I’m so pleased you’re here! My goal is to support humans and dogs in cultivating their bonds and playful spirits with one another. As a university professor and dog training coach, I’ve geeked out about all kinds of learning theory and best teaching practices to create transformative learning experiences for all of my learners. My academic research has been on the philosophy of play, which I put into practice both in training and everyday existence. How can we create opportunities to be joyful? How can we be open to new things? How would my dog like to engage (or not!) with me in this very moment? How can I explore something familiar in a new way? By embracing curiosity, even when it might feel a bit scary, we can foster even deeper connections.

I grew up with dogs and developed a love for black Labradors early on. My husband, Zack, and I adopted Lily, a black Lab, and JJ, a Pyrenees mix in 2021. We connected immediately with the dogs, but oh boy, we did not anticipate many of the challenges of noise sensitivity, anxiety, big feelings, and high physical and mental needs. It became clear pretty quickly that if we were all going to have a harmonious life, we needed to find better ways to engage one another. Based on my years working with human students, I knew that learning would only take place when safety and trust could be achieved, so methods of training relying on aversive techniques were not going to work. I dove headfirst into the science and practice of positive reinforcement training and worked with a number of fantastic experts to find ways to meet each of our individual dog and human needs.

Much of this transformation is due to K9 Nose Work®. Lily seemed like she liked to sniff things a lot (she is a Lab, after all!), so I took a class on a whim. We were hooked immediately. Lily loved solving the puzzles, and I loved watching her work and getting to be a dog. Lily can have some strong feelings about other dogs, so we held off on competing until our own bond as a team had deepened. In the meantime, we worked on fluency in Control Unleashed pattern games to create more positive emotions and predictability in new environments. We found a great instructor and community, and we were both fell in love with this sport that gave us the opportunity to play and learn with one another. So many of the big feelings (from both of us!) shrank when we learned new ways to engage the world and one another. We have been able to compete and have achieved several titles, but most importantly, we have become true partners. What could be better than that??

Don’t worry! JJ has also gotten to participate in nose work! A boy who was wary of putting his feet on anything other than concrete and triggered by even the slightest noise is now more than happy to stick his head in a box, trot over different substrates, and jump up on different objects to get to source, even in noisy environments. His confidence has blossomed and his silly awkward waggle in anticipation of searching is textbook joy.

My love of teaching, learning, and playing with dogs and humans lead me to pursue becoming a Certified Nose Work Instructor. I offer group classes at a variety of levels as well as one-on-one instruction. I love dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities, with a special affection for those dogs that might be a bit more sensitive, a bit over the top, a bit worried, a bit goofy. There’s not much better than seeing a dog delight in sniffing and a team finding their groove. I continue to learn all I can about the science of canine behavior and learning, employing humane methods, compassion, and, of course, play.