Karen has worked with dogs and their people for more than 15 years.
Before opening her own business, she served as the Director of Training at Delta Society, a leading therapy animal organization. While there, Karen was the project facilitator for Professional Standards for Dog Trainers: Effective, Humane Principles, the first book to define humane dog training standards and practices.
Prior to her time at Delta, Karen’s professional credentials include Director of Animal Haven Acres Sanctuary & Rehabilitation Center in South Kortright, NY; Regional Manager for Guiding Eyes for the Blind; Animal Behavior Counselor at the ASPCA in NYC; and instructor for Andrea Arden Dog Training. She was a founding member of one of the first agility clubs recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Training Philosophy
Karen is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, an American Kennel Club (AKC) certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator, a licensed evaluator for Delta Society (now Pet Partners) and a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
Services
- Dog Training: Basic manners, puppy training
- Board & Train: The care-and-training combo
- Private Lessons. One-on-one training lessons tailored to your training goals. You and your dog come here—or we can come to you if you’re local.
- Board & Train. Take advantage of your next trip to improve your dog’s manners. Combine our exclusive, home-style boarding service with our professional dog training services. Learn more about board & train.
- Basic dog training: Sit, down, stay, come, leave it, drop it, wait, emergency recall, and more.
- Polite dog manners: Loose-leash walking, respectful greetings, no counter surfing, no begging at the table, etc.
- Puppy manners: Housetraining, how to deal with chewing and nipping, puppy proofing your home, socialization to ensure your puppy grows up friendly and well adjusted.
- Behavior problems (private lessons only): Separation anxiety, sound phobias, fear of strangers or other dogs, aggression towards strangers, family members, other animals.
Certifications
Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), American Kennel Club (AKC) certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator, licensed evaluator for Delta Society (now Pet Partners), professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
Specializations
Basic manners, puppy training, behavior problems, separation anxiety, sound phobias, fear of strangers or other dogs, aggression towards strangers, family members, other animals
Training Methods
Humane training methods, clicker training
Customer Reviews
“I’m confident now that I can take Ava anywhere and if I need to use my mayday word, she will come to me in a heartbeat. Learning the emergency recall was worth the price of the class in itself. All the exercises we learned in class can be used in everyday situations. I can’t thank Karen enough for helping me with my wild child!” –Vicki Tuttle, Grand Gorge, NY
“Karen’s training has produced a dramatic change in behavior for the better in our three-year-old German Shepherd, Juno. With Karen’s help, training is now a fun and interactive experience that our dog really responds to. Karen’s knowledge and love of dogs comes through in her training techniques and we feel very lucky to be working with her.” –Tim and Laura Miller, Oneonta, NY
“I have known Karen for many years. We have taken classes with her, trusted her with our dogs for boarding, and have had her do temperament testing of our puppies. What I love about Karen is that she’s always learning, open to new ideas, and willing to share with her students and their dogs. Classes are always exciting and above all fun! I highly recommend her.” –Beverly Travis, BoBev’s Leonbergers, Andes, NY
“Jesse and I thoroughly enjoyed Karen’s basic dog training class. The classes combine discussion, demonstration, wonderful resource information, and practical application of the concepts in exercises. Karen’s passion for humane and sound training of the dogs we love is so evident. She teaches with a positive, yet commonsense approach meant to be used in our daily lives. Karen keeps current on new information and techniques, and shares her learnings with her class participants. I absolutely loved the class and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to help his or her dog become well-behaved.” –Sheri Hull, Hamden, NY
“I have taken Karen’s classes periodically for many years now. Whether it’s my older Jack Russell or a newly rescued foster dog, Karen has the insight and patience to help me train better. Her ability to read the different dogs I bring to class has been priceless in helping my foster dogs get ready for adoption—and my own dogs to become more civilized. I recommend her wholeheartedly.” –Beth Adams, Col Potter Cairn Rescue Network and Candid Canine Photography, Hobart, NY
