Path & Paws™ was created for people who are doing pretty well, but still feel the steady weight of everyday stress.
It started with a simple observation: people often feel better when they’re with their dogs. But most of us don’t think about why that happens—or how we can intentionally use that connection to feel calmer and more grounded in everyday life.
Path & Paws™ was created to bridge that gap. It’s a thoughtful, non-clinical wellness experience that helps you discover how the relationship you already have with your dog can become a meaningful source of support.
Path & Paws™ is not psychotherapy, and it’s not dog training. We don’t diagnose, treat, or correct. Instead, we focus on awareness, connection, and choice—helping you discover what genuinely helps you feel better.
And your dog isn’t a tool. They’re a partner. Their personality, comfort, choices, and wellbeing matter just as much as yours.
There’s no single definition of calm. Some dogs help us slow down with closeness and quiet. Others help us feel better through movement, play, and shared energy.
Path & Paws™ makes room for all of it. The goal isn’t to tell you what should work. It’s to help you discover what works for you and your dog, and bring those moments of connection into everyday life.
Practical. Personal. Grounded in the bond you already share.
Path & Paws™ was co-created by Annalisa (“Lylly”) Smithson and Jeff Dentler, bringing together two areas of expertise: human wellbeing and dog behavior.
Lylly is a mental-health professional with extensive experience in animal-assisted and nature-based approaches. Through her clinical and community work, she saw that while therapy can be incredibly valuable, not everyone needs therapy—and many people are looking for support that fits naturally into everyday life.
Jeff is a canine behavior expert with deep experience in force-free, welfare-centered training and human–dog communication. His approach focuses on trust, consent, relationship, and understanding rather than control or correction.
Together, they created Path & Paws™ as a structured wellness program built around the relationship people already share with their dogs. The program is designed to support everyday stress while respecting professional boundaries and putting both human and animal wellbeing first.
What began as a small, in-person program is now growing through licensed facilitators who share the same values and standards. Each program is delivered locally, with care and consistency, so the experience stays true to what Path & Paws™ was built to be.
Path & Paws™ exists because calm doesn’t always require fixing—and sometimes, meaningful support is already right beside you.
Path and Paws™
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Path & Paws™ is an educational program and cannot take the place of medical care or mental healthcare.
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