Cobb’s surprising connection to nationally recognized pet experts | Cobb Life Magazine

One has trained cats to ride skateboards and play miniature pianos. The other stars in her own TV show, helping families turn their unruly dogs into beloved companions. Meet Ingrid Johnson and Victoria Stilwell, two nationally recognized animal experts with deep ties to Cobb and a shared mission to build better bonds between people and their pets.

Victoria Stilwell always aspired for a career on the big screen — just not one filled with wagging tails and treat pouches. Growing up, the future star of popular show “It’s Me or the Dog” had dreams of becoming an actress.

Her introduction to dogs came in the early ‘90s while saving money for drama school. Stilwell took her sister’s advice and began dog sitting, a common side hustle in the veterinary field, where her sister worked as a nurse. One client quickly ballooned into 20, and within a few weeks, she had a bustling dog-sitting business.

“As soon as someone knows you’re trustworthy then everyone wants to hire you,” she said.

As Stilwell spent more time with dogs, she discovered a natural connection with them. She was captivated by their distinct personalities, from the rambunctious energy of Boxers to the intelligence of German Shepherds, and appreciated how each dog had its own quirks and charm, much like people.

“I did not have a clue what I was doing, but my dogs would listen to me,” she said. “I didn’t put pressure on them. There was no training involved, no expectations.”

Despite the success of her dog-walking business, Stilwell’s acting aspirations didn’t budge. So, she opted to juggle both. She enrolled in drama school, signed with an agent and booked her first professional gig in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” She later performed in several musicals in the West End, which she described as London’s Broadway, all while continuing to care for dogs, including ones with famous owners.

“I dog sat for some very well-known people and very wealthy people in London,” she said, remaining tight-lipped about names. “I don’t talk unless I’m photographed with a famous client. I treat my famous clients as much as I treat the clients that are not famous.”

Stilwell made a pivotal decision to pursue dog training professionally. She studied under some of Britain’s most respected positive-reinforcement trainers and behaviorists and earned certifications through the Animal Behavior Training Associates and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

In 2000, Stilwell moved to New York City with her husband, Van, where she spent five years balancing her acting career and growing dog-training business. 

 “After a couple of years, I decided that I loved acting, but I loved training dogs more,” Stilwell told Cobb Life. “I just loved being with animals. I loved seeing the change. I loved going into homes where there was such disharmony and creating harmony.”

Stilwell became especially passionate about helping rescue animals in need of behavior rehabilitation. Witnessing the crisis of overcrowded shelters, she became determined to help owners on the brink of surrendering their dogs.

She reached out to several media outlets — newspapers, TV stations, magazines, even the “Today Show” — but got little traction. Then, inspiration struck while watching “Super Nanny,” a British reality show that followed Jo Frost as she helped parents improve their children’s behavior.

Stilwell saw parallels between Frost’s methods and her own, prompting her to email the show’s producers with a pitch for her own version, called “Super Trainer,” where she’d work with unruly dogs and their owners.

The production company responded within a day. She submitted a tape of her in action with a family and their misbehaving dog in January 2005, and by March, she was filming the pilot of “It’s Me or the Dog” for Channel 4 in the U.K.

The show’s popularity skyrocketed. Animal Planet picked it up in 2007 and commissioned four additional seasons in the U.S., bringing the total to eight seasons, including two filmed in Atlanta.

Several episodes of “It’s Me or the Dog” were filmed right here in Cobb County. Through her work, Stilwell has also visited the Cobb County Animal Shelter on numerous occasions, spoke at local schools about dog safety and collaborated with several local pet-focused nonprofits, including Homeless Pets Foundation in Marietta.

“Cobb County was a lovely place to work,” she said. “So many people are dog lovers, so many people want to do right with their dogs. It’s just a lovely dog-owning community.” 

Through her show, Stilwell helped hundreds of families avoid giving away their dogs by teaching positive reinforcement training techniques. She taught owners how to understand their dog, its behaviors and how to rewire their habits through positivity and praise. 

“As positive trainers, we incorporate humane, science-led techniques to teach dogs and people skills to live successfully together,” Stilwell said. “We don’t use shock collars or choke chains. We teach real-world skills that dogs are going to need to thrive.”

She said dogs’ cognitive abilities are similar to toddlers, which is why successful training comes from patience, not pressure. 

And understanding a dog’s behaviors — not just its needs — is what makes someone a great guardian. Instead of scolding a dog for digging up tulips or chewing a new pair of sneakers, she said owners should recognize these actions as natural instincts and redirect them in constructive ways.

“Stop labeling behavior as good or bad,” she said. “Chewing, digging, jumping — those are natural for dogs. We just need to help them navigate our human world without losing what makes them dogs in the first place.”

Beyond her show and several other television appearances, Stilwell has remained active in advocacy and education. She’s a proud board member of the Georgia Pet Coalition, which focuses on passing animal-centric legislation at the state level. One of the organization’s recent victories includes the passage of House Bill 331, which prohibits the sale or adoption of pets in certain public locations such as flea markets and parking lots — a key move in the fight against puppy mills.

“This is vital,” she said. “It’s a huge win. We’ve got a massive pet overpopulation here in Georgia. Our shelters are filled to capacity.”

Stilwell is also the founder of the Victoria Stilwell Academy, an international school that trains aspiring dog behaviorists. She runs Positively.com, a popular online hub offering courses and resources for dog guardians around the globe. And, despite a packed schedule, she’s still filming — most recently a rebooted version of “It’s Me or the Dog” in the U.K.

“I want people to see how incredible dogs are,” she said. “The more shows I can do to show that, then that’s it. I’ll keep going until I can’t anymore.”

For Ingrid Johnson, working with cats has never been a hobby but a lifelong calling. The New York native grew up in what she calls a “multi-pet household,” surrounded by cats, dogs and even a rabbit.

“I’ve spent four months out of my entire life without cats  — and they were very lonely months,” Johnson told Cobb Life. “I was just one of those kids where my pets were my best friends. I didn’t have the closest friendships as a kid, so animals became my world.”

Over the years, Johnson has cared for 31 cats of her own. But through her decades of consulting and veterinary work, she’s helped thousands more. Johnson is the only Certified Cat Behavior Consultant in Georgia through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a credential that required more than 1,500 hours of consulting experience, multiple case studies and a written exam.

“It was well worth it,” she said.

Today, Johnson wears many hats. She runs Fundamentally Feline, a behavior consulting business with clients around the world, and manages Paws Whiskers and Claws, a feline-only veterinary hospital in Marietta, where she serves as a technician, groomer, adoption counselor and behaviorist.

Her expertise has made her a trusted voice in the field. She’s spoken at Atlanta Humane Society events, led volunteer training sessions at Marietta-based Good Mews Foundation and given lectures for veterinary professionals at IAABC’s Pounce! conference and Royal Canin webinars. She also serves as co-director of the Georgia chapter of the Paw Project, a national organization working to end the inhumane practice of cat declawing, and has been featured in a slate of print and online publications, including CNN, ​​WebMD, Cat Fancy magazine and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Johnson said her most exciting media appearance was on Animal Planet’s “Cats 101,” a series exploring various cat breeds through expert insights and owner testimonials. She appeared in the episode featuring the Colorpoint Shorthair, a vocal, affectionate and attention-seeking variety of the Siamese. Producers flew to Atlanta and filmed at her home, which she and her husband, Jake, then shared with three Colorpoint Shorthairs, two Siamese and three large dogs. Despite being a modest space that might not seem ideal for multiple cats, Johnson’s home is a feline’s paradise, complete with catios, wall-mounted shelves, scratching posts and toys in every corner. The episode highlighted her clever use of environmental enrichment techniques to keep cats stimulated, engaged and stress-free.

Johnson said being a go-to voice in cat behavior is a rewarding honor that comes with great responsibility. While many view cat ownership as the easier alternative to having a dog — just topping off food bowls and scooping litter boxes — she emphasized that felines are complex creatures who thrive on routine and require a variety of enrichment to stay happy and healthy.

“You do not have to walk them in a rainstorm, (but) that’s about all you get to knock off the care checklist,” Johnson quipped.

Stress, boredom and frustration are among the leading causes of behavioral issues in cats. The most frequent problem she encounters is aggression, often caused by poor introductions, mismatched personalities or redirected energy, followed closely by litter box avoidance. She said she’s never felt completely hopeless about helping a cat. In tough cases, it’s usually the owner she worries might hinder the animal’s progress.

“These problems are often much easier to fix if humans are open to making the changes I recommend,” Johnson explained.

Through her website, FundamentallyFeline.com, Johnson offers a full library of educational resources on cat care, from the basics of feline ownership and training fundamentals to caring for handicapped cats.

And yes, house cats can be trained — not just to perform fun tricks like riding skateboards, but for practical tasks such as taking medication, walking on a leash or willingly entering a carrier. In fact, Johnson believes training is one of the most effective ways to strengthen the bond between cats and their humans.

“I once taught a 9.5-year-old cat who didn’t like treats or human food to ride a skateboard,” Johnson said.  “Training gives you a language to communicate with your cat.”

Johnson said misinterpreting feline behavior is another common hurdle. Many owners confuse rough play between cats for aggression or assume a cat turning its back is being aloof, when it’s actually a sign of trust.

“The cat is showing you they trust you by being vulnerable and giving their back,” she said. 

Through her long-standing career of helping feline friends and their humans build a better bond, Johnson said she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. 

“Cats are one of the single most successful species on planet earth,” she said. “They are so resilient, strong, smart and adaptable. I am in awe of them every day. I am so grateful that I have been able to make a career out of saving their lives and helping others do the same.”