Meet the pack
Hi there! I’m Ashley, dog mom and trainer of the three little rascals you see throughout the website. I’m a self proclaimed crazy dog lady and am a bit obsessed with my pups, in case you couldn’t tell. If you’re curious about them or how I got into dog training, you’re in the right place.
My journey as a dog trainer began long before I even truly realized it. As a teenager living on my own, I got my first puppy Macy, and fell in love - both with her and being a dog mom.
Macy
Macy was so eager to please and food motivated, a great combo for training. As a puppy, I helped her work through some fear and skittishness, and she picked up on obedience training easily after that. We developed a bond unlike any I had ever experienced and I soon realized she had a lot of character traits conducive to a great service dog, plus some natural tendencies to engage in task work like behavior interruption and deep pressure therapy. I hadn’t expected to be able to have a service dog at the time, but since it was so mutually beneficial, we polished those tasks up and enjoyed several years of working together! She was the sweetest, happiest, most loving, loyal and affectionate girl. 🤍
About a year into my life with Macy, I got her a (big) little brother. Brutus, aptly named, couldn’t be more different than Macy and introduced me to a very different, challenging dynamic.
(Macy crossed the rainbow bridge in July of 2023, but she was the most excellent girl all the way till the end.)
Brutus
At first, Brutus and I didn’t bond as easily as I had with Macy.. He wasn’t as eager to please and food motivated as she was, and preferred walking to the beat of his own drum. Relatable. This proved tricky for me though, as I learned how to balance patience and firmness during obedience training. Thankfully I was able to find a groove and help Brutus become the goodest boy I always knew he could be. He went from barking at the doorbell to learning how to stay quiet when it went off, from dragging me through the mud (literally) to walking nicely, and from jumping up on guests to greeting politely. Brutus is still just as stubborn as ever, but we’ve been able to nurture our bond and get to a point of mutual respect and communication. He’s an independent, stubborn, hard-headed goofball and lovable brute. 🤍
When Brutus and Macy were 7 and 8, respectively, I brought home another little sibling to help keep them active as they became seniors. Arthas joined our little pack.
Arthas
Arthas and I immediately had a strong bond similar to mine and Macy’s, but over time that bond became so intense that it resulted in severe, destructive separation anxiety. I hadn’t experienced a problem to that extent with Macy or Brutus. Though Arthas did have great obedience skills, I didn’t know where to start to fix a behavioral issue of that magnitude. This is when I dove into the professional dog training world for the first time - I hired a trainer who helped me understand the psychology behind Arthas’ behavior, and equipped me with the skills to help him self-soothe and learn independence. Empowered, Arthas and I continued our journey together and were able to tackle even more obedience skills. These days, he loves working with me as a service dog performing various medical response tasks. He’s focused and driven while still being sassy, clever, and silly. 🤍
Where I am now
That trainer that helped me with Arthas? She was (and still is) such a fantastic teacher that I ended up apprenticing under her for a year. I loved learning about all the dog psychology and behavior behind training. It really took my understanding to the next level. I credit that trainer for helping me come to the realization that I wanted to train dogs myself, as my career. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it sooner, but better late than never, right? She and I still discuss dog training often, attend conferences together, and even collaborate from time to time. She was instrumental in inspiring me to start my own business. (If you’re reading this Victoria, thank you so much for everything. 🤍)
My favorite aspects of dog training are those breakthrough moments we all have. With humans, it is often the point we go from having felt out of our depth to suddenly noticing that everything is coming together. With dogs, it’s the process of going from being a rowdy pup to being a refined and reliable dog. I’m excited to see what form those moments take with you and your dog while we’re going from barks to breakthroughs!