Koru K9’s mission and promise to you is that we will provide the best and most progressive balanced dog training, with the highest of quality service. Our goal is to help you and your dog feel confident to go anywhere together. We want to unleash your dog’s true potential and allow you to experience a better life with your dog!
From the simplest to most severe behavioral problems, our number one goal is to consistently deliver results that surpass our clients’ expectations. We are the dog trainers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle Metro, Denver Metro, Dallas-Fort Worth, and St. Louis areas that many people call as a last resort. It’s our passion to help our clients prevent or fix behavioral challenges in their dogs and to help our clients achieve the happy and harmonious relationship that every dog owner dreams about.
Koru K9 Dog Training and Rehabilitation is an award winning dog training company owned and operated by Ray and Bridget Murphy. Together, with our team of dog trainers and dog behaviorists, Koru K9 Dog Training is on a mission is to guide dog owners through a process that will help them understand, communicate and work with their dogs to resolve training challenges and behavior problems in a real world setting. From the simplest to most severe behavioral problems, our number one goal is to consistently deliver results that surpass our clients’ expectations. We work with all breeds…any dog, any problem. Our mission is to help turn your dog into an amazingly balanced and well-behaved dog. So if you are ready to transform your dog, and your life, we are ready to help.
Awards & Recognition:
Winner of Bay Woof Beast of the Bay 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Thumbtack’s Best of 2015: Best Animal Behaviorist San Francisco,Bay Area A-List Top 5 Pet Trainers
Any Breed. Any Dog. Any Problem. Train to transform.
Contact UsChoosing a dog trainer can be a daunting task. First and foremost, the depth of their knowledge and experience should be something you ask about. Have they ever raised a puppy themselves? Have they rehabilitated their own rescue dog? Are they certified and/or what is their education? How long have then been training dogs? What work do they do with their own dogs, or have they titled a dog? What do they do to push themselves to be a better trainer than they were the day before?
Our dog trainers are all hand-selected by Koru K9’s owners. All our dog trainers are highly experienced, dedicated, and successful trainers who have met our intensive screening process.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
IACP MEMBER
BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS CERT
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
Jefferson Simmons
Jefferson has over 15 years of experience training and rehabilitating dogs. He holds a Foundation Level Huntsmith Trainer Certification through Ronnie Smith Kennels, where he spent a month as an apprentice. He also holds a Certificate through the Balanced School of Dog Trainers and spent some time with Jonathan Katz of Chicago Canine Company learning more about Protection Work and Decoy Work. A true outdoorsman, Jefferson and his Pudelpointer, Gunner, are an amazing team together. Gunner is a bird dog and loves spending time hunting with his dad! Jefferson’s down to Earth and straightforward nature make him a favorite with many of our clients.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Lindsey Sommer
Lindsey has been training dogs for over 13 years. Her passion for dogs started as a child, and only grew more as an adult. After volunteering at a dog shelter in college, she decided that she wanted to spend her career helping dogs with training and behavioral needs. She attended the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers, and ended up working for the school as a training instructor for 6 years.She became fascinated with Belgian Malinois early in her training career, and now currently breeds, trains, and raises working Belgian Malinois. She competes with them in a sport called Mondioring. Lindsey is passionate about helping dogs and owners better understand each other to make life together more enjoyable. She considers herself a reward based trainer, but believes that punishment is a necessary part of the learning process. She uses prong collars and electric collars in a fair and consistent manner so the dog has the best opportunity to learn how to properly behavior in the world.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS CERT
- IACP #P8766
Sofia Perkis
Sofia Perkis is a Bay Area native who grew up using every wish or gift request opportunity to ask for a puppy. She hasn’t been dog-less since. Sofia has an incredibly wide range of animal behavior experience, working with dogs, horses, and cattle. After working as a professional cook, she became interested in farming, where her love for animals and behavior and training flourished. Sofia has worked as dog trainer exclusively since 2013, and is constantly working on continuing her education through collaborating with other trainers, reading, attending classes and seminars. As well as working with her own super mutt, Desmond and Belgian Malinois, Cyrus!

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- IACP #A8921
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Kristin Castro
Kristin has had a lifelong interest in behavior and cognitive processes which led her to earn her Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master’s degree in counseling. Her everlasting love of and interest in animals motivated her to join the veterinary field from 2005 until 2017. She has always enjoyed the casual training and activities with her dogs. In early 2013 she acquired Ash, a reactive Australian Cattle Dog, and her interest in canine behavior modification fully emerged. Her goals were reached with dedication, balanced training, and the help of seasoned trainers. Her passion for using her veterinary experience, education, and experience training guided her to a three-month apprenticeship where she continued to learn and practice balanced training methods for basic obedience and behavioral modification. In 2015 she began offering private lessons, conducting group classes, and training dogs in the board and train program and has been training people and their pets ever since. She believes learning, like training, is a lifelong process and continues to learn with hands-on experience, research, seminars, classes, and working beside other experienced trainers. For Kristin, it is incredibly rewarding to assist dogs and their owners in overcoming personal limitations, building healthy relationships, and living happier lives together. In addition, she is an AKC CGC evaluator and a professional member of the APDT. In her free time, Kristin enjoys taking her Australian Cattle Dogs, Ash and Rowan hiking and participating in herding training.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
TRAIN TO ADOPT
Ericka Duggan
Ericka has been training dogs since 2000. Ericka has run her own dog training business, that included running a working sheep ranch with 200 sheep and 11 working dogs, developing and managing the behavior department for two animal shelters, training and competing with dogs in agility, conformation, obedience, rally-o, weight pull, nosework, mondioring, and lure coursing, and helping thousands of people and dogs live better lives together. Ericka is certified in several programs that help people and dog live happier lives together. These include: The Train to Adopt Program making dogs in the shelter more adoptable as well as provide them with daily mental stimulation through training. The Training Wheels program, that keeps dogs out of the shelter by providing mobile behavioral and medical assistance to the community. She also became certified in the Lug Nuts program that helps intercity kids keep out of dog fighting and give them an outlet to “show off” their dogs while using positive reinforcement training and fostering a community bond. Ericka excelled in her ability to match dogs and people together to make life long matches in the Asses a Pet program. In addition, she is certified in the Pets for Life program helping owners transition their new dog or puppy in their home. Dog Sport are her passion. She loves to help pet dog owners make the jump to dog sports and reap the benefits! Ericka believes training is more than just teaching dog behaviors. Seeing the relationships that develop between dog and owner and the freedom that well-trained dogs can experience is what is it all about. In addition to working with Koru K9, Ericka is the lead trainer for the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers where she teaches several courses — with her favorite being Detection. Ericka is a NoseWork Judge, CGC Evaluator, and the President of a NoseWork and Rally Obedience Club.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- BLUE BUFFALO TRUE BLUE CERTIFICATION
- AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
- IACP MEMBER
Heather Dodson
Growing up on a working horse ranch, Heather’s work with animals began at a youn age. With 30 head of cattle, several dozen chickens, and various other species to look after; she began training her rescue German Shepherds how to herd and help with ranch work. In high school, her bond with animals continued to grow as she began competing in ranch horsemanship, reining, trail competitions. and dog agility. Her love for science and animals lead to Heather pursuing her degree in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the University of California Davis. During her time at UC Davis, Heather worked for the UC Center for Neuroscience as an Animal Behaviorist. There she would asses various exotic species for training. Heather would design behavioral experiments to test various aspects of the neuroanatomical findings for labs and act as a behavioral consultant for a variety of projects. She also worked on her own behavioral research and is currently working towards publishing her findings. While at Davis she continued her work with dogs and started a dog rehabilitation program for dogs sanctioned to be euthanized for aggression issues. It became her goal to save as many dogs as possible and she continues to take on “project” dogs for rehabilitation to adopt out as therapy dogs for hospice, children’s hospital and various other non profit organizations. Because of her time spent at UC Davis, and seeing the lack of results purely positive methods gave clients, lead Heather to moving to become a balanced trainer. Heather and her dog Quigley have also piloted a program to give emergency therapy dog services to those in need. Through interactions with local cancer support groups, she have been able to create a network of emergency dog therapy support lines.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
- AKC EVALUATOR
Debbie Port
Debbie Port grew up riding and training horses professionally. She trained her own dogs on the side and over the years got interested in dog sports. Over the past 15 years she has taken clinics and seminars to better her training for her dogs. As she educated herself more she decided to switch from helping horse owners to having better relationships with their horses to helping dog owners to have better relationships with their dogs. She attended the Micheal Ellis School for dog trainers and is an AKC Evaluator for the Canine Good Citizens, Community Canine, Urban Canine and Tricks Dog certifications . Committed to providing the most effective, convenient solutions to her clients dog training needs, Debbie advidly pursues ongoing continuing education and provisional development by attending several seminars per year and keeping current on all industry literature. When not helping clients to enjoy easier lives with their canine companions, Debbie trains her own dogs in IGP (Schutzhund), ring sport, AKC obedience and dock diving.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Mahogany Gamble
As a child, Mahogany’s favorite pastime was spending time with her uncle’s and friends’ dogs, and could often be found observing their behavior or training them in between school, homework, and sports. She began working with dogs in 2005, starting with pet sitting and boarding, and teaching dogs basic obedience while in her care. Mahogany began to learn from more experienced trainers and after initially working with two reward-based trainers, she found a balanced trainer with more than 25 years of experience that she apprenticed with and then worked for rehabilitating some of the most aggressive dogs in the SF Bay Area. Mahogany simultaneously operated an off-leash dog walking company with five staff. In 2013, Mahogany met Lisa Maze, a dog trainer with more than 30 years of experience who took her under her wing and imparted much of her wisdom and experience to Mahogany, in addition to introducing her to dog sports. Mahogany has competed in nosework, rally obedience, dock diving, and Mondioring, and her dogs have placed in all those sports. Mahogany also interned at the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers and completed a Train the Trainers Nosework course. Mahogany is also a Canine Good Citizen evaluator.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Susan Blanchard
Susan has been working with dogs in San Francisco since 2007. She began doing basic puppy and recall training early in her career, and has continued to help set dogs up for success both on group walks and at home ever since. She began operating her own business in April 2013, founded on 3 tenets: safety, manners and fun. She incorporates basic training and impulse control into all of her training walks and continues to help families get a good start with dogs at home. To develop her training skills further, Susan completed the Immersion Program at the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers in 2018. In late 2015, Susan began volunteering with her dog, Chedda Cheese, in an Animal Assisted Therapy program. The work they did together allowed her to see the power and benefits of a dog-human bond. The magic she witnessed drove her desire to give back further, and in 2017 she embarked on the raising and training of 2 puppies, who as of April 2019 have been placed and are both working service dogs. Susan believes in setting every dog and client up for success with realistic expectations, management protocols, clear boundaries and tireless reinforcement. She prides herself on her follow through and never clocks out when a dog is present.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS CERT
Becca Contreras
Becca has been training dogs professionally for over six years. During that time, she has made the transition from a purely positive trainer to balanced training, after seeing the limitations of purely positive training, particularly when it comes to behavior modification. Becca has managed a successful daycare, and board & training facility for 5 years in her home town of Chico, CA. Her experience at this facility allowed her to gain invaluable experience in dog behavior through working with a wide variety of dog breeds in diverse environments. Becca’s own personal dog, Smokey, a German Shepherd mix, proves that, at 12 years young, it’s never too late to train! A year later Becca adopted an Australian Shepherd, named Bentley, who had resource guarding issues as well as reactivity towards people. We are happy to report that, through balanced training, Bentley is a calm, cool, and collected guy, and is one of our staff dogs used to help other reactive dogs. Becca has continued expanding her training by obtaining her certification through the Balanced School for Dog Trainers.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jeremy Friedman
Jeremy has had a strong passion for working with animals since a young boy. After spending some time in the military, he began his quest into working dogs. Jeremy apprenticed under a highly experienced animal behaviorist, and, during that time also found his passion for protection sports. And the rest is, as they say, history. Since then, Jeremy has gone on to become a certified helper and decoy in multiple protection sports, earning National level with honors in one. Jeremy has successfully earned titles on multiple dogs as their handler and trainer. He runs a working dog club in Northern California, and has helped his club members achieve titles with their own dogs. Jeremy has also bred several litters of working line German Shepherds — all who have gone on to live and thrive in working homes. He is incredibly dedicated and passionate about helping owners and their dogs achieve a relationship they never thought was possible.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Ashley Reeley
Ashley has held a lifelong affinity for dogs. Through her childhood and teenage years, she trained dogs and volunteered at an animal shelter. As Ashley went on to college, she realized she could turn her lifelong passion into a career. She continued her schooling and finished with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, while also studying dog behavior and getting as much hands on experience as she could. After graduating Ashley attended the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers, gaining more insight on dog behavior and complex training techniques. Ashley is currently working her Belgian Malinois for Mondioring and her Border Collie for Dock Diving, Nosework and Rally Obedience.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jourdan Murphy
Jourdan was born and raised in Santa Cruz County. Her passion and love for dogs started at a very young age. Jourdan has owned high drive, working breeds her entire life, and realized, at a young age, that she had a natural affinity for training. The beginning of Jourdan’s career in canine training started with her seeking a higher level of training for her Australian Cattle Dogs. She took them to an Obedience & Agility class at a local police K9 training facility. The facility owner had been training dogs fro over 30 years, and immediately identified Jourdan’s potential, and offered Jourdan her first apprenticeship. Upon completion of this apprenticeship, Jourdan began private lessons, and group classes in obedience, protection, and agility, as well as board and trains for dogs with behavior issues, and for mobility and medical alert service dogs, and puppy raising. Jourdan’s interest for protection training and sports was peaked, and she began attending protection and obedience seminar or workshop she could. Through these seminars and workshops, Jourdan has trained with some of the best, and most inspiring trainers in the world. She has competed at a national, and International level with her personal Belgian Malinois, and has trained and titled multiple dogs / breeds. Jourdan who is forever a student of her craft, is happy to pass along her years of experienced, and education to her clients, and is excited to see her client dogs become happy, confident, engaged dogs.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Irini Diaz
Irini started her journey into the world of dog training through sport work. Competing and training at higher levels allowed for Irini to learn and understand how to read dogs, understand their drives, and behavior at a higher level that she can then bring into her pet dog training. After realizing that dog training was the path she wanted to follow in life, she started working with the local Police Department to help with their K-9s to work through control, and obedience issues. Irini competes in French Ring with her Belgian Malinois. She has two Belgian Malinois, a German Shepherd Mix, and a Shiba Inu.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Brian Knight
Originally from Rhode Island, Brian has had a love for dogs his whole life, especially his old lab/ridgeback Zeke from Providence. That feeling has continued out here for his twelve years in the Bay Area. Previously, he served in the Marines, studied comparative religion and psychology in college, and most recently has worked in the organic produce industry. Brian immersed himself into the dog-training world through various seminars, classes, and working jointly with established dog behaviorists. Brian completed his internship and education through The Balanced School of Dog Trainers. His work is best seen in his Pit Bull, Maté, a fantastic transformation done by utilizing balanced techniques.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Celeste Schmidt
From the time she was young Celeste always had a deep passion for animals. Learning as much as she could and spending her free time with the family dogs. In her early teens she got her first dog Dakota, who had severe fear aggression towards people, and fear-based reactivity towards other dogs. She reached out to local trainers to work with him. That turned into Celeste mentoring with those trainers and eventually becoming their assistant trainer. These trainers worked for a animal shelter, and Celeste assisted them in training and rehabilitating the shelter dogs that had behavior issues. She learned the importance of timing, consistency, and balance, and worked Dakota through his behavior issues. Dakota was such a success story that he became their go-to demo and training dog! Little did Celeste know at that time that she would eventually end up fulfilling her mentors’ role, and become the lead trainer for the shelter. Celeste was also responsible for evaluating the temperament of all the dogs at the shelter, giving her a tremendous depth of experience in dealing with a wide variety of breeds, temperaments, and behavior issues. In her spare time, she began training Dakota in sport work — successful competing with and titling Dakota. It was through this process she discovered her passion for German Shepherds, and went on to compete with and title her first GSD, as well as train him up to be her Medical Service Alert Dog. Since that time, she has also gone on to start her own, successful breeding program for German Shepherds as well.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Tino Contreras
Tino has been involved with dogs his entire life. Growing up on his family’s ranch, Tino helped to raise dogs for ranch work, and hunting. Learning how to build respect, structure, and shape behaviors with the high drive working dogs, at such an early age, set him on track for his life long career of dog training. When Tino was old enough, he adopted a German Shepherd and put a solid obedience foundation on him. That German Shepherd then lead him to getting his first Belgian Malinois, Tikka. Tikka is now his personal protection dog — with incredible obedience, and control in any situation. Tino is also an active decoy, and enjoys spending his free time helping other owners in working dog sports.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Sierra Fabian
Sierra’s life has always been about DOGS! She went from teaching her family pets fun new tricks, to volunteering at her local Humane Society throughout her high school years. From there, Sierra got her first Malinois, and dove head-first into the working dog world. Over the years, Sierra has dedicated her entire life, and countless hours, to the art of dog training through mentorships, seminars, and hands-on experience. Her experience training high drive working dogs has provided her with unique tools that she incorporates into pet training to help other fur parents build relationships with and understand their pups better. Sierra is currently furthering her education in pet nutrition, to help her client’s address their pet’s dietary needs. Sierra wants nothing more than for you and your dogs to live happily, and in harmony!

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Maddie Galati
Maddie has always had a passion for dogs. Aside from growing up with them, as soon as she graduated high school she was volunteering with a local German Shepherd rescue and shadowing a balanced trainer. After that, she began working for a company that did behavior modification and working dogs. From there, her passion grew for working dogs and she started working with detection canines in the school system and conservation detection canines that detect invasive species. Maddie was a competitor on Americas Top Dog Season 2 and is now working towards PSA (Protection Sport Association) titles with her Malinois. When Maddie is not working with dogs she enjoys working out, traveling and hiking (dogs are typically still included here though!).

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
John Garcia
John got started with dog training learning personal protection with Guard Dogs of Miami, under owner Vince Cooper in the 1980’s. Then he got into sport training and has trained in all 5 European sport disciplines: Schutzhound, KNPV, NVBK, French Ring and Mondio; and has been certified twice as a French ring decoy, once as a Mondio ring decoy, and has been a Schutzhund helper. In addition to this, John was the president of North America Ring Association (NARA), has opened 5 ring clubs, and is the training director of Independent Ringers North (IRN). John worked with Tony Guzman of Metro Dade K9, working with police k9s, and has also menteed under Michelle Valladon, Dany Maison, Stephen Vanderbeck and Christopher Malsert. He enjoys attending as many seminars as he can, and has traveled to Europe, Mexico and across the U.S. to further his education. For the past 7 years, John has been the trainer for Scooter’s Pals Rescue.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Izzy Gutierrez
Izzy has spent her entire lifetime surrounded by animals and was always the resident expert for all family and friends with pet questions. At an early age, Izzy began pet sitting and quickly became comfortable with a plethora of animals and animal husbandry techniques. As she continued to expand her animal care network, she remained close with her two family dogs, Scout and Sequoia. Although her love for all animals persists, her true passion remains in dog behavior. Izzy began studying her own two German Shepherd’s behavior and researching operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Her German Shepherds sparked an ongoing curiosity obedience training and she was inspired by her dogs’ ever-present drive to learn and engage. This continued interest in training led her to volunteer countless hours at the Humane Society of Ventura County. Her time working with high risk shelter dogs gave her the opportunity to work hands on with many difficult cases and observe behavioral changes brought on by a highly stressful kennel situation. Her natural ability to read canine body language made her one of the few volunteers who could handle the more difficult dogs in the shelter. She committed to help as many reactive dogs as she could and make training her career. While seeking a training school, Izzy met Heather, an animal behaviorist with 10 years of experience and a degree in behavior and neuroscience. Heather recognized Izzy’s natural talent and immediately took her under her wing and into her internship program. Under the guidance of a behaviorist, Izzy practiced training fundamentals with several dogs with varying degrees of reactivity. Over the course of her internship, Izzy worked with several challenging cases of human aggression, dog aggression, fear reactivity, resource guarding and more. It quickly became clear, training dogs saves lives, and this constantly fuels her passion to learn more and grow as a behaviorist. Izzy continues her education by attending seminars and seeking her perfect working dog companion who will most likely be another German Shepherd. Once she finds her future working dog, Izzy wants to continue to expand her knowledge of the field by competing in PSA, GRC and scent work.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Juliana Rodriguez
For Juliana, growing up around family dogs helped solidify a deep passion for all things dog. From a very young age, she has dedicated herself to learning and being around dogs as much as possible.
She has taken every opportunity to work with dogs; from dog walking and dog sitting, to monitoring a doggy pool.
She currently attends UC Berkeley and is studying Molecular Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Animal Health and Behavior. Following an introduction to working dogs, she has grown an intense interest in working as a K9 handler for police. She is looking to soon find a working prospect to add to her family!
Although she has her own personal dog Bailey, a husky mix, her entire family has a total of 13 dogs. Having so many dogs to work with, Juliana has been able to handle firsthand a wide variety of dogs, allowing her to learn how to adjust training methods in order to work with varying breeds. From Golden Retrievers, Labs and huskies to bully breeds, hounds, and Rottweilers, she has been able to work with them all! She continues to build her education through collaborating with other trainers, attending seminars and classes, and reading.
Juliana is passionate about teaching owners the handling skills needed in order to live a happy and fulfilling life with their dogs. Her main priorities for training are communication and understanding; once these concepts are grasped, all other behaviors can be shaped! Through the use of a wide variety of balanced training tools, she can help you build a stronger and more structured bond with your dog that will allow you to live the life you’ve always wanted!

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Victoria Rios
Victoria’s love for dogs started at just two-years-old when her father brought home a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy, Max, who became her best friend. Growing up she had many pets such as cats, guinea pigs, fish, hamsters, hermit crabs, and of course, always a family dog.
From a young age, Victoria started pet sitting and dog walking, which continued to teach her how to work with animals of many different temperaments. Victoria’s first experience with behavior modification happened after she met her partner’s dog, Ghost.
A deaf Aussie/Pit mix, Ghost had developed fear reactivity towards people, resulting in a few bites. Feeling that he needed help, Victoria found Koru K9 and signed him up for their 3-week board and train program. After Ghost returned home, Victoria became passionate about continuing his training and realized she wanted to do this for the rest of her life.
Victoria found a position as a Dog Trainer Apprentice and quickly began learning as much as she could. She participated in two, week long seminars focused on e-collar training, took classes on clicker training, and continued to read and research different methods in her free time. After advancing to Dog Training Manager, Victoria decided she would like to grow her knowledge in balanced training and was excited to find the Balanced School for Dog Trainer’s through Koru K9. In Victoria’s free time she enjoys training her Australian Shepherd to do agility, tricks, and obedience. She has also recently begun training her German Shepherd for mondioring.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
- AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
Kathi Glenwinkel
Kathi has been working with dogs professionally for over 13 years. Her parents allowed her to get her first dog at 14 years old only because she promised to train him. She signed up for obedience classes and overtook it by week 5, helping the other students and becoming the instructor’s assistant. She started going to client’s homes to teach private lessons when she got her driver’s license at 16 years old, and started teaching group classes for the Auburn parks and recreation department.
After a little while, she wanted to do more than obedience and behavior modification, so at 18, she got her first German Shepherd and started dog sports and Search and Rescue. She has titled several dogs in AKC obedience and rally, National Association of Canine Scent Work, Schutzhund/IPO/IGP, and Working Dogs of America venues, as well as certified in Search and Rescue for live find and human remains detection. Kathi uses balanced training methods to teach behaviors from obedience to searching to behavior modification.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Jordynn Nicole
Hi I’m Jordynn! I’ve been working with dogs since I was roughly 17 years old. I started as a pet sitter for family friends dogs! Growing up I always wanted a dog but I was actually very allergic and couldn’t live with them! As I got older, I noticed my allergies had subsided, and started getting more involved. I got started off with a dog walking company, doing pack hikes and walking up to ten dogs at a time, from there I wanted to learn more, so I ventured off to Canine Companions for Independence learning in their puppy early development department first and then going into the adult training department. I was there for a while, and while there I got my first dog Bane, a German Shepherd. Once I got Bane I learned he needed a job and I got very involved in bite work and all that had to offer. I then started interning with a company that trained police dogs. From there is where I started fully immersing myself into the dog community, I’ve worked for various pet dog training companies and also became a certified explosive detection K9 handler.
Along with professional work, I compete in various dog sports with my personal dogs! I have a Dutch Shepherd who I compete in PSA with and have goals to breed her. My passion for dogs constantly is growing and so is my knowledge with dogs! My newest puppy is a Malinois named Slade who I have goals to train in narcotics detection and protection work. Dogs are my life and I would never want any other career path.

Read More
DOG TRAINER & BEHAVIORIST
Tierra Poe
Well to start off, I have loved all animals (except mice????) for as long as I can remember. I used to stay up late watching Animal Planet almost all night long. I was really into helping dogs and admired Tia Torres from Villalobos rescue center and the Houston Animal Cops. I even went and took courses at the Marin Humane Society to become an officer when I was 19. I have always known that I wanted to work with animals. I’ve worked at numerous dog kennels and soaked up as much information as I can to learn about dog behavior. In all honesty, my hobbies consist of walking my dogs and finding new trails in the East Bay. I also love just spending time with my 3year old son.
SEATTLE TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Angela Roggenhofer
Angela has always had a passion for all animals. Born and raised in Germany, she had her first dog, an English cocker spaniel, at age 6, and started riding horses at age 10. Following her mother’s advice that “with animals, you can’t make a living”, she studied social economics and foreign languages, and had a successful corporate career in international management. For both business and pleasure, she spent over 20 years traveling all over Europe, North and South America. In 2001, Angela emigrated to the US.
Burnt out from corporate America, fueled by the desire to make a better contribution to society, and motivated by training her new puppy, a Tibetan Terrier named Conga, Angela changed career paths in 2015 to become certified as a professional dog trainer. Initially focusing on family pets, agility and water sports, Angela increasingly became interested in training therapy and service animals. Numerous volunteer and training engagements followed for pet therapy organizations, service dog schools and prison dog programs in Georgia, Pennsylvania/New York, and Washington. She moved to the Puget Sound in 2017 as the Program Manager for Prison Pet Partnership in Gig Harbor, WA.
Being able to train and place dogs with people with special needs has made a big impact on her life. Angela believes that a strong bond between dog and human is the basis for life-long happiness for both. Her training philosophy is built on leadership, trust, and clear and fair communication, resulting in impeccable manners in the home and in public.
Angela is certified as a Raw Dog Food Specialist and continues her education in healthy pet nutrition. She is also a passionate advocate for better dog health through science-based vaccination laws and protocols, to avoid over-vaccination and improve health outcomes.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Kim Rosin
Kim grew up in Steamboat Springs, CO — riding horses, and helping her family breed and raise hunting line Golden Retrievers. From a very young age it was clear that Kim had a special connection with all animals, especially dogs. After high school Kim traveled to Thailand, India, and Central America teaching English as a foreign language to both adults and children. Kim is a licensed massage therapist who specializes in corrective massage therapy for people, horses, and dogs! A very special Rottweiler puppy named Bel happened into Kim’s life introducing her to the wonderful world of dog sports. Soon after Kim got her first Belgian Malinois puppy named Z to train for the protection sport, PSA. Kim is dedicated to continuing education in the dog training world though mentorships, weekly private lessons, seminars, and being a member of a PSA training club. Kim also attended Tarheel Canine School for Dog Trainers. Not only does Kim eat, sleep, and breath dog training she also has a passion for teaching their humans and showing them how amazing it is to have a well behaved dog to share this life with.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- THE BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Damian Blanton
Damian grew up in Northern Indiana, playing sports and spending as much time outdoors as possible. After high school Damian started an apprenticeship at an automotive paint and repair shop where he excelled at the trade and spent almost 10 years honing those skills and positioning himself for a successful career however, he soon realized that his chosen trade was not fulfilling and he had to try something different. So he put in his notice and spent the next two years traveling the country with his 3 German Shepherds. Damian hiked to the top of mountains in Colorado, boated the Great Lakes, and even rafted rapids in Wisconsin, the whole time his dogs were right next to him. The bond he developed with his “pack” was the reason he pursued a career in dog training. Damian wants every dog owner to have a bond and relationship like he had with his dogs — and the best way to achieve that is through structure and opening up communication between pet and owner. Damian started his dog training education through mentorship with one of the most passionate and knowledgeable trainers in the country, and continues to develop and learn through continued mentorship, weekly club, and any other opportunity he can grab. Damian is a decoy for various protection sports.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jee Hae Choe
I was born and raised in American Samoa, joined the Marine Corps right after high school and was honorably discharged in 2012.
As with most veterans, those first few months of transitioning was very difficult. I adopted my first dog in 2013 (DannyBoy), and through working with and training him, I discovered my passion for dog training and adventure therapy.
My dog taught me how to appreciate and live life to the fullest, having him gave me a zest for life I had been lacking since being discharged.
As my way of giving back, I decided to get involved with rescue as a foster.
Through fostering, I was able to connect with another dog trainer who later became my mentor and employer. I quickly excelled as an Apprentice and was later hired on a Board and Train Lead Trainer.
I love helping dog owners discover the joys of bonding with their dog(s) through dog training and outdoor adventures, and it warms my heart to know that one less dog is in the shelter because their family did the work necessary.
I’m excited to continue helping dog owners restore peace and joy within their homes with the Koru K9 Team.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Chris Bustad

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Sparky Davis
Sparky grew up in a small Port Townsend, WA where his love of dogs and fascination with animal behavior began at a very young age with his clever and quick-witted Border Collie. He spent countless hours working with this dog, teaching her obedience and new tricks where eventually he convinced his parents to let him get a German Shepherd, under the circumstances that he would train the dog. Not only did Sparky keep this new dog under control, he dedicated his life to training him and soon was introduced to the sport of Schutzhund and began learning the tedious training process of advanced sport and trialing for the next few years, truly unlocking his passion for dog training. After finishing high school, he made the decision to dedicate his life to dog training and make it a career, thus not even a month after graduating, Sparky ventured to the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers to take their long-term immersion program. This program opened up so many doors and directions for Sparky and allowed him to dedicate all of his time and energy to the work he truly loves, including introducing him to the Belgian Malinois breed where he now owns two of and is preparing them to compete in the ring sports. Sparky is dedicated to keep growing as a trainer by continuing his education in dog training by attending seminars, sport work clubs, shadowing other trainers all over the west coast, and routinely returning to the Michael Ellis School.
DENVER METRO TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- TARHEEL CANINE – MASTER DOG TRAINER CERT
- LOGAN HAUS KENNELS PUPPY IMPRINTING SEMINAR
- THE BALANCED DOG PODCAST CO-HOST
Kareena Moore
Kareena Moore is a Certified Master Dog Trainer who graduated from Tarheel Canine in Sanford, North Carolina. She grew up in the beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington where she competed in 4-H with her horse, Toye where she went to the State Championships in Western Gaming. She started her love for dogs and more specifically working dogs when she got her cattle dog, Po. She experimented with Po and his herding capabilities out at the ranch with the horses and that then led her on the road to North Carolina to attend Tarheel Canine, specializing in police dogs and training. Most recently, Kareena trained pets in Chicago, Illinois, at Chicago Canine Company while apprenticing under Jonathan Katz, PSA Judge and highly respected working dog trainer. While she was there she worked with rescued and abandoned senior dogs along with all of the knowledge she began to learn in the world of sport dog training. After learning more about these dogs she has become more driven to educate people about the dogs they are getting and the responsibilities of owning them. When Kareena is not busy training her clients’ dogs, she enjoys training her own dogs in different sports and activities like PSA, French Ring Sports, Agility, tracking, and various odor detection. Kareena is also a co-host on The Balanced Dog Podcast, along with Sr. Trainer, Samantha Lee, and Koru K9 Owner, Bridget Murphy.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- THE BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Cory Arola
A Colorado native, Cory grew up exploring the outdoors through camping, hiking, snowboarding, hunting, and fishing. Graduating college with a B.S. in Psychology he started a career in the medical field that eventually led to vascular sonography. After 9 years in the medical field he changed careers when offered a position in the outdoor industry at a premiere backpack company. While growing up his family owned a Doberman x German Shepherd mix that performed, then, unknowingly well as a guard dog and family pet. Due to this experience while younger and his time spent in the outdoors with various high performing hunting dogs throughout his life he had the perception that all dogs should be operating at this high level of obedience. With the realization that a lot people struggle with their pets and reach dead ends with their ability to train and understand their dog’s behaviors he now has passion to help others work with their dogs so that they can have the same experience and enjoyment as he has had. Cory has spent numberous years working with labs and pointers in the hunting aspect of dog training, and interning under Senior Trainer Kareena Moore. Cory is ready to help you and your dog get on the right track!

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Taylor Davis
Hello everyone!
My name is Taylor Davis, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Koru K9 team! I have always had a fascination with animals and knew that I wanted to work with them from a young age. In 2014 I attended The Tom Rose School for dog trainers, where I learned many aspects of training. After completion of both the Professional and Master courses, I knew that I needed to learn more. I have spent a lot of time travelling the country learning about various types of training ranging from competition to police canine training.
Through my travelling and learning I believe in a few key things when it comes to training. I believe that it is my obligation to provide you with the skills and knowledge to not only train your dog, but to create a trust, bond, and understanding that that goes beyond simply teaching obedience. Individual dogs are unique and require various things in training and in their lives. Determining what will make you and your dog’s life better will ultimately determine what you need from training. We show these animals the ultimate respect when we provide and treat them in ways that will make them prosper and understand what it means to coexist with humans. When these things are done properly, we create a canine that is attentive and respectful of us. It is our duty as their caregivers to lead them in the right direction. This is my mission when training with not only my own dogs, but you as well.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers
Katelyn Mendigorin
After graduating the Professionals program, I accepted a job at Kennelwood Pet Resorts, in Saint Louis Missouri, where I met and worked with so many great people and dogs. The biggest learning experience for me is finding ways to work with the dog that’s in front of me. Aside from training dogs, I absolutely love working with their owners! It’s so rewarding to see happy and motivated owners that are excited about working with their dog.”

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jacob Plascencia
“I have, and always will, consider myself a student of dog training! My goal is to always be learning because not every one dog is the same, and should not be treated as such. I have been training dogs professionally for over 10 years, starting at the young age of 18. You’ve heard it straight from me… I started as a trainer for Petsmart. I longed for something more, which is where I found myself attending the Tom Rose School for professional dog trainers (TRS) at the age of 19. I graduated from their professional and master program.
When the opportunity arose, I became an instructor at TRS where I helped many others like myself find out more of what our dogs can offer. I really developed a liking and passion for working with protection dogs, and in 2013 I certified as a Protection Sports Association(PSA) decoy. After working many dogs and many trials, I was honored to become a PSA national select decoy in 2017, 2018 in Canada, 2019, and 2020. It has been amazing!
In March of 2020 I attended a NePoPo R seminar, with Bart and Michael Bellon, that helped reignite and refuel my passion for learning. I graduated the silver program, and a couple months later attended and graduated from the gold program. With so many schools of thought, it can be a daunting task for any dog owner to choose which way to go with their dog. It is my goal to use all the tools in my toolbox, all my resources, and all my experiences to help guide owners on their dog training journey and enjoy the process. Training and learning is fun, and that is why I am here”.
DALLAS-FORT WORTH TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Kim Cerio
Kim Cerio began training dogs, professionally, in 1999. Kim attended her first obedience class, with her family golden retriever, Mandy, when Kim was 10 years old. She failed that obedience class when Mandy ran the opposite direction on the recall. This began her journey in learning how dogs think, and how to get the best and most positive response in training. Since then, Kim has participated in many dog sports, including personal protection, obedience, agility, confirmation, IPO and is currently training in PSA (Protection Sports Association). Kim has trained and handled several detection and police K9’s. Kim recently retired her operational human remains detection dog, Cooper. Cooper and Kim, successfully worked many criminal investigations, throughout the United States. Kim has been in law enforcement since 2004. She spent 11 years as a highly decorated patrol officer, with the Chicago Police Department and recently retired as a Master Texas Peace Officer, for a police department in North Texas. Kim’s love and passion, for training dogs, is evident, in each dog, she has the honor of training.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- THE BALANCED SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
Jake Gregg
Jake is a native of the Bay Area, and has been involved with dogs his whole life. Jake grew up with dogs ranging from toy breeds to sheepdogs. In college, Jake made the switch to professionally training and working dogs. His first working German Shepherd, Beth, was an owner surrender who came with a lot of behavior challenges. Jake successfully rehabilitated Beth, and went on to train and compete in protection sports with her. Beth is still by his side to this day, helping Jake to pay it forward, and help clients and their dogs. Jake specializes in behavior modification, reactivity, and severe aggression cases. He loves spending time helping owners reach their goals with their dogs whether in obedience, behavior modification, protection, or hunting. He belongs to a protection club in Chico and is working towards titling Beth in the sport of PSA.
ST. LOUIS TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
- TOM ROSE SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS MASTER GRADUATE
Sean Hagner
Sean is a veteran of the United States Navy and the United States Army, serving his country from 2005 to 2012. Sean served as a NCO and as a MOS 37F Psychological Operations Specialist. During his military career, Sean developed a strong appreciation for his fellow canine service members. After leaving the military, Sean perused his interest in canine training. He attended The Tom Rose School’s Professional and Master Dog Training Programs. Sean specializes in canine obedience, detection, and apprehension training. Currently, Sean works as a decoy for High Risk Deployment Police K9, a network of canine trainers, decoys, and handlers that are committed to improving police canine training well beyond the existing certification standards. As a board member of Hounds 4 Heroes, Sean oversees daily operations, training programs, and assessment of canines.
PORTLAND TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST CERTIFIED CANINE TRAINING & BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST
TRIPLE CROWN ACADEMY
Lucia Oberste
Lucia has been working with dogs for over two decades. She grew up in San Francisco surrounded by family pets and started her career as a dog walker walking her next door neighbor’s dogs. Her training journey began at the SFSPCA where she volunteered to train service dogs for the hearing dog department. After that she started working with local animal rescue groups fostering dogs with behavior problems. Under the supervision of various Bay Area trainers she helped rehabilitate these dogs and was able to place them into loving homes. She has also worked as a groomer and dog daycare attendant.
Working in rescue inspired Lucia’s desire to become a professional dog trainer and in 2007 she attended a 6-month long intensive at Triple Crown Dog Training Academy in Hutto, Texas, under the instruction of Jessy Gabriel and Rob Dunn. After graduating she moved to Oakland and started working as a dog walker and trainer. Lucia values continuing education and has attended seminars, workshops and courses since graduating; most recently at The Michael Ellis School in Santa Rosa, California. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her hound mix Wulfric and terrier mix Dexter, and continues her work as a foster parent for dogs in need.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
IACP MEMBER
Rebecca Hoffman
CPDT-KA and Professional Member of the International Association for Canine Professionals, has been involved in the dog world of the San Francisco Bay Area for a decade, before setting out to Portland, OR. She demonstrated early on in her career a specialty for canine body language through her hearing disability.
While many would consider a hearing impairment to be a set back to overcome, it proved to be a huge asset for Rebecca, in helping manage dog playgroups and working with otherwise difficult dogs. The absence of sound allows for full concentration on the subtleties in each dog’s personal conversation styles.
Dog Training is a passion in teaching communication between different species, enriching their lives, and supporting peaceful cohabitation. In tandem, to helping Koru K9 students learn to communicate and live with their companions, Rebecca competes in Flyball, Barn Hunt, and Dock Diving with her 3 dogs, Archer, Cooper, and Fiver.”

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Hanna Seitamaa
In 2011 Hanna continued her passion for dogs by working for K9 Lifeline, a respected dog training facility in Salt Lake City, where she stayed for 7 years. This is when she joined the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals), she went to multiple seminars a year and got to learn from some of the best dog trainers in the industry. After years of intense learning, Hanna had the opportunity to train nearly 3000 dogs and their owners.
She traveled throughout the country where she co-taught workshops to teach other dog trainers, as well as visiting other countries to spread knowledge about how to better our communication and lives with our 4-legged family members.
In 2018 Hanna moved to Portland to continue teaching dogs and their owners how to better understand each other, so both the 2-legged and 4-legged can live better, more fulfilled and happier lives.
Hanna takes on behaviors through a big picture approach, and she emphasizes to teach owners why their dogs do the behaviors they do so they can fully understand and achieve the best solutions and training. It’s crucial to understand the why’s, so we can act correctly to help our dogs and ourselves to have easier and happier lives together with more freedom to explore.
Hanna is enjoying her family that consists of her husband James, her 4 dogs; Violet the White Shepherd, Maja the Chocolate Lab mix, Merlin the Iggy, and Pizza the terrier mix and their 3 cats; Booboo, Coyote, and Astro.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
TOM ROSE SCHOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINERS
Lindsey Estabrook
Most know Lindsey as the girl with the dog. In 2004 she began her canine ventures by raising a puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind. This experience sparked an interest that ignited a passion. She continued working with service dogs for the next twelve years. Focusing greatly on early development and socialization of puppies in training.
After attending The Tom Rose School in 2017, she ventured into other fields of dog training. Participating in agility, tracking, nose work, protection, obedience, tricks and therapy work.
In more recent years she has been the manager and trainer for a doggy daycare in Southern Oregon. During which Lindsey set up a canine enrichment program. The idea being a daycare alternative that provided both mental and physical stimulation for dogs that were not suitable for social play. Enrichment activities included obedience, tricks, agility, nose work, treadmilling, brain games and more.
As a trainer, Lindsey’s goal is to maximize a dog’s potential. As this varies from dog to dog, so does her approach of achieving it.
FLORIDA TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jason Davis
Jason Davis is the director of our training programs at Jet Set Pets and University. He is a third generation dog trainer has has literally trained thousands of dogs of all breeds and temperament. Additionally he is the owner of Karma K9 in Jacksonville Florida. More recently has been involved with assisting with law enforcement protection training and he has won a National Championship with the highest score ever in the sport of protection. Because of his background he has a natural ability to understand and handle all types of cases from the family pet behavioral problems to dog and human aggression issues.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Curtis Johnson
My name is Curtis Johnson, I am 24 years old and from Providence, Rhode Island. I have been training dogs for three years. I went to the University of Rhode Island and graduated with a degree in Textile Science with a minor in Marketing, but pursued a career working with dogs after not enjoying what I was doing after college. I worked with a trainer in Rhode Island that taught me the basics of dog behavior while also working in the kennel. I then went on to get my Master Trainer/Instructor certification at Tarheel Canine in North Carolina where I trained with pets, working dogs, and sport dogs as a member of Tarheel PSA Club. I then went back to Rhode Island to train pets on my own and continue reading on training and canine cognition, but decided I wanted something new and came to Jacksonville, Florida so I could continue training dogs and living by the beach.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Melissa Alley
I’ve been passionate about animals my entire life and at an early age knew I wanted to work with dogs. In high school I volunteered at multiple animal shelters which only made my love and passion for animals grow even more! I attended Sandford Brown Institute where I studied veterinary technology. My first job out of college was working as a kennel technician at Karma K9. I loved watching the trainers work with the dogs and knew immediately that was what I was meant to do! I have now been training dogs at Karma K9 for 3 years and I can honestly say this is my dream career. I dedicate myself to every one of my training dogs and care for them like family. I build relationships with all of my clients and work diligently to ensure they’re satisfied. I can’t wait to be a part of you and your pup’s next journey!
SOUTH CAROLINA TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
AKC CGC EVALUATOR
Lydia Porter
Lydia is a South Carolina native. Animals have always been special to her, from the creepy-crawly to the cute and fluffy. She began volunteering at an animal shelter during her early college years, which ultimately helped shape her education path. She now holds a degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences with a concentration in Animal Agribusiness from Clemson University. During her time as a Clemson student, she was heavily involved with their equine programs. She worked as a student employee for Clemson’s Equine Center and rode on the ISHA Clemson Equestrian Team. She has been training dogs for 5 years. Pictured with her is the dog who started it all. Lydia has most recently worked as a vet tech for both a small animal clinic as well as an equine clinic. In her free time, Lydia enjoys training her dogs in scent detection and competing in protection sports with her American Bulldog, Rosie.
STAMFORD CT TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
National K9 Master Trainer -CPT
Logan Haus Kennels Intern
Logan Haus Detection Trainer Certification
PetTech first aid and CPR certified
IACP Member
White belt lvl 3 decoy
Erin Brantner

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
MICHAEL ELLIS SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
CPDT-KA
Triple Crown Dog Academy/Starmark Academy for Trainers
Anneliese Johnson
Anneliese has been working with dogs professionally since 2006. She started off working in kennels, doggy daycares, at veterinary clinics as a vet assistant, and attending college to study Zoology before ultimately deciding to dive full-time into dog training in 2011. Through her volunteer work with several all-breed and breed-specific rescues, numerous foster dogs, and through the different pet-related companies that Anneliese was hired by, she found a growing desire to gain as much formal education in the world of dog training as possible. Anneliese attended Triple Crown Dog Academy (now called Starmark Academy for Trainers) in 2011 with a Certified Training and Behavior Specialist diploma, earned her AKC CGC evaluator test in 2012, her CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed) in 2013, moved to California to start training with Michael Ellis in 2014 and attended his full program which ultimately led to becoming his full-time employee for nearly two years starting in early 2015, and has attended countless additional seminars, conferences and workshops to further her education in dog training over the last decade.
Since the start of her career with dogs, she has been employed by some of the most renowned dog training companies and dog trainer schools all across the U.S., as well as gaining valuable experience in smaller businesses before starting her own dog training company in 2018. Anneliese’s greatest passion in her career as a dog trainer is helping dog owners have the best possible relationship and reliability with their canine companions! She believes that having real conversations with her clients to implement authentic training solutions is the best approach to working together to achieve their goals with their dog.
In her free-time, Anneliese travels and trains/competes with her own dogs in dog-sports, with her primary focus being in Mondioring.
TENNESSEE TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Justin Rigney
Justin has over 25 years of professional dog training experience and was a Law Enforcement Officer for 17 years. He spent 10 years as a K-9 handler and trainer. His unique background and experience in civilian dog training and as Police service dog training sets him a part from other trainers in his field.
Justin’s passion for dog training is evident. He has assisted thousands of pet dog owners in enhancing their relationship with their dogs, bridging the gap of communication with their beloved four legged family members. Justin utilizes a proven, reliable, humane and clear, real world training system, which produces results and a dog who knows its job and loves its job. During his Law Enforcement career, Justin was fortunate enough to have been able to work three patrol dogs. Justin is a former member of the Davie Police Department and their K‐9 unit where he was a handler for K‐9 “Vader”, a Belgian Malinois who was produced from his own breeding program.
Going from watching Vader take his very first breath in life, to becoming a productive K-9 partner was extremely rewarding. K-9 “Bosko”, an all black GSD (German Shepherd Dog) was responsible for hundreds of arrests and apprehensions of violent felony offenders and has been instrumental in the recovery of numerous articles of valuable evidence. Post retirement, Bosko obtained his Brevet in French Ring sport. His last patrol dog K‐9 “Zeke” is a sable GSD who has been raised from a puppy by Justin and his wife Alison. Zeke was a proven, vigilant and tenacious police service dog during his career. Most notably defending his handler during a deadly force encounter and officer involved shooting. Zeke will continue to work and compete in civilian dog sport.
Justin was a Corporal and trainer for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which had 60 dogs department wide. During his professional dog training career he has trained with hundreds of Police K‐9 teams, competed in Schutzhund, Ring Sport and other dog sports. He has also trained dogs for celebrities, professional athletes and thousands of pet dog owners. Justin graduated and has been awarded a diploma in the NePoPo Gold training system, the modern language of dog training by Bart Bellon.
Justin was formerly the President of the Florida Law Enforcement Canine Association (www.flecak9.com) and was one of the founding members. He was also a judge and instructor for FLECA. Justin has also been retained in civil litigation as an expert witness in K‐9 training, use of force and deployment. He has had the opportunity to certify and train hundreds of Police K‐9 teams. Justin continually pursues further knowledge of dog training in many different applications by training with some of the top canine trainers in the world.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Eloise Yeomans
Eloise’s history with Working Dogs date back to 2009 in the British Forces, followed by an ongoing career in Firefighting. Before her move from Britain to the USA in 2015, her main focus was Accelerant Detection Canines. Arson roles in the US are commonly filled by Law Enforcement, due to this, she found herself delving into apprehension training. Over the years, she’s stayed busy with; Pet dogs, trialing her own Dog, and training with K-9 units and other mentors nationally (always looking to better her trainer and decoy skills). This is how she learned about Koru, through Ray Murphy and HRD. Eloise currently has a career firefighting, and instructs and assists with various Fire Academies, and owns her own Pet/Working Dog company. We are happy to have her as a part of the team and happy to see Tennessee on the Koru K9 map!

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Brian Ferguson
I have been a dog guy since childhood. I started my professional training career in dog training 15 years ago as a behavioral rehabilitation specialist right here in Nashville. Over the last decade I have made a well respected name for myself in the working dog world, producing Law Enforcement K9’s. My love for teaching comes across in my communication with my clients. I live for that “light bulb” moment when a pet owner gains the knowledge and perspective to communicate clearly and precisely with their pet.
I have an amazing wife of 17 years that puts up with all my “crazy” dog antics and we have one amazing son 7 years old. Even though I’m originally from Texas…Tennessee is home and has been almost two decades.
I look forward to helping TN dog owners gain a better understanding of their beloved dogs and opening up those lines of communication to allow a happier, more fulfilling, and active relationship between you and your dog!
ARIZONA TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Nicole Johnstone
Nicole grew up in the mountains of Colorado riding, training and raising Quarter Horses. She expanded her training horizons to dogs. Nicole’s first working dogs were two Dutch Shepherds, from then she began handling Belgian Malinois and a Doberman. For the last 7 years Nicole has spent countless hours attending seminars across the US with some of the most knowledgeable trainers, handlers and decoys available. Primarily she competes in French Ring with her Belgian Malinois but has also competed in Mondioring and Dock Diving. After starting her own board and train business, she began training pet dogs as well as raising and putting sport foundations on multiple Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd and Doberman puppies. She has a passion for working dogs and she has trained close to 1,000 purebred and mixed breed pet dogs.

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Kenny Reid
I have been training dogs for about 5 years or so, worked at a hunter canine and co-owned Kinetic Canine with Nicole, now I run my own business, Apex Canine Solutions. I have done a little bit of helper work with a local IGP club and have done a little bit of decoy work with a French Ring club. My Malinois and I have done a couple seminars for IGP and have also completed a couple nose work classes just for fun. There has never been a time in my life I have not had a dog or five. My mom was a vet tech and worked at several zoos, I have been around almost every animal you can think of. I also do wildlife rescue, anything from rattlesnakes to birds of prey to javelinas and coyotes.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Brittney Howard
UTAH TEAM

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
Jake Hutchinson
Jake has always loved and been around dogs, but his fascination with working dogs and their capabilities began to take hold in his early teens while taking numerous adventures with a family friends GSD who had been retired from police work due to his unwillingness to bite. In 1994, Jake transitioned from the Marine Corps to civilian life, where he started ski patrolling and got his first opportunity to begin working dogs. He trained, handled and fielded four Avalanche Search dogs with Wasatch Backcountry Rescue (WBR) where he deployed on over 40 missions with multiple recoveries or “finds.”
In 2011, Jake ventured out of the ski patrolling side of the avalanche world to focus on teaching and training avalanche professionals, this created more opportunities to deep dive into other SAR disciplines, including wilderness, tracking, open water and human remains. He also began to learn and train the nuance of detection, protection/defense and apprehension dogs, working specifically towards contraband detection in the endangered species world.
He believes that humans have only scratched the surface of canine capability and the limiting factor is our own lack of time and creativity to show the dogs what we need them to do. All dog training boils down to an agreement between dog and handler of outcomes and consequences, which requires fairness and consistency by the handler. He feels that his greatest K9 accomplishment is rehabbing an extremely abused 2 year old Pitbull mix into a loving and trusting canine companion, who started as a fear biter and spent her last years playing with young children without consequence.
Jake currently does consulting and training work for various SAR organizations through his company VUORI K9 and is training and learning from his own dog, Colt, a 2.5 year old Malinois with multiple SAR certifications and capabilities.
KORU K9 OWNERS

Read More
TRAINING DIRECTOR, SR. TRAINER & DOG BEHAVIORIST
IACP MEMBER A-5830
TARHEEL CANINE PRO TRAINER CERTIFICATION
FOUNDER, BAL. SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN EVALUATOR
POLICE K9 INSTRUCTOR & DECOY
CO-FOUNDER HRD POLICE K9
Ray Murphy
Ray Murphy is the co-owner, Training Director, and Lead Behaviorist of Koru K9 Dog Training and Rehabilitation, co-owner of The Balanced School for Dog Trainers, and High Risk Deployment Police K9. Ray’s background in the military and project management gives him a unique perspective and advantage when it comes to working with the human aspect of the dog training equation. With a passion for rehabilitating aggressive dogs, Ray is known for taking the most difficult cases and turning them around with results that far exceed client’s expectations. Ray is Koru K9’s lead aggression specialist and regularly works court mandated training cases. When given the chance for training, Ray turns these dogs around and the cases have been dismissed! These dogs are often dogs that other trainers have given up on, or are unwilling to work with. He is certified through Tarheel Canine in North Carolina, and is a Police K9 Instructor Certification through Torchlight K9. Ray and Nero (pictured) achieved their PDC, PSA-1 title (Protection Work and Obedience), and Canine Good Citizen title before Nero’s untimely and unexpected passing. Ray is now working with his new German Shepherd puppy, Voodoo — training to be future PSA champions!

Read More
DOG BEHAVIORIST
DOG NUTRITION
FOUNDER, BAL. SCHOOL FOR DOG TRAINERS
CO-FOUNDER HRD POLICE K9
THE BALANCED DOG PODCAST CO-HOST
Bridget Murphy
Bridget and her husband, Ray, co-own Koru K9 Dog Training and Rehabilitation, The Balanced School for Dog Trainers, and High Risk Deployment Police K9. Her passion for behavior training started while rehabilitating her own dog, Luna, who Bridget describes as a “hot mess” when she was rescued. While Bridget spends the majority of her time running the Koru K9 operational side of things, her training style is one that is motivational and with a focus on building the relationship between the dog and it’s owner. Bridget and Luna, who is no longer a hot mess, work together in sheep herding as well as high level obedience. Bridget and Cairo, have achieved their PSA (Protection Sports Association) PDC, and PSA-1 title, and are actively training for their PSA-2. Bridget also founded The Balanced Dog Podcast, and is a co-host along with Samantha, and Kareena
OUR AMAZING OFFICE TEAM

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Jilian Daniel
Jilian was born and raised in Texas, and attended the Florida Institute of Technology for her B.Sc. in Marine Biology, and minored in Psychology, with an emphasis on Animal Behavior. After graduating, she worked with wild populations of cetaceans, pinnipeds, birds, and commercial fishing. After her sea-faring adventures, she found herself working at SeaWorld. This was a switch in her career, because soon after, she then started training service dogs for US Marine Corps veterans with PTSD, as well as folks with diabetes, or seizures. This was extremely gratifying, but she still needed a challenge. Jilian accepted a position working one-on-one with a kennel full of retired MWDs, MPCs, police K9s, and a few other agency canines, with the goal of rehabilitating them and giving them the retirement they deserved. She worked with these extremely temperamental German Shepherds, Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds for over three years, while helping the founder of the organization establish an online training platform for pet dogs. After ensuring the program’s success, Jilian left and became a supervisor for the largest nation-wide non-profit organization that trains labrador and golden retrievers for service work for people with disabilities. Jilian is excited to bring all of this leadership experience and training expertise to the Koru K9 Pack.

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Seyonna Hedrick
Seyonna grew up around dogs — mainly field Labs. Seyonna would always sneak animals that were hurt or injured into her room — just in case her mom wouldn’t let her keep them. Even at that young age, Seyonna wanted to save them all. That need to save animals led Seyonna to her first puppy Tiena, a blue Queensland Heeler rescue. An unbreakable bond was instantly formed. And Seyonna quickly learned about genetics! Tiena would herd Seyonna and her siblings like cattle. Climbing up ladders, working on construction sites, playing soccer with the kids, climbing the chain link fence at our school to watch the kids, racing us while Seyonna and her siblings snowboard, and keeping their hearts full. She was unlike any other dog Seyonna had ever owned. Outside of work, Seyonna’s children keep her super busy. They like to spend their timing hiking, or playing sports. Seyonna says, “You have heard that having dogs is a lot like having children I am here to say that is true and I agree to that 100%. No two dogs are the same just as no two human beings are the same. What works for one may not work for the other. Koru K9 works to help any dog any problem and to be apart of a company that has a great philosophy and track record is rewarding!” Working for Koru K9 allows Seyonna to help people in the right direction to get the training that is necessary for their dog to succeed. She believes that everybody should feel the love of having a dog just like she did with her first dog.

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Sammy Cave
Sammy grew up with a humongous family surrounded by all types of different animals. She has owned dogs, cats, chickens, horses, goats, bunnies, and so much more! Sammy grew up riding and competing in local horse shows and spending time with her fur friends. Sammy became passionate about dogs when she was a teenager and started working for her local dog kennel. She has helped with local rescues as well as rehabilitating horses. Sammy and her husband own two pitty mixes who they consider to be their best friends and family members. When Sammy is not in the Office at Koru K9, she can be found backpacking, hiking and exploring with her two dogs and her husband.

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Katrina Hite

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Kaitie Litvinoff
Kaitie was born in Connecticut and spent her childhood surrounded by animals. Her mother is a Veterinary Technician, and she inspired Kaitie’s love of animals. Her family had a number of pets including dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and tortoises. Kaitie moved to Florida to attend the Florida Institute of Technology and pursue her passion for Animal Behavioral Psychology. After university, she worked in the Education department of SeaWorld Orlando, doing small animal handling as well as management positions at Panera Bread. Kaitie went on to focus on her love of assisting people and worked at overseeing the Guest Arrival experience of SeaWorld Orlando. Kaitie has a background in both animal behavior and guest service and she understands the need for positive training experiences to help better the relationship between people and their animal companions. Kaitie is an avid reader and loves to SCUBA dive whenever possible, she lives in Celebration, Florida with her fiance and 2 cats. Koru K9 is a perfect fit for Kaitie, as she loves assisting people who simply want the best possible training for their companions.

Read More
- BEING AWESOME
Cheyenne Mix-Mckown
I was born and raised in a small, rural mountain town in Northern California, where I found a love for the outdoors and all the creatures that inhabited the forests and streams around me. From a young age I was known for my love of animals. Once, I raised a starling chick that fell from its nest, feeding him every two hours around the clock and making sure he stayed warm. I never left him even during my softball tournaments, he would sit in his box on our bench as the unofficial mascot of Lassen Xplosion! I received my first puppy, a Jack Russell mix with what we thought was cattle dog, at the age of 9.
It was quite a daunting task to raise such a high-strung dog at a young age, but I was up for the challenge. My parents made it clear they would take no part in raising the dog, so I set my mind to proving I could make my puppy, Peanut, the best dog. She never left my side, my partner in crime. I would teach her trick after trick. Making her stay while I threw her most prized possession, a tennis ball, until I gave her the release. I taught her all the tricks I could think of at the age of 9 which included dance, sit, shake, roll over, sit pretty, craw, and jump.
After high school I became a mother to 3 beautiful children. Being a mother, I get to pass on my love for the mountains and animals to those dearest to me. I get to coach Tball to my children and see them struggle and succeed at something they have little control over while teaching them failure is fine, as long as you never give up. Looking back at my childhood and raising a dog of that caliber on my own devices makes me grateful to work for a company that offers help to those who need it. Peanut had the potential to become a very destructive and dangerous dog. This company helps save dog lives like Peanut.