I've been passionate about dogs for as long as I can remember. I was the kid running the neighborhood at large, catching peoples' loose canine companions and returning them home safely. I always related to dogs more than the people in my life and knew from a very young age that I wanted to spend my life working with them. For the longest time, I thought that I wanted to become a doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I started my undergrad at Avila University here in Kansas City. By my senior year I was working on two majors; one in Pre- Veterinary, and one in Biology. Something began to feel wrong... I became concerned that I was moving too quickly through my life and that I was going to end up in a career that didn't fulfill me. I threw on the brakes. As a 20 year old in her senior year of college I realized that I had long been working in the wrong direction...

​

My main concern was that I would no longer be able to continue my rescue work. Throughout the years I have become involved in many animal rescue organizations. I started working adoption events when I was 14 years old after gaining a special exception to bypass the age restrictions from the head of a local rescue. I flourished in the rescue community. I began offering social media outreach services for free to several rescues and then moved on to providing free professional pet photography. It wasn't long before I started fostering litters of bottle puppies for Pawsitive Tails Rescue. I love this work. It felt like my calling, and I didn't want to lose that due to a busy career in Veterinary Medicine. 

​

While I was trying to figure out what to do with my life a job opportunity fell into my lap. After helping a family member locate a trainer to aid her in modifying some aggressive behavior her dog was displaying, I was offered a job working with the board and train clients. I had no idea how much taking that job would change my life. I discovered something amazing; I was more fulfilled than ever. Training dogs made me excited to get out of bed in the morning, and more than that, I was very good at it. As I developed these skills I found that I preferred to work with the more challenging clients. Nothing has ever made me happier than helping fearful and aggressive dogs learn to trust again. 

​

Out of this journey, something I never would have expected happened. In healing these dogs who have been condemned as aggressive or unadoptable, I began to feel healed myself. There is a connection in spirit between animals and people, and that connection is a healing and trusting one. It is the most moving feeling I have ever experienced. I knew from that moment on that I would be training dogs the rest of my life. More than that, I want to be teaching owners to heal with their furry family members. No dog is a lost cause. Every animal learns differently, and if we can discover what each animal needs, we can heal them. There is no deeper connection than the one you cultivate with trust.