It’s never too late to learn and celebrate positive dog training principles
At a time of life when most people wind down their career, Kent LaRue’s love of learning and eagerness to help others led him to the VSA Dog Training Course. The former teacher, school administrator, and professional musician became so inspired that he wrote a song about what he was learning.
The journey to VSA began when one of Kent’s family dogs—a calm, well-mannered Chow Chow—caught the eye of a local trainer. “She told me, ‘He’d make a great therapy dog,’” says Kent. “I didn’t even know what that was.”
An Ambassador for Healing
Soon, Kent and his Chow Chow became qualified to visit places where comfort was in short supply—places like police stations, memory care centers, and detention facilities. “That first visit changed everything for me,” Kent says. “Just by being there, my dog became an ambassador for healing and connection. I was invited into these intimate, emotional spaces I never would have been part of otherwise.”
Kent became eager to deepen his understanding of dog behavior and training. “I stumbled across some of Victoria’s videos and was immediately impressed,” he says. “She was empathetic, gentle, and accessible—just totally different from what I’d seen in dog training before.”
At VSA, Kent learned to bridge theory and practice. “The curriculum was rigorous and the methods made sense to me as a teacher. It felt like earning another master’s degree,” he says. He especially appreciated working with Faculty Advisor Bob Ryder. “Bob was wonderful—empathetic and insightful. It was the perfect match for me,” he says.
Growing Skills
VSA has enriched Kent’s therapy dog work and helped open other doors. He became an American Kennel Club evaluator and earned approval to assess therapy dog teams. Then, a fellow handler introduced him to TADSAW (Train a Dog, Save a Warrior), a nonprofit that provides medical support dogs to veterans battling anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions.
Today, Kent does some of the most meaningful work of his life, supporting and bringing together dogs and people for healing. One recent success was preparing a social worker-rescue dog team to provide therapy and support to residents at a women’s shelter. His teaching background and positive training foundation have helped Kent become a go-to resource in his region.
A Musical Tribute
Perhaps the most beautiful expression of Kent’s passion for positive training methods shines through the song he wrote while enrolled in VSA. “I was walking my dogs in the forest, doing one of the VSA’s suggested exploratory walks,” he recalls. “The song just started to come to me. It was a reflection of everything I wish I’d done differently with the dogs I had over the years.”
Its title was sparked by a dedication in the book Rocket Recall, written by VSA faculty member Lisa Waggoner, which had resonated deeply with Kent. “That phrase—‘If only I’d known then what I know now’—just stuck with me,” he says. Each verse of Kent’s song gently explores the principles of positive reinforcement training. Lyrics like “I would have offered you some choice / I never would have raised my voice” remind us all that once we know better, we can do better for the dogs in our care.
Bring a tissue and watch Kent performing “If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” or listen to the soundtrack to his slideshow.
Learn more about preparing for a rewarding career as a dog trainer with VSA’s premier Dog Trainer Course.
