Looking back...

...I suppose that working with dogs was always my calling. I was the little kid who was more interested in animals than anything else. I knew the names of all the dogs in my neighborhood, and I’m told that even when I was little, I had a quiet patience and understanding that put animals at ease. I have many fond memories of playing with family dogs, friends’ dogs, neighborhood dogs…you get the idea. They were always the ones I noticed first and wanted to spend time with.

In high school and college, I got a little sidetracked and ended up pursuing a career in natural resources and wildlife. I spent a few rewarding years studying various species throughout North America and was lucky enough to be involved in a lot of valuable, hands-on research. However, I was slowly but persistently called back to a career with my first love, the domestic dog, and that’s why I’m here today.

First, I got lucky enough to land a job as a professional dog groomer (long story).  I loved the opportunity to work with dogs. I have been at that now for about 15 years and still find it to be incredibly rewarding.  I have also spent a lot of time working with shelters and rescue dogs, and am passionate about helping them in any way that I can.  Meanwhile, I’ve adopted and fostered multiple dogs of my own who I’ve needed to learn to understand in order to work through various difficult behaviors.  I learned a lot along the way and knew that I wanted to use this knowledge to help as many dogs and people as possible.  This led me to enroll in Victoria Stilwell’s Academy for dog trainers, where I’ve learned to bring together my passions for science, dogs, and helping people.