I have been in dog sports most of my life, primarily obedience and flyball, but have tried other sports too. My interest in canine fitness began 15 years ago with my West Highland White Terrier Alex. Not known for having a sporty physique, a Westie playing flyball was unique at the time. I was concerned his body would not be strong enough to keep up with the demand of his sport, so I started taking workshops with Debbie Torraca, a founder of canine fitness and a well-respected canine rehabilitation practitioner.

I began to teach a small group class to introduce dog owners to the idea that true fitness is different from the exercise dogs get from chasing a ball or swimming in a lake. Fitness is focused. Fitness targets and strengthens specifics parts of the body, conditioning it to meet the demands of performing a given dog sport. To equate it to human programs, it is weight training vs. aerobics class. Fitness vs. exercise. When Debbie offered me a chance to work with her directly, I jumped at the chance to be part of her certification program.

I love working with dogs of all ages in fitness. From watching puppies grow confident in their own bodies and discovering they have back feet, to focusing on specific needs for specific sports such as targeted fitness for agility dogs, to helping senior dogs stay not only physically strong but also mentally stimulated. Each experience is very rewarding to me.
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In my quest for more knowledge about canine anatomy, I enrolled in a massage program. It was a grueling yearlong program with 12 hands-on labs and lectures, along with online classes in between, while I worked at my regular job. My single goal was to learn more about canine fitness, but I unexpectedly discovered that I love doing canine massage. Massage has become an intricate part of my fitness plans for my clients.

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In 2023 I also completed the Certified Control Unleashed Instructor Program with Leslie McDevitt. CU has been game changer for all my training from sports, to puppies to fitness!