I believe in helping you build the cohesive bond you and your dog deserve. More about my experience in the ABOUT SECTION - DETAILS. I have spent a lifetime experiencing the authentic, incredible bond that our four-legged friends offer. I grew up with dogs, many of them. At 9 years old, I wasn’t old enough then to realize the impact animals would have on my life, but I was destined to forge an incr
edible bond with them. I taught our Toy Poodle, Bianco, all sorts of tricks as child. He became my best friend. Communicating with animals came natural to me even then, and there was an unspoken understanding between us. I learned that I had the unique ability to understand them and their language and felt at home in their presence. At 20, in 1992, I was graced with my very first German Shepherd, Canein. He made me the dog trainer I am today. He was a free thinker and thought he knew better than me. I found unique ways for him and I to figure it out together. Canein was trained and competed in AKC Basic Obedience and Agility. He launched my passion into Dog Training. While I worked in the corporate world, I found a part-time job at PetsMart in Central Florida to keep my passion alive. Eventually, I left the business world to train dogs full time with them and was moved into an Area Dog Trainer position, training other trainers. I completed their rigorous training program as well as having received my B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida with a focus on Behavior Modification. Ultimately, I retired from PetSmart to open my own dog training business, Florida K9, LLC which I owned and operated up until my new police career took more time than I had. How that happened: While training a client’s dog one day in 2004, we got to talking about his career. Turned out he was a retired police detective and a recruiter for the Tampa Police Department. Law Enforcement had always been an interest of mine, so I listened intently. One thing led to another, and six months later, after putting myself through the police academy full-time while still training dogs part-time, I was sworn in as a police officer. I found my passion in helping people AND helping animals. While I worked patrol, I was constantly coming across discarded dogs, neglect cases and strays. If I wasn’t making an animal cruelty case on someone for neglect or abuse, I was fostering a stray and training them to find their forever home. I was qualified as an “expert witness” in animal abuse and neglect by the Thirteenth Judicial Court in Hillsborough County, Florida. I was the departments’ go-to officer when it came to the law and animal cases. Often called to the “viscous dog at-large” call for service to handle, I rarely met a dog that I couldn’t make things right for all of us. I have done volunteer work my entire life in animal rescue, which didn’t stop when I was a police officer. Volunteer work included dog transports, volunteer training at shelters and fostering dogs until their permanent home could be found. Once my career took off, I was unable to continue training dogs because promotion through the ranks meant more responsibility and more time. I trained occasionally for friends and family and my own dogs. My experience ranges from teaching basic manners, advanced obedience, agility, search and rescue, bite work, fixing behavioral problems and more. The most important area of training though – is knowing how to train you. Finally, in 2022, I retired from the Tampa Police Department as a Major after 17 years and relocated to the North Georgia / Western North Carolina mountains. I found myself drawn back to what I am supposed to be doing – helping dogs and their owners understand each other and form that beautiful, authentic bond that only that kind of relationship can offer. With me, you’ll get reliability, honesty, compassion and a true understanding of our fur kids. I believe in training through building a bond with what I have coined as “Polite Leadership”. I do not believe in harsh training methods for our household pets. While there are MANY ways to elicit a desired behavior, I prefer to use a positive reinforcement style of training through building a unique and mutual bond with your dog. Feel free to call 813-833-9804!
