About Us

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For as long as I can remember, my answer to, “What do you want to do when you grow up” was to be an animal caretaker. I considered lots of careers, but my background in horse training and dog-assisted therapy work made dog training the obvious choice.

Rosie, part service dog, part farm dog, all energy, was the dog who kickstarted my career. She was the first service dog I’d trained for heart rate response and alert, and the first dog I competed with. We shared a connection that I fear I’ll never have again- I could think something and she’d already be on it. 

When she passed, I realized that my goal as a trainer was to help others get bonds like that with their dogs. As part of that mission, I shifted more and more into behavior rehabilitation work. Eventually, I developed my 3-step Connection over Control approach, and have since used it to great effect with dogs from all sorts of backgrounds.

Whether you’ve got an overly-excited young pup who only needs some manners, or a dog whose reactive behavior has deeply altered how you live your life, I am here for you. 

In the time since Rosie passed, I’ve been blessed to call two more dogs my own- Gertrude, a Belgian Malinois mix, and Lewis, a Standard Poodle. I also have a horse, Reddie. In my free time, I am probably playing with one of them, doing farm stuff, or studying (I’m a nerd, what can I say?).

I am a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC (more on that here: https://iaabc.org/certified-credentials), a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor (more on that here: https://grishastewart.com/bat-overview/), and an AKC-certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.

My favorite thing in the world is seeing animals and people thrive together. I would be honored to help you with your pup, whatever your goals are. I generally respond to all inquiries within 72 business hours.