​I began studying dog behavior in 2006 as the last option to save my dog's life. The late Bongo Valentine was an overly confident, super brilliant dog with high-risk aggression toward other dogs. It took about a year of constant research, lifestyle changes and the implementation of training techniques to earn each others' trust. It was worth the effort because he blossomed into the most well behaved dog I've met to this day. My love for Bongo is at the heart of our goal to slow shelter surrenders by providing education to care givers.  

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My professional destiny found me in 2013 when a friend of mine asked me to watch her dog Ollie, she suggested I offer this service to other people and I eagerly took her advice. While boarding dogs, I quickly realized the skills obtained working with Bongo and my natural ability to decipher canine body language made me a knowledgeable and capable sitter. Invariably, guest dogs were learning hospitable behaviors and soon clients  were asking for advice and insisting on hiring me to train their dogs. After seeing guardians almost in tears with appreciation from witnessing their dog's potential revealed, I decided to continue my education and start training professionally. I am a certified dog trainer through CCPDT and have received many dog related accreditations and continuing education credits.

 

My personal destiny was sealed when I married my soul mate and fellow dog lover, Garrett. As our reputation for quality expanded, Garrett has also devoted his talents to Alpha Love full time. Over the years, we've had hundreds of different dogs visit our home and Garrett's love for dogs has developed into a passion for training and behavior studies as well. In April 2025 we welcomed our miracle baby to the pack, who is also growing to love animals as much as we do.

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Our zoo at home includes two Great Pyrenees litter mates, Moto and Fila, a standard Poodle, Emma, a cat, Dixie, two iguanas, Rango and Salsa and a Ball Python, Rafiki.

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Boarding multiple dogs is the best hands-on experience a trainer can obtain. We get so much enjoyment and education watching the dogs socialize and seeing how they communicate with each other. But that's not enough, we crave learning about animal behavior and strive to stay up to date on the most humane and evidence-based methods. Together, Garrett and I make a great team! We are both very patient, reliable, and dedicated to our clients, students, and guest dogs.

 

We are currently teaching new trainers to add to our growing team! Please reach out if you are considering a career in the dog training field.