My professional dog training journey began in 2020, but my passion for animals has existed for as long as I can remember. In my early teens I struggled a lot with my mental health, trying various treatment options. After not much improvement, a service dog was brought up as a management/treatment plan. I was ecstatic that this meant I had a dog of my own to train! Zeki (2017-2025), pictured above, is my retired service dog who “got my foot in the door” of the dog world. I spent hours reading articles, watching videos, reading books, and absorbing as much information as I could! Due to being a minor at the time, my parents chose a local dog trainer who used aversive tools (positive punishment) to help with some training difficulties I was having. After being a client for a few years, I was hired by the same company and worked my way up from kennel tech to trainer. I spent 3 years learning and working there; it was a valuable experience that allowed me to attend seminars, work with personal and client dogs, teach group classes, gain kennel management experience, etc. After working there for a few years, I realized I wanted to go in a very different direction. That is when I started exploring force-free training with the help of Moth, at Feywild Dog Training. After “crossing over,” from positive punishment to positive reinforcement, I saw what a profound impact this had on my relationship with Zeki. He was happier, more expressive, more willing to work, and generally more enthusiastic; as a result, we finally felt in sync. Going back to our foundation and making sure his needs were met helped me fill in the cracks. I will always have the utmost appreciation and gratitude towards Zeki. He was such a loving and forgiving dog, he’s truly the reason I am where I am today.

Flash forward to 2024, which is when I began taking courses towards my CATCH certification. As part of my curriculum I completed a mentorship program with another CATCH trainer. After my mentorship and graduation in 2025, I started networking with other positive-reinforcement dog trainers in the Northeast Ohio area. This is where I met my current mentor, Valarie Ross, at Sits ‘n Wiggles Dog Training ‘n Behavior Consulting. Valarie is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (the first in NE Ohio), CPDT-KA, Family Dog Mediator (FDM), Fear Free Certified Professional Trainer, Cooperative Care Trainer (CARE-TC), IAABC-CDT, and has completed a masterclass in dog aggression. She has been an absolutely wonderful person to work with; deep diving into learning about dog behavior with her has been an invaluable opportunity!