Our Team

I am a compassionate person who wants to help dogs AND their people. I have been working with dogs for 25 years, and it is evident there are gaps of understanding missing from human-dog relationships. This can break down the relationship and create discord. 

My goal is to help bridge that gap so dogs and their humans can enjoy a compatible and loving relationship with each other.

Dogs bring me so much love and happiness. My world is complete being involved with them. I currently share my life with our Miniature American Shepherd.  She is our little princess, and together we enjoy training and playing in many sports.  Previous dogs that entered my life were 3 wicked smart Akitas and one fierce protector Great Pyrenees. One day when the timing is right, we will bring another Pyrenees into our life. All of these dogs have given me so much insight on behavior and learning.  Every dog is an individual and it is up to us to match the training that works best for that dog.

My fascination with how dogs learned started at a young age. I was always the one questioning other training methods and asking trainers “WHY”. I believe training should be fun for the dogs and humans alike. There needs to be a bond that travels up both ends of the leash. Games help create that bond and take the pressure off of training.  My training doesn’t use force or intimidation. I earn the dogs trust through games and we work together at the dogs own pace to establish a base learning level.

Canine behavior and training has always been a part of Kitchi’s life. As a hobby, she’s helped friends and family understand and integrate dogs into their lives. On a more professional level, she worked on the Wolf/hybrid handling team at the Wildlife Waystation, a wildlife sanctuary in California. While living on the West Coast, she trained wolves and wolfdogs for the film and television industry as well as volunteered at shelters/rescues.

Upon moving to Valparaiso, she became a volunteer at Porter County Animal Shelter and Lakeshore Paws which led to her becoming a dog trainer on staff at LSP. More recently, she received her certification as a Canine Professional Dog Trainer through the accredited CCPDT, Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She shares her home with her husband, two kids, and three rescue dogs that consist of a doodle, a shepherd mix, and a bloodhound/herding mix.

I found my calling of working with dogs at a very young age. I had always been a fan of dogs, cats, horses, and other animals. I was able to read and understand them. Flash forward to when I was eighteen, I started working at Lakeshore Paws where I met Lisa. She helped me work with the dogs to understand them and make them more adoptable. I started interning for her doing dayschool and watching classes. Realizing this is my calling, I jumped fully in. My ultimate goal is to help educate owners on the dog they have and help their pup grow to their full potential. Also, helping owners understand each dog’s full potential is different compared to another.