Hi! I’m Taylor Kimmerly, your friendly local dog trainer! I have always had a love for training animals of all sizes, all the way from horses to dogs.I grew up constantly around dogs from big to small and with all sorts of temperament types. I loved the challenge of seeing what I was capable of, what at the time, felt like wild animals and the joy I felt once everything ‘clicked’ for me and whichever animal I was working with. My innovative little kid brain even used those old metal Snapple lids as makeshift clickers. My childhood dogs, Value, a doberman, and Market, a boxer, were the best guinea pigs a little kid could ask for and allowed my training curiosity to grow and tested on them. Looking back now, little me had the best intentions but definitely not the best approaches, haha!

 

My story begins like many other trainers out there. Finally living on my own and bringing home a dog with little to no knowledge on what to do, let alone what to do with a dog that came with a list of behavioral issues and unpleasant behaviors. Bringing home my dog Iris, a German Shepherd/Husky/Border Collie mix, changed my life and led me down a career path that I never would have imagined myself pursuing. I was in my last semester of my senior year in college and I had just brought home what felt like the Tasmanian devil. She was jumping horribly, even knocking a kid over; walks were almost impossible and would leave me feeling embarrassed and both of us stressed, and her recall was nonexistent. It finally came down to training or rehoming this wild large puppy that was wreaking havoc in my home.

 

I began reaching out to trainers in my area doing both private sessions and participating in several  group classes. These resources were helpful for sure, and gave me a great start but didn’t necessarily give me the results I was looking for. I found that I was finding more success in owner training and it helped Iris and I’s relationship to flourish. This was the start of my growth and love for dog training. I started researching different trainers and training methods, different ways to approach the same issue while still getting the wanted results, and training with Iris consistently, practicing everything I picked up along the way. I even began working at a doggy daycare as an attendant and used this as an opportunity to learn and understand dog body language and interactions even deeper. Once I felt comfortable enough in my skill set I began reaching out to other trainers in my area to mentor under and learn from. This gave me the ability to put my skills to use in real life settings with all types of dogs. Slowly my hobby turned into the career path I am now traveling down, and I live every day to make owners and their dogs live in harmony and peace!