LEARN ABOUT US
Hi, I’m Dar Miller—Certified Coach, pet loss grief support specialist, human, and founder of Dog Ear Society. My journey to this work wasn’t a straight line. It was deeply personal, sometimes painful, and ultimately healing.
I grew up always having dogs, including Wrangler—a blue heeler who roamed free on a ranch, always surrounded by cattle, horses, and open skies. When I moved to the city in the ‘90s, I made the heartbreaking decision to leave him behind with family—not out of my neglect, but out of love. I knew the city wouldn’t serve him the way the the lifestyle he had always known could. That was my first real understanding of how complex and emotional dog ownership could be. It wasn’t just about the animal. It was about making human choices that sometimes hurt deeply.
Years later, in 2010, my relationship with dogs took a devastating turn. I was walking with my husband when a large leashed dog lunged and launched an attack on me. The physical wounds healed. The psychological ones took much, much longer. I developed a fear so intense that I’d cross the street to avoid any dog large or small. I waited for the next elevator if any dog was inside. I suffered waves of anxiety just seeing a tail wag. I no longer trusted dogs and was devastating fearful for my safety near them. Over time, and through the lens of healing and coaching, I began to wonder about the other human in that story—the dog’s owner. Had she been traumatized too? Did she carry guilt? Regret? Fear? It was the first moment I recognized that dog ownership carries emotional weight for people on all sides of an experience.
That realization deepened years later, during my coaching certification, when a client came to a session overwhelmingly distressed. He started his story amid a life upheaval—moving overseas, launching a new business—he mentioned, almost offhandedly, that he’d made the decision to put his aging, ailing dog to sleep rather than put him through the stress of relocation. In that moment, he broke down. Quietly, I asked, “Can you tell me about your dog?” And something remarkable happened. He told me his dog’s name. He told me their history. And then he told me stories of his dog—little ones, tender ones, funny ones. As he spoke, I could hear the joy returning to his voice. The grief was still there, but so was love, and pride, and a sense of peace. In holding space for that moment, I realized something vital:
Dog ownership is a deeply human journey.
That session, along with my own experiences, became the seed for Dog Ear Society. I created this space to support the human behind every dog—to honor the emotional rollercoaster that comes with loving, losing, struggling with, or simply raising a dog. As a certified coach and certified grief coach for pet loss, I work with people navigating everything from trauma and behavior challenges to end-of-life decisions and complex grief. My mission isn’t to train your dog. It’s to support you—with empathy, clarity, and tools that help you feel seen, grounded, and capable. Whether you’re adjusting to a new pup, processing a difficult goodbye, or just trying to be the best version of yourself—for your dog and for you—you’re in the right place.
Welcome to Dog Ear Society. I’m glad you’re here.
— Dar 🐾