About Me...

Dogs have been a growing passion of mine ever since I was little. I love to watch and learn from them. What better way to learn something than from the source itself. I have taken college courses, worked in multiple veterinary clinics, attended multiple seminars on different training topics and with different trainers, and managed multiple hunting kennels. I find myself consuming dog training content more than ever and I don’t focus on the trainer, I focus on the dog at hand. It doesn’t matter what source, youtube videos, podcasts, seminars, training with different people, it boils down to communication and timing with the dog. The rest is art.   So what does my art look like? My dogs live WITH me and Bob in a 5th wheel camper. They are an integral part of our life. We work, eat, sleep, play, and live together. There are rules, boundaries, and limitations for everyone and a clear foundation is set. Crates and stake outs are used regularly for safety and structure. Leash pressure is taught to every dog as it is the core communication tool and the gateway to a fun and fulfilling life. Moments in everyday activities present constant training opportunities. I want to teach each dog to be confident in me and in themselves. A calm, confident dog gets to go on more adventures than a crazy, wild child. They need to be taught this too. I continue to learn more everyday, as I educate myself with the limitless content of today’s society. As I rush to learn more, I take more time with my dogs and they always return the favor.   If I can and it’s realistic, I will try and include a dog in most things I do. The culture of today is far different than what it was 30, 40 years ago. A dog’s role has changed in that time frame as well. Dogs now live in the home and are a very intrinsic aspect of life. Majority of dogs have the job of just being the family pet. But, what are the duties of that job? One might expect certain things out of our canine family members, but don’t give them the justice of actually teaching them what is expected. Our job, as dog owners, is to teach them, and set them up for future success.   What better way to do that than include them in aspects of everyday life.  And that is exactly what I do. From October through March, we are stationary in Northeast Alabama. I am a full time upland guide at Otter Creek Farmstead and Distillery.  All of my dogs participate in the guide work. The pointing breeds will hunt the cover while the English cockers, or flushing breeds, will remain at my side until told to hunt or flush. All dogs are encouraged to retrieve when we hunt. When the hunting season is over we travel across the country and educate ourselves. I love visiting new places and meeting new people.  The connections the dogs seem to make for us are unfathomable. Finding new activities to do with the pack keeps me going. Each individual dog thrives at something, but they don't have to be the best everything, as long as they are having fun and are engaged with me. My hopes are to create a strong community of dog owners, breeders, and trainers and to help people and their dogs connect on a different level by training together, experiencing life's opportunities, and being successful by keeping an open mind.