and an ability to put everyone at ease to let people just be themselves.”

In the end, Marie’s journey from farm girl to registered nurse, from dog rescuer to student of The Dog Whisperer stands as a quiet testament that true leadership rarely raises its voice. It moves with calm intention, earns trust, and leaves a lasting imprint on every life it touches.

PHOTO CAPTION: Marie Hanson three ‘pearls’ for effective dog handling are exercise first, followed by structure then affection.