Years ago I was living a completely different life; young, married, broke, and living in another country when Paika vom Kammberg, a 6-7 mth old lunatic, err... German Shepherd, came over to stay for a couple of weeks while her owner was away. She didn’t sleep for two days, and she peed 10ft lines across my living room floor in the middle of chasing a toy more than once. She was NON.STOP. But, during off leash playtime outside she listened and she stayed close. I was so intrigued by this psycho mess of a puppy... and then she was mine. And I had no idea at the time, but that single moment was the beginning of the rest of my life.
Everything was fine until it wasn’t. She was best friends with my fat black lab, Cleo, and then they went into heat. The fight was on. I still have scars from breaking the two of them up, they would break through crates, jump over couches, knock through baby gates, whatever they had to do to get at each other. I tried everything I knew how to do - separation, pheromone sprays, electric collars (that I had no business using at the time), I even got them both spayed. Cleo ended up with a drain tube in her neck, Paika ended up losing the tip of her ear and ruptured her spleen.
I started researching trainers, I knew that a typical - PetSmart style walk in a circle and say sit while holding a cookie in the air - class was not what I needed. I didn’t know anything about working dogs but I knew that Paika had a pedigree behind her and she wasn’t a “normal” dog. So, I found a trainer who specialized in aggression and working German Shepherds.
Fast forward, I’ve titled 3 dogs in obedience and own 4 German Shepherds. I spent a year training bed bug detection dogs, and now I’m starting my own business.
I’ve got a lot of experience that most pet owners don’t have, and I am confident in my ability to help you help your dog become a perfect member of the family. BUT I have so so much left to learn. My promise to all of my clients is to never be that trainer that bites off more than she can chew. If I can help you, I will do everything I can to coach both you and your dog to your goals. If I don’t know how to help you, I will help you find someone who can. I am constantly seeking out seminars and workshops, traveling to work with trainers better than I am, and continuing to learn. Stay humble, be kind, and always work hard.
