Michelle has been a certified veterinary technician since 2009, and began work in behavioral training in 2017. In 2021, she launched Pawsitive Relationship Training to help clients and their humans achieve training success. In 2023, she became a certified dog trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
She’s been an animal lover since birth and had her first dog, a German Shorthair Pointer, at the age of 6. This dog, Cindy, was her first experience training and working closely with animals, and inspired her lifelong passion for helping animals. In college, she found her calling as a veterinary technician. As she continued her career, she found that her true passion was in seeing pets thrive in their homes. She found a renewed calling in helping people have the best possible relationships with their animals, making it less likely for an animal to be rehomed. From this drive to see pets thrive came Pawsitive Relationship Training.
Training Philosophy
Michelle’s training philosophy is based on positive reinforcement, working with both dog and human to build the best individual relationship. She focuses on real life training solutions tailored to individual families.
Services
Michelle offers a variety of training services, including:
- Puppy Kindergarten
- Continuing Foundations
- Focused Manners
- 4 session Day Training – In Trainer’s Home
- 4 session In Home Training
- Drop-In Class
- Private Behavior Consultation
Certifications
Michelle is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
Specializations
Michelle specializes in puppy training, basic obedience, and building positive relationships between dogs and their people.
Training Methods
Michelle uses positive reinforcement training methods, focusing on rewarding good behavior and ignoring or redirecting unwanted behavior.
Customer Reviews
Jennifer (Puppy Kindergarten Graduate, 2022):
Michelle has a unique understanding of how to make training work for each individual dog and human. I feel more bonded with my puppy and have been so pleased with her progress!
Sue (Continuing Foundations Graduate, 2022):
Your dog training classes have so helped turn Ruby from a wild and rowdy pup to a calmer well behaved lab. Your knowledge, insights, and experiences with dogs is much appreciated.
Karen (Focused Manners Graduate, 2021):
I took a puppy class with Michelle in September 2021 with my new lab puppy. We had the best time meeting and playing with the other puppies. She learned so many social skills so we continued with more classes. As she grew, she kept gaining her confidence and learning how to stay around distractions i.e. other puppies. Michelle has all the knowledge to help new owners work with their dogs. If she doesn’t know the answer to a question, she will do her research and share her answer with the class the next session. I’m so excited to see where this journey takes her and all the dogs/owners she will be helping.
Deepak (Puppy Kindergarten Graduate, 2022):
Michelle is great to work with and very knowledgeable. Will be looking forward to [the] next set of training classes!
Jordan (Puppy Kindergarten Graduate, 2023):
Michelle is very knowledgeable and kind. She gives lots of practical, useful, and consistent, advice. I’m confident that this [Puppy Kindergarten class] will help build great foundations moving forward.
Toni and Rick (Continuing Foundations Graduate, 2023):
Thank you for helping us train her [Rosie] and also for letting us know that we will make it through the ‘teenage years’. She is settling down into a very nice and usually well-behaved little girl. Thanks for all of your help and encouragement, as you trained us to train her!
