I have been training dogs since 2007, and my priority is making sure families know how to communicate with their dogs in a positive and respectful way. Training your dog is such an important part of bonding and learning each other’s needs and wants, and I take that responsibility very seriously. My goal is to help my clients understand the “why” behind what their dogs are doing or thinking and work together to reinforce behaviors that are both beneficial and necessary to live together in harmony and happiness. Communication with your dog is key, and I think of myself as a “dog translator” here to help you speak “dog” fluently! I also have a four-year-old Doberman named Zelda who loves to learn new tricks and go to the dog beach whenever possible.

I have experience in almost every dog training discipline but I am also a behaviorist that specializes in rehabilitating dogs who exhibit highly destructive and undesirable behavior.  I am a registered CGC Trainer, Judge, and Evaluator.  I am also a Certified Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA).

I have used my experience and my education (B.A. in Philosophy) to successfully train and rehabilitate dogs. I believe that every interaction with a dog is an opportunity to train them. In a society that tends to treat dogs like humans more than ever before, I believe it’s incredibly important to educate pet parents on dog psychology and communication so that both canines and humans feel as if their relationship is fulfilling. I have three dogs: Moo who is a Rat Terrier mix, Annie who is a Dachshund mix, and Tom Cruise, a Labrador Retriever.

I’m a proud dog momma of my Australian Cattle Dog, Scout, and found a passion for training dogs when I started training and doing agility with her. I also have previous experience working with rescue dogs, providing various pet services, as well as working with dogs at PAWS Chicago and helping with the adoption processes. I love dogs, and hope to be able to help create lasting fur-ever relationships with pets and their parents!

I have had dogs all my life. I grew up with two German Shepherds and now I have two mixed breed dogs, Chester and Timothy, who live with my family in Italy. They are spoiled just like your dogs. By the way, I’m a native Italian! I moved to the US in 2019. My journey at PUPS has been great so far. I worked at the daycare and met incredible people and their awesome pups! This opportunity with the training team excites me because I get to help humans and their dogs build strong and happy relationships.

My new dog, who I adopted, named Rachel was adapting to her new home, learning new things and changing so quickly. I wanted to know where some of her hilarious and seemingly random behaviors were coming from, how her mind was working and most importantly, how she became such a perfect angel dog. I also have another pet: a small bird named Fiver, who is a goofball, but they get along! “How,” I began asking myself, “did I end up with this perfect dog who will allow a bird to land on her head and not even flinch?!” I couldn’t wait to begin my training journey with PUPS Pet Club. Now, I hope to use my extensive experience working with human students and parents to foster many awesome and loving pet parent relationships.

I moved to Chicago after spending some time in NYC where I started my journey in hospitality. I often found myself helping my friends and neighbors with the care of their dogs. During lockdown, I became interested in canine massage therapy and dog psychology which led me to seriously pursue a path to becoming a dog trainer. I have been a service industry professional for many years, and am excited to translate my skills of recognizing the needs of humans to dogs. I’m so happy to have this opportunity with PUPS and look forward to helping dogs and their parents live in wonderful harmony!

I’ve grown up around animals of all sorts; birds, cats, dogs, rabbits, fish, and ducks. Some might say I had a colorful upbringing. From a young age I had a strong desire to work with animals and began volunteering at a marine rehabilitation center in Colombia, the Oceanarium Rosario Islands. It wasn’t until moving to the United States that I found many viable career paths involving constructive/reconstructive animal care. Soon, a wavering desire to integrate my passion for film and television along with my passion for animals was overtaken by a desire to train dogs. Having developed a strong bond with my own dog, Nelly, I’ve come to understand that this field of work is built upon the notion of strengthening a pet parent’s bond with their canine companions. It’s that reason that I love this line of work and can’t wait to work with all the wonderful pet parents and canine companions that the great city of Chicago has to offer.

Rescue dogs come with many unique challenges, often dealing with anxiety, trauma, and sometimes physical disabilities. The care and understanding they require can be overwhelming at times, but helping a dog feel safe and happy is incredibly rewarding. Being able to apply that same special care to every dog I train and work with, no matter their background, is such a privilege and a joy.

I knew that it was time for me to change career paths and give back to a whole different community.
Now, through PUPS, I have the ability to take my skills and love for animals to more people and their beloved pets. My goal is to help parents become more confident and comfortable in training and communicating with their animals. As always, your best friend is my
top priority!