At Pawsitive Strides AZ, we don’t just work with dogs—we support the humans on the opposite end of the leash. The ones who’ve given their all—heart, soul, and energy—and who’ve carried the weight of the world for so long, that now they’re feeling drained, emotionally scattered, disconnected, and overwhelmed.

Hello! My name is Maria. And I know that feeling deeply.

I have been a very accomplished ultra-cyclist known for her tenacity, resilience, perseverance, and ability to finish every race I started…I even once was a motivational speaker that people looked up to in moments of self doubt and feelings of defeat. But over time, I found myself living in a constant state of rush, always on the go, not being able to say no to anything or anyone, and without setting clear boundaries until I couldn’t recognize myself anymore. Everything around me reflected the internal chaos I hadn’t stopped to face. Somewhere along the way, I got completely lost, got into a ‘fight or flight’ mode that depleted all of my energy sources, didn't recognize myself anymore and worst I stopped leading not only myself and those around me but also my dogs.

Pawsitive Strides AZ was born when I finally realized that something needed to change. I figured I didn’t need to to constantly thrive for ‘perfection’ and just needed to return to calm and find my balance again. I realized that if I wanted my pack to be balanced I needed to regain my own balance first as animals will not follow unbalanced humans.

We don’t add more anxiety and create more confusion by going straight into strict obedience training. We also do not tackle the symptoms but the root of the problem. Once we do we also help you become relevant and find connection with your dog through dog psychology—so you can live a harmonious life together with your pack.

If any of these resonate with you reach out and lets chat:

• You feel burnt out, and ready to reconnect with yourself and your dogs.

• You feel overwhelmed by your complex, high-energy, and/or working dogs constantly ‘acting out’.

• You feel there’s constant chaos around your dogs and you in the house.

  
  You don’t have to do it perfectly.

  COME AS YOU ARE.

Let’s walk this journey together—one calm, intentional ‘stride’ at a time.