Kara proudly calls Connecticut home, and has had the opportunity to teach and assist with classes at various dog training facilities in state and in Massachusetts. She enjoys teaching family dog obedience, barn hunt, weight pull, nosework, and tricks as well as modifying fearful, reactive, and aggressive behaviors in dogs. Kara is a judge for United States Canine Scent Sports (USCC) and Happy Ratters, and is also an AKC Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog evaluator. Finally, she also serves as a puppy raiser for various service dog organizations and works closely with several rescues in state. Kara has always been a natural teacher. She has a sincere passion and enthusiasm for learning and educating people. Kara holds a master’s degree Medieval Studies with a focus on British and French literature, and is a former college professor. However, she credits her true calling to become a dog trainer to her dad, who seemed to possess the ability to charm ant dog he met, as well as her previous dog, Angelus, a rescued Rottweiler x German Shepherd x Husky mix. It was Angelus’s struggle with separation anxiety that sparked Kara’s interest in animal training and behavior. Kara loves to learn and has benefited from shadowing and being mentored by various dog trainers throughout her career, learning about everything from obedience and sports to pets and behavior modification to service dogs and personal protection/bite work. She regularly attends conferences, seminars, workshops, and webinars to enhance her knowledge and stay up to date with the latest training techniques. Furthermore, she holds a nationally recognized dog training certificate (knowledge assessed) through The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Currently, and is pursuing a certification in canine behavior. She also has extensive experience raising and training puppies as well as caring for senior dogs. She holds a certificate in CPR and Canine First Aid through The American Red Cross and is comfortable administering medication. Kara’s other interests include all forms of canine medicine (including natural, alternative, and holistic approaches), nutrition, canine fitness and conditioning, and biological fulfillment.