Stephenie N. Dog Trainer Bio

I began cleaning cages for a private zoo in 2005, which provided trained exotics for production work/films/adwork and for educational programs at schools/YMCA/etc. I became fast friends with the owner, who mentored me on animal behavior and taught me invaluable lessons on conditioning behaviors. I spent a few years training chickens, rats, big cats, alligators, and more – until one day, I knew I wanted to focus on dogs. For the next few years, I was the head trainer of a dog daycare in Chicago and had a wonderful time helping the community nurture their relationships with their dogs. Im 2012, I relocated to Joliet and opened my own grooming salon; one that focused only on special needs cases (fear, aggression, disabilities, seniors, etc) in a 1-on-1 environment. This salon ran for 8 years and was some of the most rewarding, fulfilling times of my life. Today, I have relocated again to New Mexico and am eager to share my knowledge with the community here. It is an honor and a privilege to bring my years of expertise and experience all the way across the country, and I could not be prouder to offer my services to the Dog Academy.