I have been around dogs all of my life. Growing up in the Hudson Valley, we had two dogs: an American Pit Bull Terrier and an APBT Staffie mix. They were the most athletic and lovey dogs! They completed a five mile hike that has a fairly long and vertical scramble section at 14 years old! In their senior years, they had medical issues so I am experienced with med management and adopting activities to their capabilities. Currently, my fiance and I have a half APBT, half Siberian Husky dog. He is the best! We adopted him from a family that kept him in his crate for so long that he bit off a large portion of the hair on his tail. He was reactive in the beginning, lunging at cars on the road and barking and lunging at dogs on walks. I used Spirit Dog Training’s reactivity course and my education in behavioral psychology and research to fix these issues. He no longer does either things and his hair has grown back in spades! We keep him busy by training him (tricks) and mentally stimulated with sniff walks and games like find it, as well as off leash time, hikes, runs, etc. We love hiking with Oto: he recently completed numerous hikes in Acadia National Park and has done Camel’s Hump in VT and Mt. Osceola in NH: he plans on completing the NH 48! In general, I love being outside and active: hiking, snowshoeing, snowboarding, running, kayaking, rock climbing and going to the gym. I love all dogs, but have a particular drive to keep working dogs happy and healthy! German Shepherds, Border Collies, Huskies, Cattle Dogs, Anatolian Shepherds: it is amazing what they can do and how they have served our communities in numerous roles for decades. I have spent a lot of time with my sister’s German Shepherd and half GSD half Anatolian dogs. I also volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding center and rode horseback for several years; I find being around horses to be great training for how to interact with, and train, dogs. They are so big that they don’t HAVE to listen to you. Maintaining confidence (even if you don’t feel like it) and a steady hand go a long way, as well as keeping aware of their body language and behaviors. They are very sensitive creatures.