ABOUT

Thank you for stopping by. I would like you to know a little about me. I have lived in KC since 1985. I have always had a passion for animals. It grew from kittens, puppies, and ponies, to all animals, most particularly baby animals. The first dog I trained was mine in high school given to me by a guy that I dated a few times. I was surprised my dad let us keep him. He was a black lab and we named him Casper. 

I didn't understand it then, but now know I was born with the gift of understanding dogs. From micro expressions, emotion, and then how to show them to offer behaviors with a cue. I thought that it was something everyone knew. It wasn't until I started volunteering with a local humane organization that I realized that lots of people didn't understand communication with dogs. That is when the hard part of dog training began. 

While my communication with dogs came easily, my communication with people had a lot of work that needed to be done. I didn't realize that I came off harsh and abrupt. I have been working on my communication for a very long time, and it constantly evolves. I really do try hard to make sure I am not communicating with emotion, but with compassion, understanding, and  instructive. 

While volunteering I learned that the biggest reason dogs and cats end up in shelters is because people don't understand the needs of our furry friends. There are emotional needs, sure. But there are lots of innate needs that we must understand to take good care of our dogs. There are logistics in dog understanding that we simply need to know. The biggest is in regards to housebreaking. Most people don't understand that a dogs development of proper and acceptable potty habits begins with the mommy dog and her relationship with her puppy, and evolves into the den concept. From there, when we bring our puppy home, and we must expand their knowledge to understand the human's definition of a "den." It can feel complicated, when the concept is a simple one.

I began my journey with puppy, dog, and people training in 1997. I apprenticed with a dog trainer, taught obedience classes in many locations, and eventually opened up a store front. When my grandmother passed, she left an inheritance to me just specifically for that purpose. I ran that business, which included dog daycare, boarding, and training (board and trains, classes, and individual training.) I sold the business in 2006 to raise my son, who most recently began his own journey in life. I am now ready to go back to what really matters to me and what I think I was meant to do with my life. 

I work full time to keep the lights on, so this is my "side hustle." Nothing would make me happier than living where I work, and working where I live. I just have to figure out how to get there on my own. 

I am available evenings and weekends. Sadly, if you require week days, I will probably have to pass.

THANK YOU AGAIN, FOR STOPPING BY.