I've always had an affinity for animals, having grown up alongside a variety of furry family members. In middle school, I began pet sitting for family, friends, and neighbors and spent my junior and senior year of high school volunteering at the local humane society in my Georgia hometown. After high school, I got a job at a pet store, and shortly after began my journey as a professional dog trainer. I have been training dogs and their people since 2018 and have had hundreds of students of all sizes, ages, and personality types. As part of my education as an instructor, I learned critical skills such as environmental management and accurate body language assessment. I am CPDT-KA certified with the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers and am pursuing further education through reputable sources in the field, including the Karen Pryor Academy and Victoria Stillwell Academy. I routinely attend behavior conferences and seminars to keep myself as informed and up-to-date as possible. Personally, I have a four-year-old, 85lb chocolate lab named McCoy, who is a part-time, task-trained service animal. I also have two cats, Rosie and Zigmund. Both of my cats have chronic health conditions, so I have experience caring for special needs animals. In addition to my mammals, my family has several leopard geckos, ball pythons, a bearded dragon, a betta fish, and a bullfrog. With seven years of professional experience in the pet care industry on top of a lifelong dedication to animal welfare and education, I am ready to give your furry, scaly, or feathered family member the attention they deserve.