In 2020, I started training dogs and have since worked with roughly 300 dogs & their humans. I’ve always believed owners are a massive, yet often overlooked, piece of the puzzle and that they need to be an active part of the training equation.
Over the years, I’ve seen that most pet owners carry their own habits, fears, histories & hopes that factor into their relationship with their pets and how they communicate with one another. These experiences have led me to take a holistic approach to training. Asserting a dominant, militant attitude to coerce behaviors isn’t my style, and I don’t believe change comes from training dogs alone. Meaningful change in our dogs’ behavior must begin with compassion and a willingness to understand. We cannot modify our dog’s behavior without modifying our own.
My goal is to work with owners who want to create understanding between themselves & their animals, establishing a peaceful partnership with their pets, and cultivating a relationship where wild dogs can find their calm, and fearful dogs can begin to heal. I help dog lovers honor their pet’s instinct, and all the quirks that make them special, while setting boundaries that make cohabitating with canines work for their household.
Too often, owners aren’t living the life they had hoped for when they first brought their dog home because of problem behaviors that can be addressed by effective training and owner education. This is my passion: helping humans enjoy and understand their dogs so that more dogs may live happier, healthier, fuller lives.
What’s up with my dogs?
Trainers don’t have perfect pets. We’re all a work in progress.
These are the three dogs I have the pleasure of cohabiting with, learning from, and calling mine.
Bogard
I found Bogard at the Charleston Animal Society in 2019. I had no intention of adopting a dog, but I knew he was mine the moment I first interacted with him. I still can’t understand why he was in the shelter. For months, I worried someone on the street would recognize him and want him back. To me, he was perfect. But he was leash reactive.
Only having worked on trick training, I was in over my head. The reactivity got worse. At first, he was barking and lunging at other dogs, but with time, he was barking and lunging at anyone or anything that moved. I started avoiding walks, and when I did try to train him in my front yard, I was left frustrated, embarrassed, and often in tears. This is a story owners of leash-reactive dogs know too well, but there’s good news: it can get better.
Bogard taught me that only training with positive reinforcement isn’t effective for all dogs, that some dogs need a different approach. He taught me how to use tools out of my comfort zone. He taught me the value of patience, the power of resilience, and reminded me that practice can almost make perfect. Now, I can walk Bogard with confidence. Even better, his dog reactivity has transformed into a playfulness I could have never imagined. He gets along with dogs of all temperaments and sizes and has helped me socialize dozens of puppies. Sure, he still barks out of turn sometimes, but he lives a fuller life, one where he can go for longer walks, visit the groomer and vet without stress, and have playdates with other pups. And he still is so perfect to me.
Sullivan
We got Sullivan in 2020 from Craigslist. He was the last pup left in an accidental litter; he was the crazy one no one had wanted. The breeder asked me several times, are you sure you want this high energy dog?
Sullivan has taught me just how wonderful an extremely high energy dog is when we do our part as owners. Any mistake he makes is the direct result of my laziness. I always have a hiking buddy, fetch partner, and training guinea pig in him.
He keeps me on my toes, makes me laugh out loud, and has grown into a goofy, loveable, incredibly friendly adult dog. He’s also taught me it’s okay if your dog doesn’t like most other dogs. It took some time to accept, but I know now what a full life a dog selective (or even dog aggressive) dog can live.
Chewbacca (Chewy)
I met Chewy in 2022. His owner had paid for a board & train program with me to work on his obedience and human aggressive/reactive behavior. The first day I worked with him, he nipped at me for adjusting his collar. The second day, I took him to a park. We ran around the park and jumped on and off benches. We played training games. It was fun. And when I sat down during a break, he jumped up next to me and licked my face. All he needed was some space & a little time. Most folks hadn’t given him that.
Chewy made massive strides in his program and with his owner in the months after, but changing life circumstances a year later made it incredibly hard for his owner to give him the structure he needed. He was no longer flourishing, and so he moved in with us.
Chewy has brought joy to everyone he’s come to love. He’s a brave and lively little dog. He’s proof that even aggressive dogs can grow to lead big lives that include holiday trips, walking through crowded streets, and off-leash adventures. He’s a reminder that it’s smart to be cautious, but when we feel safe, and let our guard down, new relationships can flourish.
up dog 