FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a CPDT, Master Dog Trainer, and AKC CGC Evaluator and STAR Puppy Instructor with 15+ years experience in the field. While I'm also accredited as a dog training instructor through Petco, my primary certification was provided by Anthony Jerone's School of Dog Training and Career. I am currently actively improving my education in the field by participating in various classes, seminars, and programs to expand the scope of my knowledge.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
While I first showed an interest in training when I was very young, running the family dog through an agility course of my rocking horse, a pillow fort, and a broomstick propped across two chairs, I really identify my training career to have begun in 2010 when we adopted a Labrador puppy with a high prey drive and selective hearing. Before he was even 7 months old, Nizzy snapped out of a leather collar and ran across a frozen river. We had a choice to make at that point: learn to train this dog or watch him kill himself because he didn't know any better. In the months to follow, I threw myself in to learning as much as I could to be the best trainer for Nizzy. I ended up graduating high school a year early and immediately jumping in to a training career, spending years working for Petco as a purely positive dog trainer, before branching out to doggy daycares and veterinary practices. Eventually expanding my reach by continuing my education with Anthony Jerone and starting my own business as a balanced dog trainer.
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
It's so important to be cognizant of your goals and what it may entail to reach them. Some of the first questions I ask a new client include current behavioral concerns, long and short term training goals, how and when a dog became a part of the family, as well as information on training history.