Hi there! My name is Avery and I would love the opportunity to get to know you and your four-legged friend. I am currently a graduate student at East Carolina University and I have an extensive personal and professional background caring for and working with dogs of all shapes and sizes. I began grooming, training, and competing in American Kennel Club sanctioned dog shows 16 years ago and it has become a life-long passion. I have grooming and handling experience with small, medium, large, and giant breeds, with my most extensive experience being in giant breeds. I also have some clinical experience. I spent over 2 years working as a kennel technician at a veterinary hospital, where I cared for animals that were being boarded at the facility. I also have some veterinary technician training and am well-versed in pet first aid. I currently share my heart and home with two Great Danes, Kadan and Keela. Keela is 6 and Kadan is 11 so I also have experience caring for senior dogs. In addition to my grooming, first aid, and basic care experience, I have about 10 years of experience practicing positive reinforcement based training. For most behaviorists and professional trainers, positive reinforcement training is considered the gold standard. It has been found to have longer-lasting results and build stronger human/pet bonds than more punitive training strategies. I have had great success with these methods with my own dogs and clients’ dogs alike. I have used positive reinforcement based training to train dogs for competitions as well as basic at-home obedience and manners. I enjoy spending time with animals more than anything else in the world and I would love the opportunity to get to know you and your pet! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.