In 2006, I volunteered as a dog foster at the Richmond SPCA, Richmond, VA eager to provide a temporary home and give lots of snuggles to some adorable puppies. Never would I have expected that this simple act, volunteering to foster, would spark a passion that would ignite a 15+ year career in dog training.

My journey began when I found myself fostering a 4-week-old, white-haired, pink-nosed puppy who we came to call Yuki. During her time in my home, I discovered that Yuki was deaf. Instead of seeing her deafness as a challenge, I saw it as an opportunity to learn something new. I dove into the world of hand-signal training, and soon had Yuki understanding two thumbs up meant “good girl” as well as learning commands like “sit”, “wait”, and “let’s go for a walk”. Needless to say, through our work together, Yuki and I were bonded for life and she became a permanent member of our family.

But my journey didn’t stop there. I was fascinated with the world of training and particularly with the various forms of positive reinforcement training that could be used with fearful, reactive, or otherwise challenging dogs. I made it my mission to understand them better and, in turn, help them be the best versions of themselves, so they could live happily with their families.

Fast forward to the present I have worked with hundreds of dogs as a full-time trainer via the Richmond SPCA, Richmond, VA. I am proud to be certified by the Council for Professional Dog Trainers, and to have worked with and learned from some of the best training minds in the country including Suzanne Clothier, Trish King, Pat Engel, and the late Dr. Sophia Yin and to have had the opportunity to teach the next generation of trainers, shelter volunteers and pet owners alike.

As a trainer, my mission is to be the voice for misunderstood pups so they can live confident, happy lives as beloved members of their family. How do I achieve that? By using training methods that are humane and successful for your dog. Recent studies on dog behavior have proven that positive reinforcement training, or reward-based training, builds trust, works without fear, and creates a strong bond between you and your furry friend through kindness and encouragement. Instead of focusing on punishment for inappropriate behaviors, I emphasize rewarding appropriate behavior with treats, praise, playing, and affection. Our aim will be to make training sessions enjoyable and effective while achieving the behavior you want. That means no prong, choke, or E-collars are used in training, as these methods have proven to cause unnecessary fallout behaviors.

Training isn’t just about teaching your pet; it’s also about training the person on the other end of the leash—YOU! Through training, you’ll learn to read your dog’s body language, anticipate their needs, and respond appropriately.

Join me on this journey as we collaborate to understand your pet and cultivate a well-behaved member of your family.

• Dog Aggression Conference with Michael Shikashio
• Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship Program
• Shelter Playgroup Alliance Core Education Program
• Correcting Canine Misbehavior and Aggression with Pat Miller
• Terry Ryan’s Clicker Training Workshop
• Wolf Park Workshop in Battlefield, IN
• Dolphin Experience in Hawaii
• Reading Dog Body Language Workshop (Instructor)
• Pet University Seminar on Learning Theory and Training Techniques (Instructor)