Our Story

It all started with Magic

What began with one dog became a deeper understanding of behaviour, training, and the connection between dogs and their people.

But that story didn’t start there…

Growing Up Around Animals

Chapter One

Bush life and early influences

My name is Trent Wildman, and I grew up around animals. Not on a farm, and not in a zoo — but in the bushland of Mount Crosby, just outside Brisbane.

My father was a radio announcer and my childhood was split between two worlds; bush life and music. I spent a lot of time in and around the radio station, surrounded by sound, creativity, and storytelling, which naturally pulled me toward music from an early age.

My mother is an artist, and growing up around her work had a huge influence on me. Expression, imagination, and creative thinking were always present.

A life surrounded by animals

Animals were also a profound influence on me and we had quite the menagerie while I was growing up.

My father had a deep love for wildlife and was part of a local volunteer network that cared for injured native animals. In our small bush community, he was often the person called when a kangaroo, possum, wallaby, echidna, flying fox, snake, or bird was injured.

I grew up watching him rescue joeys from pouches, rehabilitate injured wildlife, and nurse animals back to health before releasing them again.

Alongside rescued wildlife, we had horses, ducks, geese, chickens, goats, and family dogs on our modest 2 acres.

What animals taught me

Being surrounded by so many different species taught me something early on — every animal communicates differently, yet they all understand connection, energy, and intention.

That understanding has stayed with me to this day.

Chapter Two

Music, Sport, and Finding My Path

Loss, focus, and direction

From my early childhood, I formed an especially close bond with our family dog. Losing her during my teenage years had a profound impact on me, and in many ways I threw myself deeper into music and sport afterward.

Discipline through sport

Throughout school, I was heavily involved in sport and competed across almost everything available — basketball, soccer, rugby, cricket, volleyball, and swimming.

Basketball eventually became my main focus, and by the end of high school I faced a genuine decision: pursue sport professionally or follow music.

Choosing music

Around that same time, my brother introduced me to some new music styles, particularly hip hop, scratching, and turntablism. I became fascinated with the craft and ultimately chose music.

I went on to build a long and successful career as a DJ in Brisbane.

My work also allowed me to travel extensively and that included a three year stay, living in Los Angeles.

Despite always wanting a dog of my own, my lifestyle never truly allowed it.

...Magic Arrives

Chapter Three

A shift in pace

That changed about four years ago when I returned to Brisbane and decided to settle permanently in Newstead.

For the first time, life slowed down enough for me to make a decision I had yearned to make for years.

I got a dog.

The moment everything changed

That dog is “Magic”. A chocolate Lab with a beautiful white splash across his chest, very closely resembling the “Ghost Busters” logo.

Magic came into my life as a six week old puppy, and from the moment he arrived, something clicked between us.

Chapter Four

Discovering Dog Behaviour

From obedience to understanding

I became deeply invested in understanding him — not just training behaviours, but learning canine psychology, communication, and the relationship between human emotion and dog behaviour.

Training stopped feeling like obedience and started feeling like conversation.

A new direction

The first six months with Magic completely changed my direction. I found myself studying constantly, wanting to understand more about behaviour, learning theory, and how dogs truly experience the world.

Learning from others

Interestingly, my introduction to structured dog training had actually begun two years earlier. A close friend of mine started training his own dog, approaching the experience with a highly analytical mindset. Seeing his commitment to exploring the training concepts in great depth prompted me to learn and expand my skillset.

Together, we completed certification studies through Leerburg Academy and continued learning from respected trainers whose philosophies aligned with ours — including Michael Ellis, Robert Cabral, Will Atherton, and Tom Davis.

A clear philosophy

Their approach emphasised clarity, fairness, structure, and building strong, lasting relationships between dogs and owners. I carried those values into the Making Magic Animals training principles.

Final Chapter

The Birth of Making Magic Animals

It Was Never the Plan

But it became everything.

I never set out to become a dog trainer. I just wanted to raise the best dog I could: calm, confident, and balanced in the human world.

Over time, that became something bigger.

That’s where Making Magic Animals was born.

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