About Me!

Dogs have been a part of life for as long as I can remember. I got my first dog when I was just 5 years. Miniature Schnauzer "Jack" was smart as a whip, and with my guidance, he learned how to jump over couch cushions, spin, sit, stay, roll over, and much to my family's disappointment, climb up on the dining room table to steal food... oops.​

 

When I went off to college, I missed having the companionship of a dog, and decided to get my own. "Bernie", my second Miniature Schnauzer, had TONS of energy, and I began searching for an outlet to fulfill him. Enter Agility!

 

In just 6 years, I went from building PVC agility courses in the backyard to running in multiple national finals, finishing 7 agility championships between 2 dogs, and even running at the 2024 European Open ​as a part of Team USA.

 

I have run dogs of many different breeds and sizes, from a little 8" Sheltie named "Bella" to a 24" standard poodle named "Rafiki"! Currently, I run a spicy Mini Schnauzer named "Guster" and a very fun Sheltie named "Kudos".

 

 All my time is spent training my own dogs, continuing my agility education, teaching other teams in the Chicagoland area, and most recently, judging! I have become known as a very encouraging voice in the lives of many of my friends and students. My positive attitude, attention to the smallest training details, and ability to break behaviors down into bite size pieces that both dog and human can build upon are some of my biggest strengths as a coach. I would love to connect with you about reaching your agility goals!