Victoria Stilwell

Stilwell worked across author, actor and television presenter. This article rests on 7 published texts, 2 digitised documents and 16 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Victoria Stilwell • Born — 20 July 1969 • Birthplace — Wimbledon, London, England, UK • Known for — It's Me or the Dog Greatest American Dog • Employer — Animal Planet, Channel 4, CBS • Years Active — 1995–present • Occupation — Dog trainer, television presenter, author, actress • Spouse — Van Zeiler • Children — 1 • Website — positively.com

Stilwell originally trained as an actress, playing roles in ITV1's The Bill in 1994, and onstage in London's West End theatre, as well as several commercials and voiceovers. She received a BA honours degree in Theatre from Middlesex University. In order to supplement her income as an actress, Stilwell's veterinary nurse sister suggested that she start a dog walking agency. She then expanded her focus to dog training and after moving to the United States with her husband in 1999, Stilwell co-founded several dog training companies up and down the East Coast. Stilwell is currently certified by the Animal Behaviour and Training Associates, and is a longtime member of the US Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).

Stilwell created the Victoria Stilwell Foundation, whose mission is "to provide financial support and canine behaviour expertise to assistance dog organisations and small animal rescue shelters while promoting the concept of reward-based, positive reinforcement dog training philosophies in organisations and households throughout the United States." Stilwell works with animal rescue organizations around the world, serving as a behavior adviser for shelters in Atlanta, New York, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong while giving regular seminars on the subject of dog rescue, training and rehabilitation. She has been involved in animal welfare and protection organizations on the international stage, including serving as an Advisory Board Member of RedRover and a National Ambassador for American Humane. She also worked as a volunteer adoption counselor for the ASPCA.

From 2005 to 2012 and 2021-2022 Stilwell worked with unruly dogs on her TV show, It's Me or the Dog, which has aired in over 125 countries and is also available on YouTube. The show features Stilwell as she counsels families with problem pets and uses positive reinforcement training techniques to help them learn how to correct their dogs' behaviour. Originally produced for Channel 4 in the UK, the show premiered in the US on Animal Planet in April 2007, and over 110 episodes have been aired worldwide. A typical episode involves a family struggling to cope with their misbehaving dog(s). Stilwell initially observes the problems on site, and then presents the family with her opinion regarding the causes of the issues. She then works with the family and their dogs to restore balance.

Dogs With Extraordinary Jobs is a TV series, created, co-produced and narrated by Stilwell for Blue Ant Media (syndicated worldwide including the Smithsonian Channel in the US) in 2018 and 2019. Each episode highlights the extraordinary work of dogs around the world as they assist humans.

Stilwell served as one of three judges and behaviour experts on the 2016 Sky TV series Dogs Might Fly. The series tracked several rescue dogs from UK animal shelters as they worked with dog trainers to determine if one of them could learn to co-pilot a small airplane.

Stilwell was one of three judges on the CBS show Greatest American Dog, in which 12 dog-owner teams compete for the title 'Greatest American Dog' and a $250,000 prize. The series debuted on CBS 10 July 2008.

Stilwell created a podcast called Positively Dog Training - the Official Victoria Stilwell Podcast, available on iTunes and all other major podcast providers. With co-host Holly Firfer (CNN), Stilwell discusses the latest news and trends in the pet world, answers fans' questions about dog training and behavior, and interviews special guests about the pet industry and beyond.

Stilwell has been featured in numerous magazines and journals including The New York Times, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, the Daily Mail, MSNBC.com, Oprah Magazine, Self Magazine, Psychology Today and more. She has been a regular columnist for The Bark, Dog World, American Dog and Dogs Today magazines, and she has appeared on numerous talk shows, news broadcasts and radio shows in the US, Europe and Asia as a dog training and pet behavior expert. She is the resident pet expert for CNN's HLN network and the BBC's The One Show, and she has been seen on multiple international broadcasts. She has also appeared in The Dog Academy.

Stilwell serves on the boards of several animal-related institutions including Canine Assistants, RedRover, DogTV, Greyhound Rescue of West England, Grey Muzzle, the Soi Dog Foundation, and the W-Underdogs. She advocates animal rescue and has supported Paws Atlanta, Atlanta Pet Rescue, Stray from the Heart (NYC), Hong Kong Dog Rescue, Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, the Waterside Action Group, Deed Not Breed (campaigning to re-write the UK's Dangerous Dogs Act to remove breed-specific legislation) as well as Vets Get Scanning, promoting mandatory pet microchipping and scanning by vets.

Stilwell met her husband, actor Van Zeiler, while starring opposite him in the West End theatre production of Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story. The couple and their daughter live in Atlanta, Georgia. After many years without a pet dog of her own (due to the international travel schedule required for her various TV shows), Stilwell adopted a rescued chocolate Labrador named Sadie. In early 2011, Stilwell fostered a Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher mix named Jasmine and decided to adopt her. Following Sadie's death at the age of 15 in 2018, Stilwell adopted an elderly mixed breed dog named Bella. Prior to that, she had spent her time since 2000 fostering dogs due to be euthanised by local municipal shelters. Stilwell and her husband then gave the dogs a home while rehabilitating them and eventually finding suitable homes for the animals. She has explained that until her international travel requirements were reduced, owning a dog would have been irresponsible and unfair to the dog, considering how much the whole family travels. The family has re-homed over 50 dogs and cats. Stilwell is a critic of fox hunting and was among more than 20 high-profile people who signed a letter to Members of Parliament in 2015 to oppose Conservative prime minister David Cameron's plan to amend the Hunting Act 2004.

Victoria Stilwell is recorded with the occupation television presenter. Established in Bibliothèque nationale de France under 15667250x. Established in Library of Congress under nb2007011364. Recorded as writer, actress and television presenter. Established in ISNI under 000000005029444X. Victoria Stilwell is established in VIAF under 1995135.