My Story

At Little Mountain K9, we embrace a balanced approach to Relationship Reinforced K9 Training. Our philosophy revolves around fostering a strong bond between handlers and dogs, emphasizing engagement, focus, and the use of effective training tools & techniques.

Since 2007, my passion has been directed toward working with rescue dogs, beginning with my own. Canine Anxiety, Reactivity, Human & Dog Aggression, as well as the Basic Obedience and Bad Manners issues, I’ve had them all, or fostered them, or transported them, and each dog has taught me so much and pushed me to grow knowledge, to be the best advocate for my dogs and yours. It’s a bit like parenting, you learn most things by being knee deep in it. I definitely believe the collaboration with various rescue organizations and working with amazing trainers has enriched my experience and deepened my understanding of understanding & working with many canine issues.

K9 tracking holds a special place in my heart. My time spent with the Skagit County Search and Rescue K9 team definitely ignited this passion, since then I’ve dove into AKC competitive tracking, learning the skill of article search, and we’ve even found a few lost pets. I believe it’s important to maintain a growth mindset when training, not everyone learns the same way and that also applies to dogs. I actively seek out old and new training methods, I continually attend canine training seminars to expand my knowledge, I’ve participated in year-long courses covering tracking, some nose work, and basic obedience through Dog training with Dick Staal. Most recently, I completed the Train the Trainer Program at K9TrackNW with Jennifer Hall, where I had the privilege of teaching her Tracking Foundation Courses.

Keep growing Keep learning, and make Play time a Training time. Remember a well-trained dog isn’t merely a companion; they’re a trusted partner in life’s amazing adventures!