Teacher's Pet allows me to combine two of my passions in one place! As a 20+ high school history teacher- my drive in life has always been to teach kids to be informed, responsible, and engaged members of society. Teenagers don't realize the ability to "make change" that they have when they become knowledgeable and take action. And as a life long rescue dog mom, I have always wanted to find ways to improve the lives of the shelter pets that I can't take home with me. Teacher's Pet allows me to interact with kids who are discovering/learning/practicing their power to make changes in their own lives and who are learning how to improve the lives of shelter dogs.

I was first introduced to Animal Assisted Therapy in college, back in the early 90’s, where it wasn’t a very popular form of therapy. However, I also learned of a program was using dolphins to help kids with PTSD. I knew it was something I HAD to work in. So I moved to Chicago and volunteered at the Shedd Aquarium working with the Beluga Whales and Penguins, and received a certification in Dolphin Training at the Dolphin Research Center, where I was reintroduced to AAT. It was a very hard field to get into at the time with minimal to no funding available. Fast forward many moons later, I continued my career in Clinical Research and I thought AAT was just a pipe dream, until I met Amy Johnson and her program in 2016. I was completely blown away and knew I had to be a part of such an incredible opportunity and began volunteering! Fast forward 3 years later and Teachers Pet has become a full blown part of me. Now as one of the facilitators at Crossroads for Youth, I am able to help At Risk Youth AND shelter dogs, all while doing “therapy”, and my dream has come true. I am honored that not only myself, but my own rescue doggy PradaEnchilada, are able to represent such an amazing team of people with incredibly large hearts and a program that changes so many lives! To be a part of these magical moments will never ever get old for me, and each holds a special place in my heart.

I am the former Lead Dog Trainer for the Humane Society of Macomb. I always ended up with the dog that no one else wanted to take because of behavior problems. My first foster failure, Homer, and his significant behavioral challenges is what led me to earn my certification through Animal Behavior College and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. I was thrilled to start working with the kids at Teacher's Pet because I can relate to making bad choices and overcoming them. The bond that is created between the kids and dogs and the progress they make together is something that can not be put into words. Dogs have made such an impact on my life, it is truly an honor to make even the slightest impact on the kids' and dogs' lives. Each session I learn more from the kids than I think I can ever teach them! I am so lucky to be a part of the Teacher's Pet family. I love that we collaborate with other groups, rescues and shelters. There is always something new to learn and if we all work together great things can happen!

In my day-to-day life, I have a business finance career but my heart has always been with animals. Despite being allergic to all things furry, it has never stopped me from having them around or seeking out their affection. I’ve often described myself as having “all heart, no brain” due to my track record of acting first and working out the details last.. especially when it comes to things old, stinky or toothless. In 2011 I adopted my first official rescue dog, Drexl. His journey of courage and resiliency quickly ignited a passion in me to become involved in helping other survivors like him. I started fostering and volunteering in the animal rescue community soon after, and continue to learn as I go. I am proud to join this team of incredible humans and eager to expand into other areas of animal/human welfare with the Teacher’s Pet Family.

All it took was one rescue pittie named Milo, to forever change my life. Animals and rescue has continuously been a part of my life since 2013. I have a background in Criminal Justice and Communications from Saginaw Valley State University. I always had a passion for inmate rehabilitation with animals and I had an internship through Leader Dogs for the Blind with their Puppy Prison Program. I taught inmates how to train service dogs. It was an amazing experience to help not only the dogs, but those inmates as well. I have volunteered at a few different shelters and am currently a volunteer at the Humane Society of Macomb where I have come even further in positive reinforcement dog training. Currently, I am a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams and that allows me the flexibility to work with animals and help them find forever homes. Every time I close on a home, I sponsor an animal in need. I currently have 4 rescue animals, two dogs named Marley and Nash and two cats, named Enzo and Brice!

Simply put, I love animals. They add a richness to my life that is beyond words. I have always been interested in behavior and the “why” behind how people and animals behave. This led me to a degree in Psychology and Behavior and is my motivation for training and working with “not-so-perfect” dogs. Once I moved to Michigan I started working with Silver Lake Animal Rescue League, and then in 2005 joined the Michigan Humane Society as part of the Behavior Helpline. Volunteering with these two organizations has been rewarding and has fed my desire to keep learning and studying cat and dog behavior. In 2008, we created Herr Pet Training and specialize in the needs of the not-so-perfect dog. We have become avid educators, doing what we can to help owners keep pets in their forever homes. I am blessed share my life with my dog-trainer husband Brian and our furry clan: Tully, KittyPants and Bella (a Teacher’s Pet dog!). Teacher’s Pet has been an amazing experience for me so far …I learn so much about (and from!) these kids. Teaching them to give adoptable dogs the skills to shine is a great bonus! Nothing has been better than witnessing the moment when a kid and their dog truly connect, when the walls come down and they really begin to trust each other.