About

My passion for training began with a beagle named Chloe. She was a typical beagle who loved to sniff, bark and get into trouble. Her propensity for mischief required me to develop my training skills beyond basic obedience. She tested my knowledge at every turn and always kept me on my toes. My persistence paid off and she went on to become my demo dog in 1996 as I taught my first group obedience class in Boston, MA.

Fast forward to today… I have trained several dogs to be therapy dogs to the advanced certification level for Paws for People. I volunteered to help individuals train their own service dogs with Mainline Deputy Dog. In an effort to better understand my clients’ needs, I trained my own two dogs to perform service dog tasks. I was incredibly surprised to discover that my golden retriever, Grace, was able to alert to my cardiac condition enabling me to sit down and avoid blackouts. I worked for CPL, an ADI service dog program, through the pandemic. I expanded my knowledge of service dog training from puppyhood to advanced service skills. I continue to take courses and attend dog training conferences to keep my skills up to date with the latest positive reinforcement methods.

I trained puppy between 2023/2024 to be my successor service dog. Charlie would alert for cardiac symptoms and offer mobility support. I no longer required a service dog alert after my third pacemaker replacement. Charlie is too smart and eager to work to just be a stay at home pet. I matched Charlie as a service dog for a young woman and he has been life changing for her.