Our Team

Mahogany’s lifelong passion for dogs and their behavior began early—she often jokes that she’s loved dogs since before she was born. Her dedication to understanding canine behavior and fulfilling their needs has remained steadfast throughout her life.

Before embarking on her journey as a professional dog trainer, Mahogany worked as a paramedic in San Francisco and gained hands-on experience with dogs while managing a non-profit organization and volunteering at local shelters. Her curiosity led her to mentor under a respected local dog walker, where she honed her skills and eventually founded her own dog-walking business. This venture quickly grew to become one of the largest in the Bay Area.

During this time, Mahogany connected with two highly experienced trainers, whom she credits with shaping much of her expertise. Under their mentorship, she spent more than a decade learning advanced training techniques and approaches, benefiting from their combined 55 years of experience.

In the last five years, Mahogany has expanded her influence in the dog training world, coaching trainers globally and delivering seminars across the U.S. and Canada. Her personal commitment to excellence extends to her own dogs—she actively trains them for high-level competitive sports. In 2023, Mahogany and her dog, Lexie, earned a place on the world championship team and competed in Romania. She is now preparing her next competition dog for future world championships.

Mahogany’s expertise, passion, and hands-on experience make her a respected leader in the field, committed to helping dogs and their owners thrive together.

Halley is a dedicated canine trainer who has a diverse background working in the
animal industry. She has been working with dogs for eight years, and over the past four
she has discovered her passion for understanding dog behavior. Her journey in dog
training started after she attended an apprenticeship, where she learned the basics of
dog training and understanding the “why” behind dog behaviors. When she graduated
from the apprenticeship, she was assigned 10-15 dogs at a time to focus on daily. She
not only learned how to rehabilitate their behaviors but also helped build their
confidence and create neutrality in their world. She now works as a Dog Behaviorist and
Balanced Trainer, helping build dogs’ confidence while coaching owners and their
companions to thrive together. Though some cases are similar, no case is ever the
same, which has led her to believe that there are many techniques to help bridge the
gap of communication between a dog and their owner.

Halley spends a lot of time going on hikes, cliff jumping, spending time on the
beach, going to car events, and camping with her two-year-old Pit/Corgi mix named
Percy. She resides in a home with a 4yr old German Shepherd, a 9yr Goldendoodle,
and a 6yr old Orange Tabby cat. If you want to spark an easy conversation with her, you
can’t go wrong bringing up cars.

Chris has been passionate about animals from a young age, fostering a deep appreciation for the bond between humans and their pets. As a pet owner himself, he has gained firsthand insight into the care, patience, and dedication required to nurture a strong and healthy relationship with dogs. He shares his life with two beloved dogs, Rocky and Loki, a father-and-son duo who have further deepened his understanding of canine companionship.

In his free time, Chris enjoys practicing martial arts, including jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai, as a way to stay active and challenge himself. He also has a love for traveling, exploring new places, and embracing diverse cultures. Whether adventuring abroad or spending quality time with his dogs, Chris cherishes the moments that strengthen his bond with both the world around him and his canine companions.

My name is Katie Hollander and I am the head trainer at New Beginnings Dog Training. I have been passionate about animals my entire life. For the first 11 years of my life, I rode and competed horses in eventing. I achieved a C1 rating as a member of the Rockwall County Pony Club. As my experience grew, I started training off the track thoroughbreds. While attending high school, I was apart of the FFA and learned about caring and showing livestock animals.Towards the end of my high school experience, my family found a little, black puppy on the street. My parents brought her home and everyone fell in love with her. From day one, she was a handful. We had no experience with high energy dogs. My parents were thinking of rehoming her, so I offered an agreement: If I train her, can we keep her? They agreed.From then on, I worked with her everyday and did extensive research on different training methods. She earned her trick title, CGC, CGC Urban.  We entered her in a few barn hunt trials where she brought home the yellow ribbon out of 20 competitors. I mentored a local dog trainer that inspired me to start training other dogs on my own. In 2022, I started my first professional dog training job at Cosmic Canine. I worked with fear/anxiety, dog aggression, and human aggression cases. After years of working there, I decided to venture out on my own and start my own dog training business. In total I have 20 years of animal care/handling experience and 6+ years of dog training experience. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge and helping owners to improve their relationship with their dog! 

Hello! My name is Juliet, and I’ve been training dogs professionally for 13 years. I am a balanced trainer, focusing on helping dogs succeed in real-world scenarios. This means relying heavily on positive reinforcement and believing in the power of properly-timed affection, praise, and inclusion in our lives – NOT just on food, treats, and other material rewards. I use a variety of training tools in addition to most modern techniques and methods existing in the industry to modify behavior, allow for crystal clear communication, and to pattern desirable responses. I am an EXPERT in thinking outside of the box! Dogs that I work with are set up to succeed by being taught new coping tools, social skills, and replacement behaviors BEFORE they are expected to make better choices in high distraction or stressful situations.  At that point, if a dog still chooses to make a choice that is dangerous, rude, or otherwise inappropriate, you will learn how to calmly, fairly, and effectively correct your dog so that they understand that this choice was not acceptable. 

Every dog and owner is different, and lets us know what they need. I will do whatever it takes to help you and your dog reach your goals! 

Keith is a dedicated canine trainer and enthusiast with a diverse background. Growing up in Washington surrounded by dogs, he developed a passion for animal companionship early in life. After serving eight years in the Navy, stationed in Hawaii, Keith and his wife welcomed their first dog, a Chihuahua mix, into their family.

Upon returning to Washington, he transitioned to a career driving armored vehicles while pursuing his education in HVAC/R. During his eight years in the trade, Keith adopted a Malinois puppy and recognized the importance of proper training. He sought out online resources and engaged with a local trainer, where his exceptional bond with his dog was noticed, leading to a job offer.

With three and a half years of hands-on experience under his belt, Keith further honed his skills by completing a six-month master trainer course at Tarheel K9. He is currently an active member of a local IGP and American Schutzhund club, training two of his dogs for competition, and continues to share his passion for canine training with the community.

Leah has spent her whole life in orbit around two gravitational pulls - a love of animals and a love of storytelling. Her own story begins with animals. She grew up with cats and a dog at home and worked with horses at a local stable. Leah was obsessed with knowing more and more about the animals she shared her life with - to learn with them, read about them, and spent hours of play and training time bonding in the backyard. Leah has worked in doggy daycare and boarding settings, assessing temperaments and managing pack behavior, as well as working 1:1 with dogs as a trainer, walker, and sitter. It was almost a decade ago that Leah adopted a powerful and anxious one-year-old GSD mix called Peter and they began working with a balanced trainer to build a better relationship and greater clarity in communication. This training practice changed both their lives for the better and set Leah down the balanced training path she is on today.

A graduate of Koru K9’s Master Trainer Program and a dedicated lifelong learner, Leah is committed to continuing education through an ever-expanding reading and podcast list, taking seminars and workshops, and ongoing training and practice with great trainers and good dogs. Leah works and trains her own dogs; Peter (now graying a bit in the muzzle but just as powerful!) and a sweet stubborn Rottie girl called Hippo. Leah finds joy and purpose in the practice of building greater connection with her pack (and yours) through clear communication, foundational structure, deep relationship, and the power of play.

 For as long as Jessica can remember, she enjoyed understanding the behavior of animals - especially canines! As she got older, the passion only grew along with her knowledge and experience. She has worked with many kinds of dogs: eager to please, shut down and scared, dogs with no motivation and dogs that challenge their owners with other undesirable behaviors. She loves helping the dog and owner overcome these concerns, and understand all of their challenges so they can be the perfect family. Jessica's love for training has led her to compete in dog sports that require precision and enthusiastic obedience. She trains and competes with her dog in PSA and various other activities. With a strong belief that the relationship between dog and owner is the foundation of obedience, she approaches training with balanced methods to ensure the dog and owner can be successful together. Jessica's goal is for the dog to be confident in their behaviors and happy to obey! 

Adam’s journey into dog training started with the adoption of his pitbull, Archimedes. Despite the initial struggle, Adam was dedicated to helping him and Archie live a better life together. The more Adam learned, the more he realized there was to learn.

Adam began to work at a dog daycare in 2015, and loved every opportunity to learn in that environment. Each day Adam would come home from work and learn as much as he could and share and apply that knowledge, while being mentored by the owners.

His interest grew as time went on to work with the reactive dogs that didn’t do well in the daycare environment. Each dog and owner were a unique puzzle to solve. It was then Adam began to understand the importance of a strong training foundation for every dog and owner.

After working under the guidance of multiple trainers and shadowing with training, Adam shifted back to the daycare environment to help build up Luna’s Landing Daycare. Adam continued to work with clients to help their dog not only build the social skills, but work them outside of the daycare environment.

Will Greenway is a professional dog trainer that utilizes a holistic approach based on science, theory, and practical application to train dogs through puppy development, basic and advanced obedience, and behavior modification. A lifelong animal advocate, Will has worked as a wildlife technician, horse trainer, and amateur wildlife tracker. 

Will is a NePoPo® Gold certified trainer, with experience ranging from pets to working dogs. He specializes in training handlers to manage aggressive and reactive dogs through dynamic training. Will has a Cattle Dog and Belgian Malinois that are trained in advanced obedience, scent detection, and work as demonstration dogs.

A Florida native, Marsie's profound adoration for animals stems from her grandfather, whose tender affection for dogs sparked a lifelong passion within her. Growing up in Florida's rural landscape, dogs were her playmates, filling her days with entertainment and unwavering companionship.

Amidst the captivating allure of the Gulf of Mexico, she and her family spent cherished moments scalloping and exploring the waters, etching memories that linger as some of her fondest.

Now a devoted mother of four, she has passed down a deep love of animals to each of them. Alongside her wonderful husband, their home has transformed into a bustling sanctuary adorned with chickens, turkeys, quail, goats, ducks, cats, and their beloved dog, Pepper—a vibrant haven for creatures both big and small.

Her life has been profoundly enriched by these cherished animals, teaching invaluable lessons of empathy, responsibility, and the sheer delight found in life's simplest moments. Amidst the delightful chaos, her home resonates with the heartwarming essence of a harmonious animal kingdom.

Jennifer has never been a stranger to dogs, Born into the world of dog shows, her grandparents have been breeding AKC Champion sporting dogs for 50+ years in Redwood City. She has been attending dog shows since she was born. Jennifer showed her first dog when she was 10 years old and ever since then, it has stuck. She competed in Junior Showmanship, and received thousands of dollars in scholarships, and has been featured in newspapers such as the Fresno Bee and San Mateo Daily Journal. 

Jennifer has qualified for one of the world's most prestigious dog shows, the Westminster Kennel Club, 5 years in a row for junior showmanship. Jennifer took to the dog shows and got serious when she started working for various professional dog handlers. There she learned many “tricks of the trade” handling many different breeds ranging from Dachshunds to Black Russian Terriers, but the one that made the biggest imprint on her was grooming. Jennifer learned grooming styles such as hand scissoring, hand stripping, and mastering AKC breed cuts. She is passionate about transforming her guests into well-groomed, clean, and happy dogs.

Jennifer got sucked into the world of dog training through her ex-business partner with whom she traveled the country by attending multiple training seminars taught by world renowned trainers, PSA Decoy camps, grip development seminars, dog sport obedience seminars, French Ring seminars, and attending PSA nationals. Jennifer actively competes and has titled in PSA and French Ring, she is also the lead decoy of the Bay Area PSA Club. Jennifer is also learning how to train and build sport and police K9s. 

Jennifer has been training dogs for nearly 20 years. She has been around animals her entire life. From a young age she was exposed to all sorts of animals, from domesticated small pets to exotics and livestock.

She began her journey with dog training after going to a nearby Schutzhund (now IGP) trial. From then on- she was hooked and knew that this was what she wanted to pursue. After that, she spent many years showing, training, trialing and titling dogs. She has participated in many dog sport and training seminars and has learned from the best professionals available.

Not only does she train dogs and help their owners, but she holds a current license issued by the California Veterinary Medical Board as a Registered Veterinary Technician. She is extremely qualified and experienced in Veterinary Medicine and has worked in Specialty Practice, experiencing the most critical of cases. She has multiple certificates in a wide variety of areas and continues her education every possible moment she can. She has gained excellent animal care and husbandry skills through this education and experience.

Her passion for working with animals has allowed her to create a career doing what she loves… helping dogs and their owners co-exist.

Lorie has joked that “once you raise ½ dozen kids you might as well train dogs, right?”

She absolutely loves her job and takes “Train To Transform'' seriously. After working for years in a dog training job that limited the true power and range of Balanced Training, Lorie is excited to partner with the Koru K9 Team and help ALL dogs. She took her passion to Oregon where she attended and passed the Koru K9 Balanced Training Master’s Program. One of her strongest areas is confidence building. Both in the dog and within the dog owners as well. She understands that oftentimes it can be a daunting journey but coaching is where she shines. With a great sense of humor and lots of understanding, patience and guidance, Lorie is passionate about helping you and your dog be the best you can be and truly partner with one another.

As an in-home and private session trainer, Lorie will be with you every step of the way! Beginning your training journey in the comfort of your own home, Lorie will help you build a training foundation to carry out anywhere. Her expertise and compassion extends to the entire family and Lorie loves to get the whole pack involved and help you all grow together.

Lorie lives on a 35 acre horse ranch in Wine Country, Temecula with her husband, son and two Queensland Heelers (Gimli and Frodo) as well as a collection of loving ranch cats.

Joanna developed her passion for dog training during her days as a Wildlife Biologist. She spent years conducting field surveys across Northern California for all kinds of animals. Working alone in the woods at night searching for owls made her pursue her lifelong dream of getting a working dog. This dog, Gaara, a Belgian Mal x GSD cross became her right hand pal. With the help of some Koru trainers she met while researching breeds, Joanna saw first hand the benefits one gets from having a well trained dog. She pursued protection, scent work, herding, and hunting with Gaara with those trainers. Her appreciation of "working" with working dogs led her to decide to change careers entirely. Now as a professional trainer she helps people find that joy with their pets. She believes that dogs should add to our lives, and that with the right guidance everyone can enjoy their furry friendships a lot more. That your dog's job is to be a good dog, and she loves helping people achieve that.

Ashley is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, but has lived all over at this point. She has been training dogs for almost a decade now, originally getting started by working with psychiatric and medical alert & response service dogs. Ashley is a graduate of the Tarheel Canine School for Dog Trainers, where she had the privilege of working with and learning from the top trainers in the industry. She obtained her Master Dog Trainer certification with concentration in the areas of obedience/behavior modification, detection, tracking, and patrol. There she was able to have hands-on experience with military and police working dogs, personal protection dogs, and severe behavior modification cases within the pet program. She still works closely with local police departments, as well as with the MWD’s on JBLM. She is also certified as a Pet Nutrition Coach through the North American Veterinary Community.

Her favorite part about dog training is teaching owner’s how to effectively communicate with their dogs and seeing the relief that comes from breaking through behavioral issues. She loves seeing dogs thrive and being able to live their lives to the fullest after training. Ashley has experience working with potty training, excessive fearfulness, leash reactivity, human and dog aggression, and everything in between.

Ashley competes in PSA (Protection Sports Association) and American Schutzhund, with her Malinois, Ronan. He has his PSA 1 and AS-BT, going for his PSA 2 title this year. Ronan is also trained in narcotics detection and human odor tracking. Outside of dogs, Ashley is a bodybuilder competing in the NPC Figure division.

Listen to Ashely and Koru K9 co-founders, Ray & Bridget, discuss one of her amazing client success stories

“I’ve lived with all kinds of pets for as long as I can remember. Having dogs at home, I saw them more than just a family pet. I spent most of my time outdoors taking my dogs wherever I went. As I grew older and moved away from home, I adopted two of my own dogs and they quickly became my entire personality. I spent hours training them and playing with them but it wasn’t until my younger dog turned about two that he showed signs of reactivity towards strangers and other dogs. Feeling sad and alone I thought I may never be able to give my dog the life I wanted for him. We got in touch with a local trainer in the area and after he came back home we couldn’t believe his transformation. I fell in love with learning about dog behavior and wanted to help other owners feel the joy I felt seeing how much my dog could enjoy life. I spent hours reading and researching any information I could find to further my knowledge. Soon after I spent the majority of my free time training my parents dog and friends dogs for free, explaining why dogs think and behave certain ways. Since moving to Washington, I’ve attended a few seminars and even plan to entire the sport dog world soon! Training and helping owners build a strong bond with their best friends will never be a job for me, it’s a way of life.”

Oliver spent his adolescent years in South America growing up until he moved to South Florida where he finished high school. He then relocated to Northern California to play college football and study business.

Oliver found interest for dogs at an early age but found his passion for K9 training after adopting a Husky German Shepherd mix. Working with his dog in basic obedience opened his eyes to the various possibilities in K9 training. Oliver has attended and completed the Koru K9 Balance School Master Program Academy. Oliver believes a trained dog is the best dog.

Hi! My name is Aly. I've been "The Dog Girl" pretty much all my life. I've been training dogs professionally for over 5 years but I've been training friends and family's pets basically my whole life! My favorite things to teach back then were all the tricks like sit pretty, take a bow or play dead. Now my favorite part of training is watching clients get to enjoy the new freedom they have with their pups through balanced training.I have 3 dogs myself, all sweet boys that keep me busy. I have a malinois name Krucifix, a malinois mix named Deveraux and a dachshund mix named Jax but we call him roach! Kru does bite sports and we are working towards his PDC in PSA. Dev is my demo dog and the sweetest boy ever. Last but not least, we have Jax who is my retired demo dog but he still competes in barn hunt for fun.

I am a certified trainer who has worked with various breeds from pet dogs, working dogs, and competition dogs. A graduate of the Top Tier K-9 Trainer School with advanced certifications in pet and working dog programs.

Owner of 4 dogs, including 3 Belgian Malinois and a Whippet mix. I am committed to developing my skills and utilizing training methods for getting the most out of each dog and their owner. I believe that each dog and owner has an individual learning style that requires a customized approach.

Natalie and Lee Lane, a husband-and-wife team on the Oregon Coast. Originally a Northern California native, Natalie interned and eventually worked for a dog training facility in Chico as the Training Center Coordinator. In 2005, Natalie earned her certification as a Registered Veterinary Assistant. In 2011, she graduated from Sierra Nevada University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology. Her professional animal training career has included working with everything from tigers to tortoises, but dogs have always played a pivotal role in her life. Lee was born and raised in Northern Idaho and his family always had extra-large dogs such as St. Bernard’s and Brasileiro Filas. Lee pursued a career as a heavy-equipment mechanic, but a dog named Jack jump-started his venture into dog training. Through their experience training Jack, both Natalie and Lee acquired a devoted passion for Balanced Dog Training and the high quality of life it can bring even the most reactive dog. In 2016, Natalie and Lee began working as Dog Trainers for GET RATTLED which conducts rattlesnake, porcupine, and skunk aversion training clinics for dogs all over the country. Jack has since passed, but his legacy lives on in the work Natalie and Lee now do together. They both work for Koru, offering in-home and Board and Train for people looking to bring out the best in their dog. Natalie and Lee, their American Bully Valkyrie, cat, chickens, ducks, horses, goats, reptiles and 2 pet skunks live on the Oregon Coast in Lincoln County. They are thrilled to be able to represent Koru K9 and bring their experience to the area.

I just moved to Washington from Indiana in June, 2022 specifically to train dogs. I was raised in Kentucky and grew up with horses, cattle and pigs. My first dog was a German Shepherd named Sarge. He walked me to and from school until the 4th grade when the local school closed. I don’t know who was more disappointed, him or me. Sarge was an amazing dog and he was where my love for dogs started. When I was 22 my wife and I moved to Northern Indiana to raise a family. During the next 18 years we raised 3 children and more than a few dogs. I can proudly say that all of my children share my love of animals (dogs in particular). My youngest son is a dog trainer here in Washington and my 17 yr old daughter in Indiana is training to be a dog trainer. I currently have 4 dogs and am thinking about getting another Doberman this summer.

From a young age, Emily took it upon herself to do all the training for her family’s pet dogs when no one else stepped up to the plate. That’s where she got her love for training obedience and living with well mannered dogs. Fast forward years later when Emily got her first dog as an adult, a husky mix, who ended up having extreme fear toward the outside world. After taking him to several trainers with no results, she decided she needed to learn everything about dog behavior and training so she could help him herself. Through the process she fell in love with working with fearful dogs, and her dog made such great progress that she was able to compete with him in nosework sports. Helping fearful or nervous dogs gain confidence and thrive in any environment will always hold a special place in her heart.

Since then Emily has been involved in training dogs in obedience, nosework, schutzhund, and detection. She fell in love with dog sports and then slowly transitioned into working dogs. Currently she is raising and training bomb dogs for Iowa K9 Detection. Though she is an expert in detection training and raising working puppies, she also loves to work with pet dogs and help families live the best lives with their furry companions! Emily is a huge believer in helping people understand breed fulfillment based on their specific dog, and giving the dog proper outlets to express themselves.

Currently she lives in Colorado Springs with her labrador retriever, Shade, who is training to be an explosives detection K9, her pet husky, Loma, who competes in nosework and is the best demo dog, and she usually has the odd lab puppy or two that she’s raising to be a future detection dog. Outside of dogs she has zero hobbies. Zero. Dogs are her life!

Jenn Cassens lives in Penn Valley CA and started training Search and Rescue dogs in 2016. She currently works 3 SAR dogs: a Golden Retriever and two Belgian Malinois. With a lifetime of training and riding horses, training dogs was a natural evolution. She and her husband Rich Cassens, also a KoruK9 trainer, volunteer for their County Sheriffs Dept K9 Search & Rescue Team and are Mentors and Evaluators for California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA), and specialize in Basic Obedience, Scent Work, and Behavior Modification.

Hi my name is Karen. I have been working with dogs for 5 years now. I have two dogs of my own. Kylo Ren and Rae, and yes! The force is strong with those two. Kylo Ren is a 5 year old rescue who is 18 different breeds. Yes, 18 lovely reasons why we began our then journey in training to my now passion for dogs. Rae is a 3 year old chocolate lab who has worked hard by my side as my service dog. Both of which I trained myself. Kylo and I have worked hard over the years to set and crush training goals and as a result of his hard work and long journey we have managed to find our love for his now favorite sport in Urban locating. He is set to trial in February for his level II title. Rae is jack of all trades. When she is not working as my service dog or as my demo dog, she enjoys dock diving, fly ball and her ball. My passion for the well being of my dogs has driven me to learn all things K9. In the recent years I have worked with mentors around the US both virtually and in person  to expand my knowledge on dog training, training tools, dog nutrition and much more! My recent certifications include courses ranging from CPR courses, dog nutrition and currently working on getting certified as a AKC CGC evaluator. My goal as a dog trainer is to continue to get educated in all aspects of dog training so that I can teach my clients to not only train their dog but to create that lifestyle of enrichment, clear communication, health, proper outlets and overall a life long relationship with their dog. I look forward to helping you set and crush your goals! (edited) 

Nice to meet you  My name is Courtney!
I’m from the beautiful trees and mountains of Southern Oregon. People and animals have always felt natural to me.  Throughout the past decade I’ve worked within the animal industry; as a veterinary assistant, at The Humane Society, doggie daycare, dog boarding, dog walking, and training.

It has become my passion and purpose to help owners of all backgrounds better understand how to implement the right training system, tools, and skills to overcome behavioral issues and strengthen the bonds we share.  I am here to guide, support, motivate, encourage growth, and troubleshoot issues that arise for you and your dog along the way.

In 2020, I started a balanced and relationship-based training business with my mission to take all of the aspects that impact dogs in a fulfilling, healthy, and productive way to be integrated into a functional lifestyle for both owners and their dogs.

I am a graduate of the Koru K9 Dog Training Master Program, worked hands-on with Koru K9’s Regional Trainer, Sierra Fabian, and have experience in handling severe aggression, behavior modification and bite cases from my time with her with breeds such as Akitas, Shepherds, and Malinois. My goal is to be able to help owners and their dogs have better communication and understanding of each other so they can have a happier life. Whether your dog has basic obedience needs, reactivity or aggression issues I want to be able to help owners understand the specific behavioral quirks of their dogs and work towards a balanced lifestyle for them. Growing up with 2 Rottweilers helped me to understand at an early age the importance of training and boundaries for our animals so that we can provide them with the life they truly deserve.

Jennifer has always had a fascination with animals, particularly dogs. She grew up always intrigued by animal behaviors and dreamed of becoming a local zoo keeper as an adult. Fast forward to after college, a mess of a German Shepherd Dog somehow landed into her home which opened the door to her dog training adventures. After mentoring and shadowing under a few balanced trainers, Jennifer was introduced to the world of sport dogs and working dogs. Venturing into competition has allowed Jennifer to learn and read dogs to a higher degree, understand their behaviors, and bring the skillset to her pet dog training program. Jennifer enjoys working with clients on troubleshooting and developing a better relationship with their dog(s). She strives to strengthen the communication and engagement of the dog and owner team to create a healthy relationship. Jennifer has two Belgian Malinois and a German Shepherd and they all compete in a variety of sports!

Darcey Hall is a professional dog trainer and behaviorist. She has dedicated the last fifteen years to training canines. She is CA P-O-S-T Certified K9 Handler and a Protection Sport Association (PSA) member. As a balanced trainer Darcey’s passion is creating a bond between the owner and the dog to make an everlasting relationship. She loves doing fun games to create a learning environment for the dog to retain their obedience. Specializing in advanced obedience and behavior modification, Darcey is also an AKC Canine Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen certification, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and is part of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP).

Claire’s love for dogs has existed since early childhood, but that love sparked into something bigger at the age of 9 when she started agility with her childhood Cavalier. Around 2018, after stepping out of the horse world of three-day eventing, Claire dove into researching Belgian Malinois and started shadowing balanced trainers in her area to learn more about dog training. Shortly after, she signed up for the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers Immersion Program, and bought a Malinois puppy through Michael’s breeding program, Loups du Soleil. After graduating from the school, Claire worked under top trainers to continue her education, and she is currently training for French Ring with her malinois. In her free time, Claire loves to go camping and hiking...with her dogs of course!

I’ve been a dog advocate for more than 25 years working with organizations such as Stray Rescue out of St. Louis and adopting a variety of pups abandoned and left to wonder if they were worth loving. I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 26 owning restaurants, a clothing line, and consulting for corporations. I bring my life experience to training dogs and horses on my small farm in Black Forest Colorado. I sought to work with Koru K9 because of their philosophy around helping the core issues that keep the dog and the owner from a fulfilling relationship together. If I’m your last resort or you want to take the steps to teach your dog valuable life skills, I will be dedicated to giving you my very best and helping you discover your dog’s true potential!

My name is Halle Tennison. I have been working with animals my whole life. I personally have rescued and rehabilitated two adult huskies and an adult pit bull. All of which were intense, behavior modification cases. I have been trained through multiple eight hour sessions of animal nutrition through Pet Food Express and Just Food For Dogs to be able to solve food allergies, sensitivities as well as other dietary related issues. I have successfully passed the Animal Behavior College of Santa Clarita’s internship and hands on externship program of positive reinforcement training. I am certified in Animal CPR and have worked with the Humane Society of Silicon Valley as an assistant for over half a year. I use the LIMA (Least intrusive, minimally adverse) approach to my balance training to ensure maximum success with dogs. I have seven years private client experience with behavioral modification in all sizes of dogs. Please reach out to me at any time with any dog related product or dietary concerns.

Kym has been working in the canine industry for eight years. Her experience started in the U.S. Navy as a Military Working Dog Handler, searching for narcotics and explosives, along with training patrol work. She’s spent her newly gained civilian time learning to work with and train companions, service animals, and their owners. She believes there are multiple ways to succeed with your companion and adapts techniques to work best for everyone.

Kym spends her free time out hiking, paddle boarding, and camping around the PNW with her own dogs. Her household includes a six year-old Golden-Doodle, a three year-old Belgian Malinois, a one year-old German Shepherd, and a four year-old orange Tabby Cat. If you're looking for a great conversation starter, try discussing the Star Wars universe with her!

Haley grew up in Louisiana, and always had dogs growing up. She loves to travel and be outside with her dogs. Training and playing with her dogs has allowed her to do that more. She started working with her own dogs and quickly began to see progress. As Haley’s knowledge of how dogs learn grew she became fascinated and developed a passion for it. She soon discovered that she wanted to work with dogs and their owners full time. There’s nothing more rewarding to her than assisting dog owners in building a relationship between them and their dog. 

Tino has been involved with working dogs from a very young age. Originally born in Mexico, he and his family managed a large ranch that was their livelihood. They owned a large pack of working dogs who were a integral part of their every day life, playing countless roles to help his family. Even as young as 5 years old, he was tasked with caring for his own pack, this gave him a fantastic foundation in dog behavior and understanding different dispositions.

As he got older he moved to the states, while he took a break in school he quickly got back into working with dogs once he graduated. He eventually moved to Northern California where he met a training club and quickly learned to be a decoy as well as trained his own personal dog in protection. Since then he has been hooked, he has been decoying and working with protection dogs for over 5 years and now managed a ranch with his wife, Celeste. Bringing back some of his roots he also now trains his dogs to help aid with daily chores on the ranch, including managing the livestock. It has also created a great environment to work with his clients in, offering many new distractions and experiences they would not get to have in a city environment.

Joshua is a balanced dog trainer that has been training dogs for 10+ years. He has always had a passion for training animals as a child and made these dreams reality. In 2010, he began training dogs with behavioral issues and taking on the most aggressive or fear based cases. Eventually this led to him starting his own business where he currently trains and supplies police dogs, border patrol dogs, protection dogs, and service dogs. He also runs a Working Dog Club in Arizona, where he has helped members title and certify their dogs.
He has a very diverse background, also training horses and becoming a licensed falconer now training birds of prey. Working with other animals has helped him gain the background on how animals learn psychologically in different ways. This experience makes it much easier to train animals with behavioral issues especially. He loves a challenge and takes pride in his work. Although he has trained dogs for narcotic detection, protection sports, patrol/security, service dogs to accompany disabilities, etc.. His favorite dogs to work with are those that have behavioral issues, or lack obedience and structure. He takes pride in rehabilitating animals and training dogs to be the best they can be.

Emily Whipp has been training dogs professionally for over 10 years. Her experience has been gained through intensive, self-propelled study and execution. With a solid foundation based in competitive dog sports she has amassed years of experience in both balanced and motivational techniques.
Emily has learned from some of the most successful pet dog trainers and competition dog handlers in the world. It has been this accumulation of knowledge and experience that has aided her ability to implement real, science based training to create and even change behavior in companion dogs today.
Emily is also a National level competitor with her two female German Shepherds in a dogsport called PSA.
Her mission is to help her clients and her community to better understand their best friends. That when we have a relationship based on trust and respect, the effects are mutually beneficial.

Hi my name is Mikayla, I have been working with dogs for almost 7 years now. I have two dogs of my own. Jupiter, who is my 5 year old rescue, she is the one responsible for getting me into dog training. My other dog Saturn, is just about 2 years old now and we compete in dog sports. While training dogs is my life I also currently study Aerospace Engineering at San Jose State University. Hence, my dogs are named after planets. I also work with and train local police K9 units in Cambpell, Santa Clara, Yuba County, Fremont and Richmond. My goal as a dog trainer is to teach owners how to enrich your dog's life through clear communication, building a strong relationship and providing proper outlets so your dog can be an active member of the family. I look forward to meeting you and your dog and helping you guys conquer anything.

I can’t remember a time I haven’t been training and helping dogs. I began volunteering at animal shelters in elementary school and teaching dogs fun tricks and basic obedience to help them get adopted. As I got into high school I joined FFA which was an immense help to giving insight to animal behaviour and handling skills! After high school I worked with a few Service Dog programs before venturing into creating my own training program for all varieties of dogs…and other animals on occasion too! I am also taking classes in Kinesiology and Chiropractics to become a certified Animal Rehab specialist.

I currently own 3 personal dogs (626, 1oh1 and Cinder-Ella…I have a Disney theme going!); all of them working and sport competition dogs. We compete in just about anything and everything from protection sports to agility and everything in between! 1oh1 was also one of the models in a training book!

I also occasionally take in shelter dogs and help them get some training and find suitable homes whether that means just pets or in a specialty field of work. One of my rescue dogs even starred in a movie while he was training with me!

I love finding what makes the dog happiest and working with them to achieve our goals of becoming a well balanced and mannered pet. I work with all types of dogs from fun puppies looking to get a great start to extreme aggression cases. Dogs need structure and my goal is to help them along that path and ensure the owners have the tools and knowledge to keep their pup happy and safe!

I have spent my entire life learning about and training dogs. Starting at a young age with  4H, I progressed on to training for competition obedience, then later protection dogs with  Project Safe Run in the late 80s and early 90s. After graduating college I began a successful  career as a Computer Programmer, but continued to foster my love of dog training, and  increase my knowledge base, spending much of my spare time training and competing with  dogs in French Ring, MondioRing, Schutzhund, PSA, NADF, Herding, Agility, Obedience,  Tracking, Weight Pull, Flyball and other venues. 

When time permitted I also took in the occasional board and train dogs for clients, ran  private and group obedience classes, and have coached many competitive teams in a variety  of venues, helping them overcome obedience and/or behavioral issues that were preventing  their dogs from excelling. 

Over the years I have owned a wide variety of breeds, including Dobermann (my first love),  Giant Schnauzer, Rottweiler, Beauceron, Boxer, APBT, Am Staff, Jack Russell Terrier, and  Belgian Shepherd Dogs, AKA Malinois and Tervuren. The Malinois eventually became my  primary breed of choice, although I do still dabble on occasion with other breeds. 

I have walked on the trial field over 400 times in over 12 different venues and and put over  100 titles on various dogs, most titles requiring 2-3 legs to complete. My personal dogs  have been the #1 dog in the Nation in both French Ring and Herding, in addition to winning  local and regional trials in many venues. I’ve been a founding member of a number of sport  dog clubs, held office in local and nationals clubs, and hosted numerous seminars and  demonstrations. As a breeder I have produced dogs that have won Regional, National and  World Championships, worked for the military and police, earned numerous performance  and working sport titles, worked as ranch dogs and medical assistance dogs, protected their  owners from assault, and even finished a few conformation championships. 

I believe that learning never stops, and have attended numerous seminars over the years,  and continue to soak up knowledge wherever I can find it. When time permitted over the  years I also took in the occasional board and train dogs for clients, ran private and group  obedience classes, and have coached many competitive teams in a variety of venues, helping them overcome obedience and/or behavioral issues that were preventing their dogs  from excelling.  

I love dogs! They bring me so much joy!  I have more than 20 years of experience working closely with dogs from raising and training my own to working as a veterinary nurse, veterinary practice manager and providing pack hikes and dog walking, grooming and boarding services.  I have also worked for many years as an educator and have trained other educators in the field of environmental conservation.  I found Koru after adopting my fourth dog Max, a 100lb doberman, hound, shepherd mix who was extremely reactive and aggressive on leash.  Having had such an easy time training all of my previous dogs using a positive only approach, he felt impossible to train.  As a last resort I looked for a company who specialized in training and rehabilitating aggressive dogs. It was a life changing experience and from that point on I was a firm believer in a balanced training approach.  All dogs are different and we need to adapt our training methods to their varying needs and environments. I have always dreamed of being a professional trainer so I went on to complete Koru’s Balanced Trainer Academy: Master Program.  My favorite thing about training with Koru is seeing the transformation in the dogs’ behavior when they are given clear boundaries and consistent training.  I am passionate about coaching clients to bring out the best in their dogs so dogs are not given up or put down due to behaviors that could have been managed with balanced training tools and methods.  When I am not hanging with a pack of dogs I enjoy volunteering at an equine therapy program, paddling in the bay, camping, cooking for my children and all of their friends and spending lots of time outdoors with my dog and human family.

I began training at a very young age with my own American Eskimo from the basics to tricks. That’s where my spark and love of dogs began. Shortly after I knew I wanted to work with dogs, but never really knew what exactly. Little did I know training dogs would become a passion for me and then into my career. I trained under great mentors that were balanced trainers that have made me the trainer I am today. Working from pet dogs, to dogs with behavioral issues to sport dogs and competing in the sport IGP with my personal dogs. I’m also an active certified explosives K9 handler with my yellow lab and have been working in detection for the past 3 years and it’s been great being able to learn more skill sets! In my free time, I also enjoy spending it with family or traveling, as well as enjoying time with my pups!

Ever since I was little I knew I would always be working with dogs, I grew up volunteering in shelters and worked as a veterinarian technician during and after college. Once I got my high drive Belgian Malinois, Church, I knew I had to get him into an activity that would fulfill his genetic needs. Together we became a certified explosive detection K9 team and have worked all over the country. I have trained many law enforcement dogs and independent teams in obedience and detection work. I now live with my two working dogs, a Malinois and a Working line Cocker Spaniel, and a pet pit bull.

My favorite part about dog training is seeing an anxious dog come out of its shell and gain the confidence it needs to live a happy and fulfilled life with its family, as well as teaching the owners how to better communicate with their pet. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new places and going on hikes with my pups.

Victoria’s love for dogs started at just two-years-old when her father brought home a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy, Max, who became her best friend. Growing up she had many pets such as cats, guinea pigs, fish, hamsters, hermit crabs, and of course, always a family dog. From a young age, Victoria started pet sitting and dog walking, which continued to teach her how to work with animals of many different temperaments.

Victoria’s first experience with behavior modification happened after she met her partner’s dog, Ghost. A deaf Aussie/Pit mix, Ghost had developed fear reactivity towards people, resulting in a few bites. Feeling that he needed help, Victoria found Koru K9 and signed him up for their 3-week board and train program. After Ghost returned home, Victoria became passionate about continuing his training and realized she wanted to do this for the rest of her life.

Victoria found a position as a Dog Trainer Apprentice and quickly began learning as much as she could. She participated in two, week long seminars focused on e-collar training, took classes on clicker training, and continued to read and research different methods in her free time. After advancing to Dog Training Manager, Victoria decided she would like to grow her knowledge in balanced training and was excited to find the Balanced School for Dog Trainer’s through Koru K9. Since completing her mentorship program she has been greatly enjoying doing both board and trains and in home training. In Victoria’s free time she enjoys training her personal dogs for both Agility and Mondio Ring, hiking (with dogs of course), and camping.

Erin has always had a love for animals. Whether it was smuggling new pets into her parents house or spending time at the farm, she has been involved in the animal world from a very young age. Once she began volunteering in the rescue world, she realized the amount of issues that could have been solved with a little guidance and a helping hand! This unlocked a passion to improve the lives of both dogs and owners alike. 

Erin has four dogs of her own, and is currently training and competing in PSA. When she’s not on the training field, you can find her hiking or playing ball with her dogs. On the rare occasion she is not spotted out with her dogs, she’s probably planning her next road trip (with her dogs).

I’ve been a K9 Handler with Nevada County Sheriffs Search and Rescue and California Rescue
Dog Association (CARDA) since 2011, and with El Dorado County Sheriffs Search and Rescue
for the last 2 years. With these entities I train and deploy dogs in Search efforts for missing and
deceased individuals in suburban and backcountry terrains throughout the state of California. I
also serve as Mentor and Primary Evaluator for CARDA and K9 Team Lead for El Dorado
County SAR.

Search and Rescue sparked my interest in Obedience training and K9 scent work. I enjoy
teaching handlers how to build drive in their dogs and utilize that drive to hunt specific odor.
Whether it’s human remains, natural oils, narcotics, or even certain nuts or bed bugs, teaching a
dog the game of how to find what we’re looking for is sometimes challenging and always
rewarding.
In scent work classes, we teach the dog to associate odor (birch, anise & clove) with a reward:
either high value food or a toy. Once the dog understands the association between odor and
reward, then we create the game of hunt for odor.

In 2016 I became a certified dog trainer through Animal Behavior College, and in 2018 I left my
job as an Animal Control Officer with Nevada County Sheriffs Office to strike out on my own as a
dog trainer. Through my company I offer Basic and Advanced 1-2-1 Obedience, behavior
modification for aggressive and reactive dogs, 2-6 week Board and Train, day training, and
scent work classes.

Continuing Education:
● 3 day K9 Handler Development class with Cameron Ford of Ford K9, June 2020
● 2 week K9 Police/Professional Detection Training Seminar, October 2020
● 1 week K9 Sport Detection Training Seminar, again with Ford K9 in Las Vegas NV,
March 2021
● Annual Locating the Dead training in San Luis Obispo, CA. This is a specialized and
restricted Cadaver K9 training utilizing whole human cadavers in various scenarios
including submerged in water, buried, in burned vehicles etc.
● In November of 2021 I organized a 3 day Canine Cognition Clinic with Ford K9 for our
County and regional Search and Rescue K9 teams.

Hi there! My name is Aolanis and I am so excited to meet you and your baby! I grew up in sunny San Diego CA and have the pleasure of pursuing my animal training passion in one of the most beautiful places in CA. I have been training dogs for 7 years, and it all started with my love for my 2 German Shepherds I had as a child, after an unforeseen event during my childhood we were forced to get rid of all our animals on our farm and my heart yearned for a German Shepherd again someday. Once I graduated Highschool I purchased my very own German Shepherd puppy named Saint who came from Czech Working Lines and helped me expand my dog training skills outside of obedience and behavior modification and falling in love with odor detection! Saint and I have accomplished numerous things, one of them being a competitor team on an A&E show called "America's Top Dog" we made it to the final round and only lost to a seasoned Police K9 team by only 3 SECONDS. I have experience with small animals as well as livestock and canines. When I am not training dogs, I am training my horses in the classical sport of dressage where a lot of my dog training methods are also applied to my 1,000lb+ horses! Prior to training dogs full time I was a lead surgical technician at an emergency animal hospital. I hope you can find comfort during your baby's stay with me that he has a nurse with him at all times and 24/7 access to veterinary care shall he/she need it! I have 8 acres in east San Diego company where your baby will enjoy the company and exposure to goats, horses and the mountains! I love the outdoors and traveling from time to time with my dogs and horses competing around the state.

Maloree has been training dogs since she was 12 years old. Her and her dog Bella were the youngest certified therapy dog team for Delta Society and Intermountain Therapy Animals. At 16 she began working as a trainer at Gateway to Canine Partnerships in Salt Lake City training service dogs and running daily classes and outings. She also managed a veterinary clinic as the lead technician and office manager for 6 years. 

She did an internship at Logan Haus Kennels in West Virginia. She worked for Ty the Dog Guy and then opened her own business for 5 years in Salt Lake City. 

Once she moved to the PNW she now lives on an acre with her 3 German Shepherds, a French Bulldog, and a Bengal kitten. She trains and competes in IGP, Dock Diving, and Scent work with her dogs.  Her passion is helping owners have a meaningful relationship with their dog and fixing reactive behaviors. She also specializes in therapy and service work. She volunteers for Woof Project and frequently has foster dogs. She is so excited to help you with your pup!

After over 20 years in the Information Technology industry, Annette decided it to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a dog trainer. The skills learned in her Information Technology career have taught Annette how to be a continuous learner, communicate well, understand her client’s needs quickly, set realistic expectations and follow through on what she says she will do. Annette successfully completed Koru K9’s Balanced Trainer Academy’s Master Program.

Annette is passionate about teaching other dog owners how to experience the very best in their unique bond with their K9s. Annette’s love of dogs started with Betsy the Beagle. After Betsy, she has had several dogs, all of different breeds, sizes and temperaments from Baloo the Springer Spaniel, Whilee the Akita, Coyote, German Shepherd mix, Impulse the mutt, Mater the Golden Retriever and Thor the Mastiff mix. Annette currently has two purebred Italian Mastiffs, Stella and Nero.

I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I spent a fair amount of time with animals throughout my childhood taking care of stray cats and dogs along with family pets. I then started my career in veterinary medicine in my early 20s and pursued a degree as a licensed veterinary technician. In veterinary medicine, I saw a variety of behavioral issues in pet animals and slowly became the go to person to help with aggressive and fearful cats and dogs. Once I took in a second dog I peeked interest in training and started shadowing under a balanced trainer. After working in veterinary medicine for 7 years I saw the struggles pet owners were having with their dogs and I started training dogs basic obedience and behavior modification using balanced training. When I’m not working I really enjoy hiking the mountains with my personal dogs, rock climbing and yoga.

For Juliana, growing up around family dogs helped solidify a deep passion for all things dog. From a very young age, she has dedicated herself to learning and being around dogs as much as possible. She has taken every opportunity to work with dogs and has loved learning about their behavior! Due to this profound need to understand animals, she pursued collegiate studies regarding animals and their behavior. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor’s in Science in Molecular Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Animal Health and Behavior in 2022. Currently, she is working towards a Masters in Animal Welfare and Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.

She began her dog training journey working for and under some of the best dog trainers in the industry. Over the years, she has collected a plethora of knowledge that has helped her become successful in working with a variety of dogs throughout the years. To this day, she continues to seek seminars and learning opportunities that help her further improve her understanding and education. As a continuous student, she is always looking to learn the next best way to help all dogs! In addition to working as a dog trainer, she has supplemented her education through working as a conservation detection handler for a private company called Mussel Dogs. Through this, she has learned the value in proper need fulfilment and job satisfaction for dogs. Through these experiences, she has made it her life’s mission to help owners build stronger relationships with their dogs through clear communication and trust!

Hello! My name is Jordan. I have a service lab named Mowgli and a personal protection malinois names Kronos—both of which I trained myself. Ever since I was little, my nickname has been “Boo”, but I’ve always had such a connection to animals that my parents started calling me “Dr. Boo Little”; since then, I have always dreamed of working with animals. I’ve been in the industry for six years working as a veterinary technician, dog nutritionist, and dog trainer. My goal as your trainer is to form a line of communication between you and your dog that will better your relationship.

Trey grew up in a small rural town but that never stopped him from seeking a new adventure.

After realizing college wasn’t right for him his research into the dog training world began. Trey then attended the Fall 2019 Immersion Program at The Michael Ellis School for dog trainers with his American Bully, Shark, who had become reactive to most dogs and cats. It was there Trey learned to help his dogs live a more fulfilling life using a reliable communication method through balanced dog training. 

Trey hopes to compete in bitesports one day and learn the art of decoying. 

Mikayla’s dog training journey started on her 11th birthday with a bundle of love disguised as a Golden Retriever puppy named Penny. Penny was Mikayla’s first introduction to the world of canine behavior, training, and competitive obedience, and was a loving adventure buddy for many years. After graduating from college, Mikayla decided to rejoin the dog community and adopted an Australian Cattle Dog rescue named Miracle. What was supposed to be a smooth entry back into the dog world quickly turned in to a crash course in aggression rehabilitation and behavior modification. Seeing the changes and improvements in Mira’s quality of life was incredibly rewarding, and inspired Mikayla to continue learning and developing her training skills. It wasn’t long before friends, family, and neighbors began asking for training advice with their dogs, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Mikayla is passionate about helping dogs and their owners develop healthy relationships through clear communication, consistency, and confidence building (for both dog and owner!). When she’s not working with clients, Mikayla can be found spending time with her personal dogs (Mira, Moose, and Das), volunteering for multiple dog rescues, and honing her decoy skills.

As a child, Joey grew up in a house that had a (at the time) strict no pets allowed rule. This only made his desire for canine companionship grow stronger. So he sought out the local neighborhood dogs he could play and interact with.
Once he left home he picked a career path in the grueling world of the food service industry. Between odd hours and long hours it didn’t leave much in the way of owning and caring for a dog. So he did the next best thing. He volunteered at a local animal shelter and always took on offers to pet sit for friends and coworkers.
Joey worked as a coffee educator for a once small specialty coffee chain where he trained countless baristas. He then went on to work as a cook and chef in various kitchens that took him to places like New York, Los Angeles, Rome, and even China. During this time he would often joke that his life goal was to have enough free time to get a dog of his own.
It finally happened and he traded in the chef whites for a training vest and got his first ever dog, an extremely exuberant Malinois. He knew right away that this was going to be more than a hobby, it was going to be his new career and passion. His training experience started by attending the Immersion Program at Michael Ellis School (where he went home with his second Malinois), and interning for a friend and fellow dog trainer. Joey plans on competing and decoying in ring sports and IGP. When he is not training his own dogs or going on hikes, he visits his parents' senior dogs so he can enjoy a slower pace of life.

Lynneice was born in Alabama and is truly a Southern Girl at heart!  She lived in the Bay Area for some time where she received a degree in Early Childhood Education from San Jose State University.  Lynneice humorously notes that many of the skills used in teaching humans can apply to our furry friends as well! Although she hasn’t owned dogs in a few years, she has many “nieces & nephews,” because her sister Mahogany is a trainer with Koru K9 and has quite a few pups of her own! When not speaking about dogs, Lynneice’s children keep her busy.  Lynneice resides in Georgia and is a mother of four.  Her twin daughters are currently learning all about dog training from their Aunt Mahogany!  Lynneice is also an avid reader and aspiring voice over artist who thoroughly enjoys meeting all who come through the doors of Koru K9. Wag On!

Ashley was born in Bradenton, FL and got her first fur baby in 2005. Ashley moved to Miami, Florida to attend Johnson and Wales University to pursue her passion for Baking and Pastry which she now couples with her love of animals in her bakery business where she makes homemade dog treats (as well as yummy human treats!). 

I was born and raised in a small, rural mountain town in Northern California, where I found a love for the outdoors and all the creatures that inhabited the forests and streams around me. From a young age I was known for my love of animals. Once, I raised a starling chick that fell from its nest, feeding him every two hours around the clock and making sure he stayed warm. I never left him even during my softball tournaments, he would sit in his box on our bench as the unofficial mascot of Lassen Xplosion! I received my first puppy, a Jack Russell mix with what we thought was cattle dog, at the age of 9.

It was quite a daunting task to raise such a high-strung dog at a young age, but I was up for the challenge. My parents made it clear they would take no part in raising the dog, so I set my mind to proving I could make my puppy, Peanut, the best dog. She never left my side, my partner in crime. I would teach her trick after trick. Making her stay while I threw her most prized possession, a tennis ball, until I gave her the release. I taught her all the tricks I could think of at the age of 9 which included dance, sit, shake, roll over, sit pretty, craw, and jump.

After high school I became a mother to 3 beautiful children. Being a mother, I get to pass on my love for the mountains and animals to those dearest to me. I get to coach Tball to my children and see them struggle and succeed at something they have little control over while teaching them failure is fine, as long as you never give up. Looking back at my childhood and raising a dog of that caliber on my own devices makes me grateful to work for a company that offers help to those who need it. Peanut had the potential to become a very destructive and dangerous dog. This company helps save dog lives like Peanut.

Seyonna has a love for all animals especially dogs! Over the years Seyonna has worked for Koru K9 she has developed a strong background in customer service and has organized and managed over 60 people. The level of organization and attention to detail that comes with running the office has truly been a great learning experience. This job is nothing short of amazing and working with a company as great as Koru K9 has been a blessing. Helping thousands of owners with their dogs, and finding trainers to fit the Koru family has been life changing for Seyonna. Thank you for joining our pack!

Jefferson has over 15 years of experience training and rehabilitating dogs. He holds a Foundation Level Huntsmith Trainer Certification through Ronnie Smith Kennels, where he spent a month as an apprentice. He also holds a Certificate through the Balanced School of Dog Trainers and spent some time with Jonathan Katz of Chicago Canine Company learning more about Protection Work and Decoy Work. A true outdoorsman, Jefferson and his Pudelpointer, Gunner, are an amazing team together. Gunner is a bird dog and loves spending time hunting with his dad! Jefferson’s down to Earth and straightforward nature make him a favorite with many of our clients.

Lindsey has been training dogs for over 13 years. Her passion for dogs started as a child, and only grew more as an adult. After volunteering at a dog shelter in college, she decided that she wanted to spend her career helping dogs with training and behavioral needs. She attended the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers, and ended up working for the school as a training instructor for 6 years.​She became fascinated with Belgian Malinois early in her training career, and now currently breeds, trains, and raises working Belgian Malinois. She competes with them in a sport called Mondioring. Lindsey is passionate about helping dogs and owners better understand each other to make life together more enjoyable. She considers herself a reward based trainer, but believes that punishment is a necessary part of the learning process. She uses prong collars and electric collars in a fair and consistent manner so the dog has the best opportunity to learn how to properly behavior in the world.

Debbie Port grew up riding and training horses professionally. She trained her own dogs on the side and over the years got interested in dog sports. Over the past 15 years she has taken clinics and seminars to better her training for her dogs. As she educated herself more she decided to switch from helping horse owners to having better relationships with their horses to helping dog owners to have better relationships with their dogs. She attended the Micheal Ellis School for dog trainers and is an AKC Evaluator for the Canine Good Citizens, Community Canine, Urban Canine and Tricks Dog certifications . Committed to providing the most effective, convenient solutions to her clients dog training needs, Debbie advidly pursues ongoing continuing education and provisional development by attending several seminars per year and keeping current on all industry literature. When not helping clients to enjoy easier lives with their canine companions, Debbie trains her own dogs in IGP (Schutzhund), ring sport, AKC obedience and dock diving.

Becca has been training dogs professionally since 2011. During that time, she has made the transition from a purely positive trainer to balanced training, after seeing the limitations of purely positive training, particularly when it comes to behavior modification. Becca managed a successful daycare, and board & training facility in her home town of Chico, CA. Her experience at this facility allowed her to gain invaluable experience in dog behavior through working with a wide variety of dog breeds in diverse environments. Becca’s own personal dog, Smokey, a German Shepherd mix, proves that, at 12 years young, it’s never too late to train! A year later Becca adopted an Australian Shepherd, named Bentley, who had resource guarding issues as well as reactivity towards people. We are happy to report that, through balanced training, Bentley is a calm, cool, and collected guy, and is one of our staff dogs used to help other reactive dogs. Becca has continued expanding her training by obtaining her certification through the Balanced School for Dog Trainers.

Jeremy has had a strong passion for working with animals since a young boy. After spending some time in the military, he began his quest into working dogs. Jeremy apprenticed under a highly experienced animal behaviorist, and, during that time also found his passion for protection sports. And the rest is, as they say, history. Since then, Jeremy has gone on to become a certified helper and decoy in multiple protection sports, earning National level with honors in one. Jeremy has successfully earned titles on multiple dogs as their handler and trainer. He runs a working dog club in Northern California, and has helped his club members achieve titles with their own dogs. Jeremy has also bred several litters of working line German Shepherds — all who have gone on to live and thrive in working homes. He is incredibly dedicated and passionate about helping owners and their dogs achieve a relationship they never thought was possible.

Jourdan was born and raised in Santa Cruz County. Her passion and love for dogs started at a very young age. Jourdan has owned high drive, working breeds her entire life, and realized, at a young age, that she had a natural affinity for training. The beginning of Jourdan’s career in canine training started with her seeking a higher level of training for her Australian Cattle Dogs. She took them to an Obedience & Agility class at a local police K9 training facility. The facility owner had been training dogs fro over 30 years, and immediately identified Jourdan’s potential, and offered Jourdan her first apprenticeship. Upon completion of this apprenticeship, Jourdan began private lessons, and group classes in obedience, protection, and agility, as well as board and trains for dogs with behavior issues, and for mobility and medical alert service dogs, and puppy raising. Jourdan’s interest for protection training and sports was peaked, and she began attending protection and obedience seminar or workshop she could. Through these seminars and workshops, Jourdan has trained with some of the best, and most inspiring trainers in the world. She has competed at a national, and International level with her personal Belgian Malinois, and has trained and titled multiple dogs / breeds. Jourdan who is forever a student of her craft, is happy to pass along her years of experienced, and education to her clients, and is excited to see her client dogs become happy, confident, engaged dogs.

Irini started her journey into the world of dog training through sport work. Competing and training at higher levels allowed for Irini to learn and understand how to read dogs, understand their drives, and behavior at a higher level that she can then bring into her pet dog training. After realizing that dog training was the path she wanted to follow in life, she started working with the local Police Department to help with their K-9s to work through control, and obedience issues. Irini competes in French Ring with her Belgian Malinois. She has two Belgian Malinois that are apart of her family.

Originally from Rhode Island, Brian has had a love for dogs his whole life, especially his old lab/ridgeback Zeke from Providence. That feeling has continued out here for his twelve years in the Bay Area. Previously, he served in the Marines, studied comparative religion and psychology in college, and most recently has worked in the organic produce industry. Brian immersed himself into the dog-training world through various seminars, classes, and working jointly with established dog behaviorists. Brian completed his internship and education through The Balanced School of Dog Trainers. His work is best seen in his Pit Bull, Maté, a fantastic transformation done by utilizing balanced techniques.

From the time she was young Celeste always had a deep passion for animals. Learning as much as she could and spending her free time with the family dogs. In her early teens she got her first dog Dakota, who had severe fear aggression towards people, and fear-based reactivity towards other dogs. She reached out to local trainers to work with him. That turned into Celeste mentoring with those trainers and eventually becoming their assistant trainer. These trainers worked for an animal shelter, and Celeste assisted them in training and rehabilitating the shelter dogs that had behavior issues. She learned the importance of timing, consistency, and balance, and worked Dakota through his behavior issues. Dakota was such a success story that he became their go-to demo and training dog! Little did Celeste know at that time that she would eventually end up fulfilling her mentors’ role, and become the lead trainer for the shelter. Celeste was also responsible for evaluating the temperament of all the dogs at the shelter, giving her a tremendous depth of experience in dealing with a wide variety of breeds, temperaments, and behavior issues. In her spare time, she began training Dakota in sport work — successful competing with and titling Dakota. It was through this process she discovered her passion for German Shepherds, and went on to compete with and title her first GSD, as well as train him up to be her Medical Service Alert Dog. Since that time, she has also gone on to start her own, successful breeding program for German Shepherds as well.

My passion for dogs started at a very young age! It began by teaching my family dogs new tricks to volunteering at my local animal shelter in high school. I have since, put in years learning about different dog training methods through mentorship programs, seminars and hands on experience. I am currently working towards competing in PSA with my Belgian Malinois, Moose, and recently sold another Malinois to a Police Department as a dual purpose apprehension and detection dog! 

I love to help teach families how to communicate with and better advocate for their dogs. Through the use of balanced training, I help families train their dogs to be the best companions they can be regardless of breed, size or behavioral issue. I want nothing more than for you and your dogs to live happily and in harmony! 

Maddie has always had a passion for dogs. Aside from growing up with them, as soon as she graduated high school she was volunteering with a local German Shepherd rescue and shadowing a balanced trainer. After that, she began working for a company that did behavior modification and working dogs. From there, her passion grew for working dogs and she started working with detection canines in the school system and conservation detection canines that detect invasive species. Maddie was a competitor on Americas Top Dog Season 2 and is now working towards PSA (Protection Sport Association) titles with her Malinois. When Maddie is not working with dogs she enjoys working out, traveling and hiking (dogs are typically still included here though!).

Izzy has spent her entire lifetime surrounded by animals and was always the resident expert for all family and friends with pet questions. At an early age, Izzy began pet sitting and quickly became comfortable with a plethora of animals and animal husbandry techniques. As she continued to expand her animal care network, she remained close with her two family dogs, Scout and Sequoia. Although her love for all animals persists, her true passion remains in dog behavior. Izzy began studying her own two German Shepherd’s behavior and researching operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Her German Shepherds sparked an ongoing curiosity obedience training and she was inspired by her dogs’ ever-present drive to learn and engage. This continued interest in training led her to volunteer countless hours at the Humane Society of Ventura County. Her time working with high risk shelter dogs gave her the opportunity to work hands on with many difficult cases and observe behavioral changes brought on by a highly stressful kennel situation. Her natural ability to read canine body language made her one of the few volunteers who could handle the more difficult dogs in the shelter. She committed to help as many reactive dogs as she could and make training her career. While seeking a training school, Izzy met Heather, an animal behaviorist with 10 years of experience and a degree in behavior and neuroscience. Heather recognized Izzy’s natural talent and immediately took her under her wing and into her internship program. Under the guidance of a behaviorist, Izzy practiced training fundamentals with several dogs with varying degrees of reactivity. Over the course of her internship, Izzy worked with several challenging cases of human aggression, dog aggression, fear reactivity, resource guarding and more. It quickly became clear, training dogs saves lives, and this constantly fuels her passion to learn more and grow as a behaviorist. Izzy continues her education by attending seminars and seeking her perfect working dog companion who will most likely be another German Shepherd. Once she finds her future working dog, Izzy wants to continue to expand her knowledge of the field by competing in PSA, GRC and scent work.

Kathi has been working with dogs professionally for over 13 years. Her parents allowed her to get her first dog at 14 years old only because she promised to train him. She signed up for obedience classes and overtook it by week 5, helping the other students and becoming the instructor’s assistant. She started going to client’s homes to teach private lessons when she got her driver’s license at 16 years old, and started teaching group classes for the Auburn parks and recreation department.

After a little while, she wanted to do more than obedience and behavior modification, so at 18, she got her first German Shepherd and started dog sports and Search and Rescue. She has titled several dogs in AKC obedience and rally, National Association of Canine Scent Work, Schutzhund/IPO/IGP, and Working Dogs of America venues, as well as certified in Search and Rescue for live find and human remains detection. Kathi uses balanced training methods to teach behaviors from obedience to searching to behavior modification.

Heather has been training professionally since 2015 when she started her own training company and has loved how amazing it has been working with and meeting so many amazing owners who want their dogs to enjoy this beautiful world we live in! She currently has 4 dogs, 2 rabbits and a cat. Her GSD competes in IGP and Dock Diving and has her Dock Senior Title! Heather’s pet dogs include a Beagle, GSD X, and a Lab X who get to delve into scent work, tricks and lure coursing.

She has been around animals her entire life and her first two loves were horses and dogs. She used to show competitively in equine sports (3-day eventing) and absolutely loved working and training horses! She has always had a job working with and caring for animals. These jobs included stablehand, dog daycare attendant, dog walker, dog sitter and vet assistant. Heather could not imagine a world in which she didn’t work with animals!

Damian grew up in Northern Indiana, playing sports and spending as much time outdoors as possible. After high school Damian started an apprenticeship at an automotive paint and repair shop where he excelled at the trade and spent almost 10 years honing those skills and positioning himself for a successful career however, he soon realized that his chosen trade was not fulfilling and he had to try something different. So he put in his notice and spent the next two years traveling the country with his 3 German Shepherds. Damian hiked to the top of mountains in Colorado, boated the Great Lakes, and even rafted rapids in Wisconsin, the whole time his dogs were right next to him. The bond he developed with his “pack” was the reason he pursued a career in dog training. Damian wants every dog owner to have a bond and relationship like he had with his dogs — and the best way to achieve that is through structure and opening up communication between pet and owner. Damian started his dog training education through mentorship with one of the most passionate and knowledgeable trainers in the country, and continues to develop and learn through continued mentorship, weekly club, and any other opportunity he can grab. Damian is a decoy for various protection sports.

Listen to Damian, Shane and Koru K9 co-founders, Ray & Bridget, on their monthly Trainer Talks discussing dog training advice, information, and debunking dog training myths and misinformation:

Chris has owned and trained dogs his whole life except for the 4 years he was in the US Coast Guard. Starting off training his own bird dogs, Chris quickly became the go-to person within his family and friends when it came to dog training. Since 2004, Chris has been an avid diver, specializing in freediving. He is an Instructor Trainer Evaluator for one of the top agencies in the world. Chris has devoted most of his time educating people through complex courses. In 2018 Chris started training his Dutch Shepherd in French ring as well as training as a French Ring Decoy. Chris has decided that he would like to help other dog owners develop the best and healthiest relationship he can with their dogs.

From an early age, it was evident that Sparky had a deep passion for dogs. His path into dog training began in Port Townsend, WA, where he worked as an apprentice with a Police K9 trainer. During this time, Sparky was introduced to Schutzhund (IGP), and by the age of 11, he became the youngest competitor in Washington State. By 13, Sparky had earned Schutzhund Level 1 and Tracking Level 3 titles, along with several ‘High Tracking’ awards with his German Shepherd. Sparky then advanced his training at the prestigious Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers, where he participated in the Long Term Immersion Program under one of the leading trainers globally. Currently, he is a successful Mondioring competitor and recently won the 2024 USMRA National Championship at Level 2 with his dog Archie. They will compete in the FCI Mondioring World Championship in Greece in October of 2024, and have also achieved a notable tie for the highest Mondioring Level 2 score in US history with 298/300 points. Sparky’s dedication to the human-canine bond goes beyond working dogs, encompassing all dog owners and their dogs. Achieving high level scores with a working dog requires a a deep bond and intuition with animals and meticulous eye for behavior changes. This is what makes Sparky incredible to work with. He has a keen eye for what individual dogs and their people need in order to reach their goals.

Kareena Moore is a Certified Master Dog Trainer who graduated from Tarheel Canine in Sanford, North Carolina. She grew up in the beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington where she competed in 4-H with her horse, Toye where she went to the State Championships in Western Gaming. She started her love for dogs and more specifically working dogs when she got her cattle dog, Po. She experimented with Po and his herding capabilities out at the ranch with the horses and that then led her on the road to North Carolina to attend Tarheel Canine, specializing in police dogs and training. Most recently, Kareena trained pets in Chicago, Illinois, at Chicago Canine Company while apprenticing under Jonathan Katz, PSA Judge and highly respected working dog trainer. While she was there she worked with rescued and abandoned senior dogs along with all of the knowledge she began to learn in the world of sport dog training. After learning more about these dogs she has become more driven to educate people about the dogs they are getting and the responsibilities of owning them. When Kareena is not busy training her clients’ dogs, she enjoys training her own dogs in different sports and activities like PSA, French Ring Sports, Agility, tracking, and various odor detection. Kareena is also a co-host on The Balanced Dog Podcast, along with Sr. Trainer, Samantha Lee, and Koru K9 Owner, Bridget Murphy.

In January to September of 2014, I attended the Tom Rose School for professional dog trainers under the instruction of Kari Koch, and Dave Van Garderen. I took my learning and put it to practice with my own two dogs, and later found them great homes as dual purpose K9’s. After graduating the Professionals program, I accepted a job at Kennelwood Pet Resorts, in Saint Louis Missouri, where I met and worked with so many great people and dogs. The biggest learning experience for me is finding ways to work with the dog that’s in front of me. Aside from training dogs, I absolutely love working with their owners! It’s so rewarding to see happy and motivated owners that are excited about working with their dog.

I have, and always will, consider myself a student of dog training! My goal is to always be learning because not every one dog is the same, and should not be treated as such. I have been training dogs professionally for over 10 years, starting at the young age of 18. You’ve heard it straight from me… I started as a trainer for Petsmart. I longed for something more, which is where I found myself attending the Tom Rose School for professional dog trainers (TRS) at the age of 19. I graduated from their professional and master program.

When the opportunity arose, I became an instructor at TRS where I helped many others like myself find out more of what our dogs can offer. I really developed a liking and passion for working with protection dogs, and in 2013 I certified as a Protection Sports Association(PSA) decoy. After working many dogs and many trials, I was honored to become a PSA national select decoy in 2017, 2018 in Canada, 2019, and 2020. It has been amazing!

In March of 2020 I attended a NePoPo R seminar, with Bart and Michael Bellon, that helped reignite and refuel my passion for learning. I graduated the silver program, and a couple months later attended and graduated from the gold program. With so many schools of thought, it can be a daunting task for any dog owner to choose which way to go with their dog. It is my goal to use all the tools in my toolbox, all my resources, and all my experiences to help guide owners on their dog training journey and enjoy the process. Training and learning is fun, and that is why I am here.

Most know Lindsey as the girl with the dog. In 2004 she began her canine ventures by raising a puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind. This experience sparked an interest that ignited a passion. She continued working with service dogs for the next twelve years. Focusing greatly on early development and socialization of puppies in training.

After attending The Tom Rose School in 2017, she ventured into other fields of dog training. Participating in agility, tracking, nose work, protection, obedience, tricks and therapy work.

In more recent years she has been the manager and trainer for a doggy daycare in Southern Oregon. During which Lindsey set up a canine enrichment program. The idea being a daycare alternative that provided both mental and physical stimulation for dogs that were not suitable for social play. Enrichment activities included obedience, tricks, agility, nose work, treadmilling, brain games and more.

As a trainer, Lindsey’s goal is to maximize a dog’s potential. As this varies from dog to dog, so does her approach of achieving it.

Sammy grew up with a humongous family surrounded by all types of different animals. She has owned dogs, cats, chickens, horses, goats, bunnies, and so much more! Sammy grew up riding and competing in local horse shows and spending time with her fur friends. Sammy became passionate about dogs when she was a teenager and started working for her local dog kennel. She has helped with local rescues as well as rehabilitating horses. Sammy and her husband own two pitty mixes who they consider to be their best friends and family members. When Sammy is not in the Office at Koru K9, she can be found backpacking, hiking and exploring with her two dogs and her husband.

Ray Murphy is the co-owner, Training Director, and Lead Behaviorist of Koru K9 Dog Training and Rehabilitation, co-owner of The Balanced School for Dog Trainers, and High Risk Deployment Police K9. Ray’s background in the military and project management gives him a unique perspective and advantage when it comes to working with the human aspect of the dog training equation. With a passion for rehabilitating aggressive dogs, Ray is known for taking the most difficult cases and turning them around with results that far exceed client’s expectations. Ray is Koru K9’s lead aggression specialist and regularly works court mandated training cases. When given the chance for training, Ray turns these dogs around and the cases have been dismissed! These dogs are often dogs that other trainers have given up on, or are unwilling to work with. He is certified through Tarheel Canine in North Carolina, and is a Police K9 Instructor Certification through Torchlight K9. Ray and Nero (pictured) achieved their PDC, PSA-1 title (Protection Work and Obedience), and Canine Good Citizen title before Nero’s untimely and unexpected passing. Ray is now working with his new German Shepherd puppy, Voodoo — training to be future PSA champions!

Bridget and her husband, Ray, co-own Koru K9 Dog Training and Rehabilitation, The Balanced School for Dog Trainers, and High Risk Deployment Police K9. Her passion for behavior training started while rehabilitating her own dog, Luna, who Bridget describes as a “hot mess” when she was rescued. While Bridget spends the majority of her time running the Koru K9 operational side of things, her training style is one that is motivational and with a focus on building the relationship between the dog and it’s owner. Bridget and Luna, who is no longer a hot mess, work together in sheep herding as well as high level obedience. Bridget and Cairo, have achieved their PSA (Protection Sports Association) PDC, and PSA-1 title, and are actively training for their PSA-2. Bridget also founded The Balanced Dog Podcast, and is a co-host along with Samantha, and Kareena.