10/04/2024
I wasn’t a natural-born dog whisperer—or even a trainer.
A dog lover? Absolutely. But love alone isn’t enough to help dogs and their people.
I realized that early on, especially when we were offered a police-line German Shepherd—rejected for having long hair. We had planned to get an adult, fully trained dog, but there’s nothing stronger than a little girl’s desire for a puppy. Once I saw him, there was no turning back. My mom was easy to convince, and since he had long hair, the breeder let him go—with the condition that he be professionally trained.
We brought him home, and by the time he was about five months old, we sent him off for training. He spent close to a month in a board and train program, focusing on socialization, obedience, and behavior under one of the top trainers in Los Angeles.
His name was Turkelton (yes, named after Scrubs)—and he was incredible. Shortly after he came home, my mom lost her battle with pancreatic cancer, and my father left for Costa Rica with his mistress. At 17, I was confused, angry, and broken. But with the support of my sister, therapy, and Turkelton, I found my way. It was the first time I owed my life to the loyalty of a dog.
Fast forward to age 21: I graduated from National K9’s School for Dog Trainers, Master Course in 2012, ready to pursue a professional dog training career as a certified professional dog trainer.
My first official job? An apprenticeship with the same trainer who had worked with Turkelton. I specifically sought out this opportunity because I had seen firsthand the profound impact they had on Turkelton and our bond. I wanted to learn from someone whose approach I already trusted and admired.
From there, I launched a career that has spanned over a decade—dedicated to education, experience, empowerment, and helping others succeed.
So no, I wasn’t a natural-born dog trainer
But I am a certified professional dog trainer—built on a decade of knowledge, experience, and a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears, all to help both ends of the leash succeed.
Learn more about my dog training, see what my clients have to say, follow for dog training tips, and check in for daily dog advice on my business page
Witty canine | help people x teach dogs
⭐️ specializing in reactivity and behavior modification through reward based training
👩🏫helping people & teaching dogs since 2012
⚡️witty canine is FINALLY accepting new clients once again in October 2024
Learn more about my services + prices 👇
https://www.hopp.bio/wittycanine
Happy Training!
Your friendly neighborhood dog trainer
