Throughout my childhood, all of my memories included a daschund/terrier mix named Cuppy.  Her influence was the beginning of my life-long passion for animals.   Having her since I was 3 years old, I can't remember life without her.  We would go for walks, perform tricks, dance and just love on each other.  I remember being so proud of my dog, I took her to show & tell in the third grade.  She did an excellent job with her tricks.  When I was sad or had a hard day, I would grab her and squeeze her so tightly; everything else would just melt away.  That was unconditional love at its best!

Now, do not get me wrong, there were times when she would get into trouble; like eating or stealing food that wasn't hers, but I was always there to love her.  I saw it was my duty, well, pleasure to be the one that loved her so much.  Now, my family really loved her too, but I felt I had that connection with her as she was indeed a human in dog's fur.  She was always there to listen and love me.  At almost 13 years old, she passed away due to liver failure.  I had always wanted to become a Veterinarian, but this was a big set back for me.  I was now a sophomore in high school and focused my studies on business.

I have taken care of many different breeds of dogs over the years.  I started pet-sitting for my neighbors’ animals in grade school.  I would get up early and rush home, so excited to feed, let out, and play with the dogs. Some people would only need me to walk and let out their dogs for a day, however some required multiple weeks.  I enjoyed my time so much with these special pets that it never felt like work.  They became like one of my own.   I found dog-sitting so rewarding, and to this day, I thoroughly enjoy pet-sitting.  I have taken care of cats, dogs, Macaws, an African Grey Congo, hermit crabs, fish, frogs; you name it in South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas.   By taking care of my pets and other peoples’ pets; the experiences have taught me a lot about how much responsibility and time it takes to own a dog or pet.

Over the years, I have pet-sit at many of my clients’ homes in North Dallas; including, but not limited to Allen, Dallas, Frisco, Little Elm, McKinney, and Plano.  I also give the option to bring their animals to my home in Frisco.  I know less stress is transferred to the dog when the dog remains in his/her own environment.  Many people have told me the love, time, and dedication I give is priceless for pet-sitting and obedience training.  I believe in being honest in presenting myself to others.

I went into the Financial world of business upon graduation from Northern State University in South Dakota back in 1996.  Although I have experienced continued success in this field for the past 10 years, I always felt I needed to follow my passion; in working with animals to ensure their safety thru dog obedience training.

My passion inspired me to attend Cedar Valley Community College to become a  Veterinarian Technician in Texas years after I received my Bachelor’s in Finance.  After learning for a semester, I decided this wasn't the direction God was leading me.  I wanted to experience the puppy check-ups, yearly examinations, and the non-life threatening surgeries at the Vet's office.  These types of happy times wouldn't always exist, so I decided to not pursue this avenue.

I decided to start my search to find what my sweet spot was with animals.  A few years later and a lot of research and I found it!  Dog Obedience Training!  And Pet-sitting!  I wanted to be able to help my furry friends experience life to it's fullest with their owners.  I have learned a lot about animal behavior, animal physiology and anatomy, and obedience training over the years.  We often like to believe we know what our dogs are thinking and that they understand us, but they think quite differently than humans.  I have been extensively trained on Basic and Advanced Dog Obedience Training.  I am an active member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).  I attend monthly Top Dog Events which help continue my education on a variety of topics. These topics help me to better educate my clients.

I can also help you find your new puppy with Temperament testing.  If you’re looking for the right dog to be a part of your family, I can help!

Now, I have been given this opportunity to unite dogs and their owners through dog obedience training.  I decided to embark on a journey of helping others experience this mutual respect and love with their pets.  I believe all dogs can be obedience trained or rehabilitated.  We, as owners, are able to teach our pets what's acceptable and unacceptable in our homes.  Sometimes, we fail to do that, but there is a solution.

I am able to come into your home to speak with you about your concerns and goals you have for you and your dog.  We then can work together to bring your dog's attention or focus back onto you.  We complete this process together through 1:1 dog obedience training in your home.  We are also able to provide distraction training at parks, other neighborhoods, shopping centers, etc.  Ideally you need to expose the dog to all different types of environments so our dog will be obedient in all instances.

Obedience dog training for our furry friends is my passion.  I have chosen to make Pawsitive Focus, LLC in-home dog training a constant and permanent part of my life.