Products
Business Toolkits
Business Toolkit for Walkers & Sitters
Business Toolkit for Daycare & Boarding
Training Toolkits
Dog Training Class Curriculum Packages
Open Enrollment Puppy Curriculum
Operation Socialization™ Puppy Passports
Business Toolkits
Business Toolkit for Walkers & Sitters
Business Toolkit for Daycare & Boarding
Training Toolkits
Dog Training Class Curriculum Packages
Open Enrollment Puppy Curriculum
Operation Socialization™ Puppy Passports
About: Us
Founder, Consultant Lead,
DWA Director
Veronica is the former Director of Behavior & Training for the San Francisco SPCA. She has been helping dog professionals create their dream businesses through dogbiz since 2003.
Veronica is the author of How to Run a Dog Business and The Business of Dog Walking, the co-author of Minding Your Dog Business, and writes for multiple industry journals, including regular business columns in PPG’s Barks from the Guild and APDT’s Chronicle of the Dog. She is a sought-after speaker at conferences and dog training schools across the country and internationally, teaching R+ dog pros how to help more dogs in countries ranging from North America to South America, Europe to Down Under.
Veronica has made good use of her previous career as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and curriculum developer to bring more effective curriculum and instructional strategies to group dog training classes.
Fun Fact: Veronica grows much of her own food and is rarely seen at home without dirt under her fingernails.
Gina is a former San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers instructor, teaching fellow trainers alongside Jean Donaldson and Janis Bradley. Gina brings extensive experience in the dog industry to her work, including serving as Behavior Rehabilitation Coordinator at the SF/SPCA, co-founding a consulting non-profit for shelters and rescues, consulting for and managing one of the first dog daycares in the CA Bay Area, and running her own successful dog training business.
These days Gina uses her experience and advertising background to support dog professionals by leading our talented consulting team and running dogbiz University, her brain child for providing effective, easy-access business support to R+ dog professionals. She also regularly shares dog business wisdom at dog training conferences and seminars, including those held by PPG, APDT, and as Clicker Expo faculty.
Fun Fact: In her first career Gina worked on television commercials and news programs. She’s also hosted a music video show.
Client Support & Operations
Manager, Organizational Goddess, Glue
Deborsha, our Client Support & Operations Manager, is Awesomeness Incarnate and the glue that keeps dogbiz together and allows us all to do what we do. She’s the first point of contact for new clients and students and has a raving fan club among them. (Clients often tell us they wish they could find their own Deborsha, but we guard her like a hungry dog with a pig’s ear.)
Deborsha wears multiple hats within the company, running everything from customer support to billing and accounts to order fulfillment to overseeing the daily operations of the Dog Walking Academy and Newsletter Service programs. She is, in other words, indispensable (and thus our understandable resource guarding behavior).
Before joining dogbiz, Deborsha held administration management positions in the health-care industry.
Fun Fact: Deborsha somehow fits in time for multiple hobbies, including gardening, tending her chickens, and playing board games. Oh, and she’s a blue belt in Tai Kwon Do, too.
CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
Teoti is the author of many books, including The Dog Behavior Problem Solver, Animal Planet Dogs 101 Dog Training, and Your Outta Control Puppy. A regular columnist for Modern Dog magazine, her work has also appeared in Southern Living, New York Times, DogFancy, Puppies USA, and Whole Dog Journal. She hosts the Get Pawsitive Results show on Pet Life Radio. A popular conference speaker, Teoti has given presentations to fellow trainers across the United States as well as in Japan. She served on the board of directors of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers for six years, serving as President for three.
Before leaving her corporate job of 25 years to pursue dog training full-time, Teoti served as a managing editor in the corporate communications division for one of the country’s leading insurance companies. She has written national, award-winning communications for print, broadcast, and websites. She brings her 20+ years of training and business management experience to the dogbiz consulting team.
Fun Fact: Teoti has a fan following for her kitchen creations—Guinness Chocolate Cake, Bacon Bourbon Brownies, Spiced Rum Cake, Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken. Her house rule: Eat more than three of her Rum Balls and you have to hand over your car keys.
CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
Alexis is committed to the education and support of fellow dog professionals: She is a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, charged with teaching the KPA Dog Trainer Professional Program in Australia. She serves as the dogbiz Dog Walking Academy instructor for all of Australia, occasionally offering the program to dog walkers in England and New Zealand as well. She speaks regularly at conferences. And she provides one-on-one support as a dogbiz business consultant.
Alexis is a nationally accredited Dog Behavioral Trainer with a Certificate IV in Dog Behavioral Training in Australia, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), and an internationally Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Named 2014 Dog Trainer of the Year by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, Alexis’ professional memberships also include the American Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the Pet Professional Guild Australia.
Fun Fact: Alexis gets around: 12 months in India, the Himalayas for 2, overland from Delhi to London, Moscow when tanks rolled through the Kremlin, and the Aurora Borealis at the North Pole (barefoot!).
CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CTC
The first trainer in the state of Oregon to hold his Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) title from the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, Doug studied with Jean Donaldson and Janis Bradley at the San Francisco Academy for Dog Trainers to earn his Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC). Doug is also a CPDT-KA and serves on the Education Committee for the CCPDT. He shares the knowledge he’s gained as a successful dog business owner through his roles as dogbiz business consultant and Dog Walking Academy instructor, as well as via writing for industry journals and speaking at conferences, such as the Daycare & Boarding Expo.
Fun Fact: Our resident daycare expert, Doug is also your man if you need help digging up bones in Peru.
MSc.
The founding President of the APDT Chile, Carol has been instrumental in spreading professional R+ training in her country. As founder and owner of Buen Perro and a regular TV guest expert on dog behavior and training, Carol popularized clicker training in Chile and raised awareness of training as an alternative to abandonment. Carol works tirelessly to provide educational opportunities for professional dog trainers in Spanish through the APDT Chile conferences, speaking at other conferences such as the Mexico APDT, web seminars, and as a dogbiz business consultant specializing in working with Spanish speaking dog professionals. She holds a MSc. in Animal Science with a specialty in Animal Behavior and Welfare.
Fun Fact: Carol gave up her career as a mechanical engineer to pursue dog training.
CPDT-KA, ACABC, KPA CTP
Tia has been a professional dog trainer and instructor for more than two decades with experience in virtually all facets of the dog services industry. Tia was the first and founding director of the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior, assisting in the creation of its flagship Dog Trainer Professional course. She also played a central role in the creation of the Victoria Stilwell Academy curriculum. Tia is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, an Associate Certified Animal Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a Level 2 TAGteacher through TAGteach International, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, and a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for the American Kennel Club.
Tia understands what it is to start and run a dog business, having opened a daycare, training, and boarding facility back in 1999 when dog daycare was practically unheard of. Sold in 2004, that business continues to thrive. Today, Tia revels in helping fellow dog professionals do the same through her work as a dogbiz business consultant.
Fun Fact: Amidst all the work she’s done for our industry, Tia somewhere along the line learned to fly a plane.
MBA, BA, BS, KPA-CTP
Sarah brings together dual backgrounds in both training and business to guide dogbiz clients to meet their business and career goals. On the training side, Sarah is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and Dog Walking Academy graduate and the owner of The Persuaded Pooch in St. Louis, MO. On the business side, Sarah sports a master’s degree in business along with bachelor’s degrees in communications and the social sciences, as well as 15 years of experience in sales and marketing. Sarah is an AKC Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluator. She has also trained both service and therapy dogs, including time served as Development Director for a local service dog training organization.
Fun Fact: Sarah sings in the African-American chorus with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
CPDT-KA
Oakland, CA
Josh has an extensive career in training and walking dogs and enjoys helping dogs and their people live happier lives, as well as contributing to the professional development of fellow dog professionals. He is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, and a graduate of the Dog Training Internship Academy, a rigorous 6-month program focusing on canine behavior, behavior modification, and an evidence-based approach to dog training. Josh owns City Pups SF, a successful dog walking and training company in San Francisco.
Fun Fact: Josh started his dog career early, spending summer vacations as a kid volunteering at the San Francisco SPCA, where he was more or less adopted by the Behavior & Training department.
MA Ed., CTC
San Francisco and Oakland, CA
Veronica is the former Director of Behavior & Training for the San Francisco SPCA. She has been helping dog professionals create their dream businesses through dogbiz since 2003.
Veronica is the author of How to Run a Dog Business and The Business of Dog Walking, the co-author of Minding Your Dog Business, and writes for multiple industry journals, including regular business columns in PPG’s Barks from the Guild and APDT’s Chronicle of the Dog. She is a sought-after speaker at conferences and dog training schools across the country and internationally, teaching R+ dog pros how to help more dogs in countries ranging from North America to South America, Europe to Down Under.
Veronica has made good use of her previous career as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and curriculum developer to bring more effective curriculum and instructional strategies to group dog training classes.
Fun Fact: Veronica grows much of her own food and is rarely seen at home without dirt under her fingernails.
MA CPDT-KA CBCC-KA CAP2
Silicon Valley, CA
Stacy holds a Master’s degree in the Psychology of Human and Animal Cognition, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Certified Professional Canine Consultant, and has achieved Kay Lawrence’s Competency Assessment Program Level 2 with distinction. Stacy has been teaching pet owners and fellow dog professionals since 1995, including assisting with the conversion of the San Francisco SPCA public dog training classes to positive reinforcement techniques in 1998, the same year she opened Stacy’s Wag ‘n’ Train to provide private training and group classes in Silicon Valley. Stacy is the author of numerous behavior and training articles and the popular Animal Trainer’s Guide.
Fun Fact: Stacy is a dedicated and talented hula-hooper. She once walked a mile without dropping her hoop.
CDBC, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP
New York City, NY
Brian is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), and AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Always learning, Brian is currently a MA Candidate in Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College. He is a professional member of both the APDT and the K-9 Dog Trainers’ Association, and previously served on the IAABC board. Brian co-founded Instinct Dog Training in New York City and focuses his training work on dogs with significant behavior issues, including fear, anxiety, and aggression. He shares his busy home with three Pit Bull mixes and two Rat Terrier mixes.
Fun Fact: Canadian by birth, Brian plays a mean game of ice hockey at the semi-pro level.
CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
Australia
Alexis is committed to the education and support of fellow dog professionals: She is a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, charged with teaching the KPA Dog Trainer Professional Program in Australia. She serves as the dogbiz Dog Walking Academy instructor for all of Australia, occasionally offering the program to dog walkers in England and New Zealand as well. She speaks regularly at conferences. And she provides one-on-one support as a dogbiz business consultant.
Alexis is a nationally accredited Dog Behavioral Trainer with a Certificate IV in Dog Behavioral Training in Australia, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), and an internationally Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Named 2014 Dog Trainer of the Year by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, Alexis’ professional memberships also include the American Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the Pet Professional Guild Australia.
Fun Fact: Alexis gets around: 12 months in India, the Himalayas for 2, overland from Delhi to London, Moscow when tanks rolled through the Kremlin, and the Aurora Borealis at the North Pole (barefoot!).
CPDT-KA
Michigan
Kelly has been coaching clients and their dogs since 2001. She is the founder of TipTopTails Dog Training in Grand Junction, Michigan, where she offers group classes, individual lessons, and behavior modification services. Kelly is a strong believer in positive reinforcement training for dogs and humans and enjoys teaching clients how to train with cooperation instead of confrontation. She loves the moment when the client and the dog “get it” and realize they can communicate effectively. Kelly holds certification from the Certification Council For Professional Dog Trainers, CPDT-KA, has titled a dog in both rally obedience and agility, and currently trains her dogs in agility and nose work.
Fun Fact: Kelly adores British detective fiction. There’s not a Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple book she hasn’t read.
Michigan
Matt has worked as a certified Missing Animal Response Technician since 2007, including training a dog to scent for missing cats. He studied under Kat Albrecht, founder of Missing Pet Partnership (MPP), and served on MPP’s Board of Directors for three years. Matt furthered his knowledge of animal behavior and training while spending time with Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., CAAB, on safari in Africa and at her farm in Wisconsin. Matt is currently lead instructor for all scent work classes at TipTopTails Dog Training.
Fun Fact: What, being a pet detective isn’t interesting enough? Okay, then: Matt is a devoted live music fan. So much so that he attends an Americana music festival on board a cruise ship every year.
CPDT-KA
Seoul, South Korea
June is the first and still only trainer in Korea to have successfully attained her certification through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She is also a professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, as well as Pet Sitters International and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, and a certified PetTech instructor. June’s passion for bringing scientific, humane training practices to Korea has led her to found PolangPolang, a progressive training, walking, and sitting company, and to bring the Dog Walking Academy to her native city of Seoul.
Fun Fact: June wrote the first book on force-free training in the Korean language.
CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CTC
Seattle, WA
An active board member for the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Ruth holds her Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Certified Professional Canine Consultant certifications, Knowledge Assessed. She is a graduate of Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers and a co-instructor for Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals course. She has co-owned and operated a dog walking and training business, Seattle Pet Pals, since 2003. Ruth lives with four dogs and competes in agility training with her Border Collie.
Fun Fact: An avid mountain climber, Ruth once temporarily “adopted” a Nepalese village dog, dubbed “Bob,” who joined her trekking team for several days on the way to Mt. Everest base camp.
KPA CTP, CPDT-KA
Chicago, IL
Laura began her training career at Chicago’s esteemed Shedd Aquarium, where she trained beluga whales, dolphins, sea and river otters, seals, and penguins. She also trained primates, large cats, birds of prey, kangaroos, giraffes, and red pandas during her time as lead supervisory trainer for the Brookfield Zoo. Laura currently serves as a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member and as Teaching Assistant for Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals course. Laura is a regular presenter at professional animal training conferences, including Clicker Expo, the APDT, SVBT, and TAGteach International. She holds her CPDT-KA and is a TAGteach Level 3 instructor. Laura offers private in-home dog training and group classes through her business Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago.
Fun Fact: Laura is an avid scuba diver and worked with Alaskan sea otters rescued from the Exxon Valdeez oil spill.
DVM, MA in Animal Behavior
Sao Paulo, Brazil
A veterinarian with an advanced degree in animal behavior from Sao Paulo University in Brazil, Carolina owns Pet Anjo, a company providing dog walking and pet sitting in five Brazilian cities. It is Carolina’s desire to help bring positive reinforcement and safety practices to professional dog walking in her country. She is an eager student of dog behavior, traveling often for continuing education opportunities. She also holds a Certificate of Behavior Analysis LLA from Dr. Susan Friedman.
Fun Fact: Carolina used to play drums in rock, blues, and jazz bands featured in pubs and bars around Sao Paulo.
CDW
Auckland, New Zealand
Rhiannon holds her Diploma in Canine Behaviour and is a full member of both the Association of Pet Dog Trainers NZ and the Pet Professionals Guild. She is a dogtec Certified Dog Walker and a PetTech Pet First Aid Instructor. Rhiannon has lent her experience to the Canine Team at the Auckland SPCA and also serves as an active SPCA Canine Foster Parent. Rhiannon began her training career as a primary school teacher before switching from human pupils to canine students.
Fun Fact: Rhiannon somehow finds time to work as an alternative fitness instructor teaching aerial fitness. Never heard of it? Think circus—silk bands, poles, and hoops.
PhD, KPA-CTP
Laura has a PhD in microbiology and immunology from Georgetown University, but left her job as a research scientist in 2002 to open WOOFS! Dog Training Center. There she teaches group training classes, offers private training and behavior modification, and oversees the daycare and boarding services. Laura is a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy and makes a point to attend at least one training conference every year in addition to local seminars. She occasionally speaks at them, too. In her “spare” time Laura fosters pregnant moms and their pups, fosters and trains parrots, and clicker trains horses.
Fun Fact: Birds rule the roost in Laura’s home, and her dogs are smart enough to know it.
CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, KPA CTP, ACDBC
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Barbara has acquired many credentials in her 20 years of training, including: Certified Pet Dog Trainer Knowledge & Skills Assessed, Certified Behaviour Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed, Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner, and Associate Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant. After 16 years leading the Calgary Humane Society’s Behaviour Team, she now focuses on her consulting and training business, Good As Gold Dog Training. In her spare time, Barbara trains and competes with her own dogs in obedience, fieldwork, and agility.
Fun Fact: Barbara got an early start on her dog career. Her first gig was as a veterinary clinic kennel technician and receptionist at age 14. By 16 she was competing in obedience with her Golden Retriever.