Meet The Trainer
I’m Rachel Weaver(now technically Rachel Medick, but everyone knows me as Rachel Weaver!), and I used to run a dog training business called The Scholarly Dog. Recently, I've rebranded to Back to Dog. I was feeling quite disconnected from the name The Scholarly Dog, and felt it didn't properly capture what I do or who I am. I decided it was time for a refresh, and rebranded the business to Back to Dog. The idea behind Back to Dog is that we are going back to the essence of the dog.
I’ve been training professionally since 2019 and have spent the last few years running the adoption and behavior team at my local shelter. I've worked a variety of behavior cases and offered private and group training. I work with everything from puppies, to dogs displaying aggression. My goal is to always help people and dog meet in the middle, in that space where you both understand each other better and speaking the same language.
I live in Broadalbin, NY, about 30 minutes from Saratoga with a pack of my own dogs and work out of my home which is located on an amazing 11 acres.
I'm deeply passionate about learning and understanding everything there is to know about the dog.
Where It All Began...
When I was a kid, my family brought home a Beagle named Ethel. She was smart, loud, full of energy and we had no idea what to do with her. We lived in the city, didn’t know much about training, and didn’t understand how to meet her needs. Eventually, my parents made the difficult decision to rehome her.
That stuck with me and I still feel pain over it to this day. I saw firsthand how mismatched expectations can derail even the best intentions. Ethel wasn’t a “bad dog.” She was just the wrong fit for our lifestyle and we weren’t equipped to help her thrive.
That’s where this all started. I became obsessed with figuring out how to make the puzzle pieces fit: the right dog in the right home, with the right support. When I don't have direct influence on those factors, I want to help the human understand where their dog is coming from and what their dog needs from them and how their dog needs them to show up.
Values
At Back to Dog, I value clarity, compassion, and realism in training and in life. I believe dogs deserve to be understood, not just managed. And I believe people deserve practical guidance that respects their time, energy, and goals.
I focus on helping you and your dog build a relationship that works in the real world. That means honoring your dog’s individual needs and genetics, being honest about what’s possible, and supporting you through the messy, rewarding process of living and learning together.