Every rescue dog I have ever worked with has taught me an immensurable
lesson about communicating with dogs in all different kinds of situations.
I use every encounter to inform every future encounter. I look at each new dog
I meet as a new challenge. Every dog and owner inspires me to find a completely
individual way of learning how to fulfill the desires of both owner and pet.
Jacquelyn Johnston grew up traveling the world with her family, living in such diverse countries as Spain, Chile, Venezuela and South Korea. She moved to New York City to attend Columbia University where she graduated with honors in the fields of Art History and Visual Arts. In 2004, Johnston moved to Miami and opened Faktura Gallery, an art space concentrated on giving emerging artists a venue in which to display provocative socially conscious artwork. Within one month, Johnston rescued the first of a long line of abandoned street dogs wondering around the neighborhood sick and starving.
Rethinking the mission of contemporary art, Johnston made it her mission to bring public attention to the need of these helpless pets through art.
By harnessing the power of visual communication, Johnston brings attention and power to the rescues, giving them medical treatment, training, loving care and finding them caring forever homes. In March 2006, Johnston launched Faktura Projekts, a non-profit artist run organization created to help artists come together to make projects to benefit the community. Faktura Pet Projekt quickly emerged as the soul of the organization, boasting over fifty dogs and cats rescued off the street of Miami by the end of 2006.
Johnston continues to study about canine health and rescue, and due to her vast experiences providing for some of the most severe cases of abuse and neglect she has developed a signature style of pet care. By using holistic recipes custom made for each illness she is able to give each rescue a unique advantage during their recovery.
Fit n Sit provides a complete wellness program that addresses each pets specific nutritional, behavioral and emotional stage of life. Johnston has extensive experience in dog training and illness/injury recovery. Working with the rescues at Faktura Projekts gave her exposure to wide variety of illnesses, including: heart worm disease, Ehrlechia, Distemper, Parvo, Demotectic mange, Sarcoptic mange, dry eye, eye/ear infections, stress disorders, hot spots, flea or tick infestations, food aggression, fear biting, and most behavioral problems caused by sever trauma. During her employment at a doggy day care she quickly rose to be the highest level dog handler, certified to handle up to forty dogs at one time. She was the main go to person to deal with extreme behavioral problems and also made a name for herself with her ability to sympathize with dogs boarding for extended periods of time by reading their behavior and identifying signs of stress. One dog even quit eating until Johnston identified her phobia of steel bowls. Once she changed her food back to a plastic bow she ate and the dog had a wonderful stay.
Johnston’s unique methods of communicating with dogs and translating their problems to other humans has earned her a growing reputation as a gentle, kind and very effective dog trainer. Her client list continues to grow, as does her knowledge and drive to make this community a better place for dogs and owners alike.
Johnston is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is certified in canine CPR, First Aid, choking management, dental care, senior pet care and emergency response.
