Meet the Trainer

Parrot Trainer
Heather is a certified dog trainer with more than 10 years of experience training animals. She started  when she was a teenager, volunteering at wildlife rehabilitation centers and animal shelters. Her fascination with training led her to get a bachelors in behavioral biology from Johns Hopkins University. She then spent the next 6 years working as a zookeeper, where she learned to train everything from tigers to lizards. Her experience with exotics led to giving training presentations at zoo conferences and achieving a Professional Bird Trainer Certification. In recent years, Heather has completed additional certification through the Victoria Stillwell Dog Training Academy and works to rescue dogs and reduce recidivism with New Leash on Life USA.

Training Philosophy:

Positive reinforcement is a science-based style of training that means we only reward the good behaviors and never use any type of punishment, force, or dominance. Using treats and toys to train mean your pet will always be excited and attentive, ready to earn their rewards. It builds respect and communication. Alternatively, using punishment or force can lead to fear, aggression, or an unwillingness to participate. No matter the goal or problem, we can find a Pawsitive way to suit your training needs and build strong relationships with happy, healthy pets!

Pet trainer
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