A severe dog bite doesn’t end when the wound is stitched or the adrenaline wears off. It keeps going in your sleep, in your startle response to barking, and in the quiet shame that can hit hardest when you’re “the professional” who’s supposed to know better. That’s why we wanted to hold space for Marilyn Gilchrist, a respected dog training and behavior professional, to tell the full truth of what happened when a foster visit turned into a serious attack and a life-altering injury. We walk step by...
A severe dog bite doesn’t end when the wound is stitched or the adrenaline wears off. It keeps going in your sleep, in your startle response to barking, and in the quiet shame that can hit hardest when you’re “the professional” who’s supposed to know better. That’s why we wanted to hold space for Marilyn Gilchrist, a respected dog training and behavior professional, to tell the full truth of what happened when a foster visit turned into a serious attack and a life-altering injury.
We walk step by step through the incident, the ER reality check, and the long physical healing process, but we spend just as much time on the invisible aftermath: panic around unfamiliar dogs, hypervigilance, replaying every second for missed signals, and the identity crisis of wondering who you are if dogs no longer feel safe. Marilyn shares how quickly she shut down her business, how hard it was to find useful resources for dog bite trauma, and why some online spaces made things worse through blame and sensationalism.
From there, we get practical. Marilyn explains what helped her most, including a trauma-informed therapist who prioritized safety, immediate coping tools, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and hypnotherapy that proved far more effective than she expected. We also talk about support networks that actually show up, returning to work in a way that feels doable, and how her experience sharpened her commitment to listening to dog body language and protecting consent, even if that means disappointing people.
If you work with dogs, especially aggression and reactivity cases, this conversation is a grounded reminder that recovery is possible and you don’t have to do it alone. Subscribe for more honest conversations, share this with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review with the one part you wish our industry talked about more.
ABOUT MARILYN:
Marilyn Gilchrist has pursued extensive education in dog behaviour and training, earning qualifications from a number of institutions including PACT and is a registered Animal Training Instructor through the ABTC. She has a profound passion for trailing which started in 2017 with her rescue dog Lola! Now trailing her Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Scout (who has attained Expert Level status) and Spicy Dachshund Jem, Marilyn has seen first hand the benefits trailing can bring to a dog’s wellbeing. Deciding to focus on trailing in 2022, Marilyn went on to set up The Canine School of Trailing with Rachel Rodgers where they focus on teaching other dog professionals how to add this enriching activity to their businesses.
https://thecanineschooloftrailing.co.uk/
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