A bit about my background:

As an animal lover and only child, I bonded with very closely with the  animals I grew up with.  I began “training” the family dogs when I was  only four years old and learned to ride horses at the age of five.  I continued my passion for riding until the early 2000s, participating in  many different disciplines, but dogs have always been the central focus  and most integral part of my life. I feel the bond between dog and human is a special thing and one of my greatest joys is working with young handlers, seeing them develop that connection with the dog(s) they  handle and learn with.  

I am an Army Veteran and served six years active duty as a Military Police Officer.  Additionally, I have completed an Associates Degree, with a concentration in Psychology, and am only a few credits shy of my  B.S. in Biotechnology with an emphasis in BioBehavior.  My education is a combination of academic study with hands on application and experience gleaned over many years in the dog world, as a teacher, student, handler, and dedicated preservation breeder. 

I am a member of the American Pointer Club (Lifetime Member), the Pointer Club of Southern California, The Greater Sierra Vista Kennel Club, The Stewards Club of  Arizona, and am also in good standing with the AKC.  Additionally, I am  an American Kennel Club and American Pointer Club Breeder of Merit.  
 

My life in purebred dog sports  began in 1989, with a friend of the family, by training/handling  Brittanys and Llewellin English Setters for American Field field trials.  I trained and handled these dogs for Open All-Age and Open Derby stakes at horseback trials, as well as walking Shoot to Retrieve and Grouse trials.    
 

From 1996 to 1998 I served as an Assistant Canine Obedience Instructor with the Arizona Canine Academy located in Sierra Vista, Arizona.  Duties included, but were not limited to: Teaching canine obedience training to students in a group situation; Planning, organizing, and implementing instructional teaching modules; Counseling and providing strategies for owners with regard to canine obedience and behavior modification.    
 

After I relocated to Massachusetts I worked as an obedience instructor for two local trainers before striking out on my own and providing independent private training and behavioral consultations for individuals under the business names of Now N Zen Training and Dreamland Training until 2004.  When actively teaching and training I was a member in good standing of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and an official AKC Canine Good  Citizen tester.  I also apprenticed with and assisted a well known New  England based PHA all-breed handler (for AKC conformation shows) during the 2000s.
 

Always seeking to learn more, I have pursued formal education related to dog  training, behavior, and nutrition.  I attended and graduated from the Arizona Canine Academy’s internationally recognized 8-week Canine Obedience Trainer and Instructor Course in 1998.  Other courses and seminars attended are:
 

-Linda  Tellington-Jones’s 5-day seminar:   Introductory Session to TTouch®  Training and Learning System (Edie Jane  Eaton, instructor).
-Ian Dunbar’s 3-day seminar:  Development of Social Behavior: Friendliness, Fighting & Biting.
-Patricia McConnell’s 2-day seminar:  Advanced Canine Behavior.
-Wendy Volhard’s 2-day seminar:  Health and Nutrition.
-George Alston’s 2-day:  Advanced Handling Clinics (for conformation handling)

-Will Alexander's 2 Day Seminar: How to Handler Your Way Out of A Paper Bag  (for conformation handling).

-Dr. Chris Zink's Presentation: The Pointer: Beyond Conformation.