LIFE CHANGING DOG TRAINING™ apprentice program

---

"I enjoyed bringing Boss to all the events throughout the year, and watching how much he blossomed and I really appreciate the support system. The most beneficial thing that I learned was how to adapt and change as things progress. This program helped me become more emotional stable and professionally it has given me a step in a new direction as I have begun a new career path.  I highly recommend this program for anyone who is committed to helping animals and for those that want change in their life."

​

-Taylor A., Professional Groomer & Trainer

​

"The best thing about this program was learning and working from Kelley. I enjoyed pack walks and all the business coaching.  The most important things I learned from this program that was beneficial to my life and career plans had to do with my self confidence, learning how to believe in myself so that I could achieve my goals. As well as learning the "Communicative Leashwork Process" so that I can go on to train other dogs in a way that is humane, effective and has proven results.

Throughout this process I gained enough confidence to pursue my goals of quitting my day job and starting working in my own business full time and my business grew so much in the first year. I would definitely recommend this Mentorship Program to others if they have any interest in careers working with animals, especially dogs and/or starting your own business. I think the time frame was a helpful to build a solid foundation for my life and career with animals."

​

-Katie B., Business Owner & Dog Trainer

​

"I really liked the aspect of "Dogmanship' based on "Horsemanship" because I trained horses for 10 years before I came to Kelley for help with my dog. She always says you can't go through a program without being changed and that's completely true!" 

​

-Shilee R., Business Owner & Dog Trainer

"When I first applied for this program, I had been floating around the pet industry for about 8 years. I loved working with dogs and other animals, but I felt unhappy and stuck in pet stores and doggy daycares. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I was always so interested in dog behavior so I was excited for a new challenge. I knew this would be a completely different experience but I really had no idea how much I would be taking away from this program. 

Working with Kelley one on one has been a life changing experience. It has totally changed the way I live with my dogs, and the way I interact with dogs in my life. Kelley is a driving force behind changing the way our community sees and lives with their dogs. Being able to work alongside Kelley has given me a new mission and purpose when it comes to helping dogs and their owners. 

Not only has Kelley taught me more about dog behavior, she also taught me how to better myself. I have been able to use the things I’ve learned from Kelley and apply them in my daily life, even outside of dogs. This program has given me a level of confidence I never had. If you have ever been interested in dog behavior or training, this program is crucial. You will not find anyone in the area who has more experience or better results with clients!"

​

-Rachael W., Former Director of Training & Behavior at Midlands Humane Society

​​

"I have always had a great love for dogs and passion to help homeless pups.  I have volunteered with various local rescues in many capacities for more than 20 years and have been a foster failure numerous times!! My current Pack of 6 dogs are all rescues that began as fosters but very quickly became my forever four legged kids.  I have worked with hundreds of homeless dog throughout my many years of volunteering, and since I couldn't adopt them all, I began to search for a better way to help dogs and families stay together.

After personally learning and living the LCDT process to help my pack get into a more balanced state of mind, I joined this program!  I am now using my skills to help homeless dogs get the training they need to help make their next home their last home. I am working on developing a training program with our volunteers as well as a New Adopter Training Program to help empower new adopters with the tools they need to help their new family members. Kelley has been my mentor, my hero and my friend and I'm eternally grateful to her and the LCDT process for changing my world and teaching me how to help other families and pups find peace, happiness and balance."

​

-Heidi V. , Volunteer at local Shelter & Rescue

​

"When I first began my mentorship journey with Kelley I had no idea how quickly and for the better my life would change. Before my apprenticeship could begin, Kelley and I started training my dogs that were extremely excitable, and one with some pretty hefty reactivity issues to other dogs or things that were out of the ordinary. Little did I know, most of the training was for me! I did not realize that my communication with my dogs was off, and they were struggling just as much as I was with trying to understand each other. Kelley showed me how to explain what I was asking of my dogs in a way that they could understand, and it changed everything. It is no longer a battle between my dogs and I, but a conversation that we can ALL be involved in. 

I have learned more about dogs and their humans in the last six months than most people will learn in their lifetime, I learn something new about dog training and the relationship between dogs and humans every single time that I work with Kelley. While there are general methods, tools, and behavior issues, each dog is different. Dogs are living creatures with feelings just like ours and they should be treated as such. That is one of the many things that I love about this training, she has taken the time to understand dogs and help owners show them how to feel great about the world that we are living in together. I look at all dogs in a different light now, respecting their intelligence, capabilities, and underlying goodness that is often muffled by misunderstandings of our world.

I have grown personally in ways that I had never imagined over the last year. I have become a better leader to my pack, a stronger woman in this world, and I have begun to face the things that have been holding me back, such as anxiety. Along with these things, I have even decided to jump into a dog walking business, something that I would have never had the courage to start before now. I will be forever grateful for this experience, for my personal sake and for the sake of my many more years with dogs. This mentorship program changed my life, my dogs' lives, and it will do the same for you!"   

-Emilee M., Business Owner & Dog Trainer

​

​

"Going through this program changed my life and I wanted to help other people learn how to do the same thing. This program made me more confident and knowledgeable and has been one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life!" 

​

-Bethany T. , Dog Trainer

​

​

"My entire life I have always been animal lover! I grew up with dogs & adored spending time with them & I knew from a very young age that I wanted to have a career working with animals! So I began veterinary technician school but soon realized my passion was more about rescuing and helping homeless animals. In 2013 I began volunteering for a local rescue and spent my time walking dogs, taking them adoption events, coordinating adoptions, handling the dog introductions and follow ups with new adopters to ensure the adoptions went smoothly. 

I loved being able to help find these dogs their forever homes, however I began to realize that no matter how many dogs were being adopted out there were just as many coming in. Dogs were and still are being relinquished to shelters or re-homed for various reasons, but one of the main reasons is due to lack of training. In order to make a larger impact I needed to take a different approach, which was trying to keep dogs in their homes by empowering, educating, and providing their owners with the tools and knowledge to help train their dogs.

I loved Kelley's philosophy and her unique approach in training. It wasn’t just about training dogs, it was about learning how to communicate with them, understanding the reasons behind their behaviors, changing your dogs state of mind and creating a happy, healthy, balanced & trusting relationship between dog and their owners.  The relationship my dog and I have after going through the process has dramatically changed, we both have the clarity and understanding that was lacking in our relationship. 

​

I'm truly the happiest I've ever been! I've gained confidence, self awareness, knowledge, & reached goals.  But most importantly, for once I feel like I’m living a life full of meaning & purpose, & that I'm doing exactly what I was supposed to be in life. Throughout this journey I’ve found my life’s purpose! It has taught me so much about myself & has allowed me to find my areas of strengths as well as those that I need to work on! No matter what kind of jobs I worked I never felt fulfilled. However, once I began working with dogs, I realized that I had a natural connection which them. Being able to help mend the relationships between a dog and their owner gave me the fulfillment that I was always missing.

Kelley is an amazing mentor, friend and trainer. She has taught me so much about myself, opened doors that I never thought would be possible, and has taught me everything I know when it comes to training dogs! My lifelong dream has always been to work with animals and because of her my dreams became a reality. Kelley will put her blood, sweat, and tears in to helping you achieve your goals just as long you put forth the same effort."  

-Gina R., Dog Trainer

​

"Through this program I was given opportunities to step up in different areas of my life and had support. It helped me focus in on what I really wanted out of my relationships with people and with my dogs. I am so grateful for Kelley and her passion in helping dogs and their people become the best they can be. She understands that there is no such thing as a perfect person or dog but we will certainly try to better ourselves. Her program allowed Jasper and myself to do just that. Jasper loved all the bonding and balanced playtime, training and socialization he got with the other dogs."

​

-Kelly P. , Apprentice

​

"I was searching for dog training for my own pack, at the time, one of my dogs had become severely aggressive towards other dogs. We were aware of the aggression just from seeing him react on walks and from a few scuffles he had with a neighbor dog. So we did what we thought was best, we contained the situation. When his reactivity got so bad, we just stopped going on walks. The dogs were basically confined to our home all day long. was horrific. My dog, whom I love dearly, did major damage to another dog. He had multiple surgeries and fortunately survived! I had no one to blame but myself. I couldn’t deny it anymore, I had to get help! I chose Kelley because I loved everything she stood for, morals and her beliefs. I knew I couldn’t effect his aggression just with the use of treats and positive reinforcement, but I also didn’t want him fearful of me or the tools by using too much force. Kelley used the perfect balance!

My dogs are so much happier since completing a program with Kelley. They experience mental and physical exercises everyday. They have learned how to be calm and look to me for guidance. I have become a leader. I have become more calm. At its worst I was having anxiety attacks out on walks for fear that there would be a dog around the next corner. While I was at work I had irrational thoughts of my dog getting out of the house, finding another dog and killing it. I would have to go through a 10 point safety check before I could leave the house everyday to help put my mind at ease.  All of that has changed. I walk all three of my dogs confidently with my tools and skills, welcoming distractions like barking dogs and cars going by.

It has taught me that I am more powerful than I ever could have imagined. It taught me to believe in myself, believe in my pack and believe in the process! Trust me, there were days that I just didn’t understand how teaching my dog sit on command was going to help his reactivity and his aggression. I had doubts! But Kelley help me make the connection to why all the little things are so important. Kelley is a great leader. I love watching her work dogs! She has so much passion for what she does and her experience is mind blowing!"

​

-Alyse K., Business Owner & Dog Trainer 

"I chose to do this program because Kelley helped me with my own dogs. I'd like to see this training help many other dogs and people.  This program helped me realize that I needed to work on myself to be able to help my dogs."

​

-Lisa N., Rescue Volunteer & Foster Home

​

"We adopted our dog, Butter, from a shelter in 2016. He is and always has been a very sweet dog, but over time we discovered that he was severely dog reactive, anxious and also completely deaf. Living in an apartment, his extreme reactions to other dogs made the simplest of tasks, like going out for potty breaks, nearly impossible. We eventually resorted to putting him in the car and driving him somewhere remote every time we took him out to potty. We went through training programs with multiple different training companies, none of whom could help us with his extreme reactivity. 

​

I will forever be grateful for my experience with Kelley's Mentorship Program. My goal throughout the course of the program was to gain the confidence and skills to be able to train at the end of the year. However, I did not anticipate how much it would affect every aspect of my life. Not only did I gain the confidence and knowledge to be able to train, but I also learned the importance of setting boundaries in my daily life, improved communication in my personal and professional relationships, as well as gained the confidence to pursue goals that I never thought would be attainable. Kelley si an amazing mentor who have showed me the true meaning of dedication, passion and hard work.  

​

I have had a variety of jobs in the animal industry, but what I always wanted to do was train. However, I never thought I would ever have the skills or knowledge to do so. The mentorship program has made my dream job a reality! This training has also showed me that I can live the life I always wanted to with my dog. Prior to this training, I truly thought Butter's reactivity was beyond help and I felt like I had failed him as an owner. I am so proud of everything Butter and I have accomplished throughout the course of our training, and we are both much more confident and comfortable out in the world! The knowledge and confidence I gained from this program is invaluable, and I am now able to confront obstacles and opportunities that previously would have terrified me. Kelley has impacted my life profoundly and I cant wait for this next chapter in my life.

​

- Lucy K. , Business Owner & Dog Trainer

I sought out a dog training company because my dog Piper and I were in desperate need of guidance. She had previously had two surgeries on one of her knees and regular walks was an important part of her physical rehabilitation, but she was so uncontrollable on walks. She would light up barking and lungeing at people, cars, bikes, and other dogs so much so that it was so stressful taking her out of our home. She was also reactive towards guests in our home. She would unexpectedly lunge and growl at guests and extended family members. She would seem fine with people then all of a sudden be barking at them when they stood up or laughed. I feared that she would bite someone. 

I followed Kelley on social media for months researching her techniques and comparing their training philosophies with other training companies. I had tried so many training tactics and leashes on my own with no success, but her approach was so different than anyone I was following at the time. The Mentorship Program was one of the best decisions I made for myself. The program encompasses more than just learning how to train dogs, but focuses on self development, ethics, and of course learning about dog behavior. The trainers are supportive mentors that guided me on a weekly basis when I shadowed private sessions and throughout the year gave me so many opportunities to help build my confidence with clients. 

The "Life Changing Dog Training" Program changed my life in so many more ways then just improving my dogs behavior, which was my original goal with training. During my own private sessions, I saw so much growth in my dog in a short amount of time that I wanted to see her reach higher goals and to strengthen our relationship even more. Through the program, I was able to successfully add another dog to our household which it a huge success and something I didn't think possible before. 

I also experienced an incredible amount of personal growth during this process. I gained leadership skills and confidence not only to lead my dog through life, but to lead other people as well. I improved as an employee at my full time job, also achieving monthly goals and through that I began making goals outside of dog training too, like professional goals at my full time job.  Through the goal making process with the confidence I gained, I applied and received a promotion at work. I saw positive changes in my relationships with my family and friends too. Kelley created a support system in my life with my dogs and with that type of support, impossible things seem manageable. This program altered my course in life in the best ways and I am so excited to see what the next year brings! Thank you for this Kelley! 

​

- Jessica G., Business Owner & Dog Trainer