I struggled to find a trainer who was compassionate and supportive in the way that I needed, that helped me troubleshoot for MY puppy, situation, and life instead of offering a cookie-cutter or dismissive answer to my struggles. When I found my training mentor, I was ecstatic. I took every class she offered, she made me feel seen and heard and I needed that more than anything else. I began assistant training for her in 2020 and accrued enough hands-on and assistant hours to take my CCDPT exam in 2021, which I passed.
I have since prioritized compassionate, supportive, skills-building and relationship-focused training with my group and private clients. It means so much to me to help clients understand their dogs and learn to work WITH them instead of at odds with them. Centered in my training methods are ethics and kindness, for both humans and their dogs. Meeting needs of BOTH sides of the leash creates harmony and confidence. I completed my Fear Free certification in early 2023 to better accomplish these goals and serve my clients. I am committed to lifelong learning and truly honored and humbled to be even a single chapter in my client dogs’ learning journeys!
My learning journey into professional dog training started back in 2016 in preparation for bringing my own puppy into my home. I began three years of self study, inhaling all the books on training I could find, and participating as much as I could in online professional dog training communities. When my boy came home in 2019, we immediately started attending training classes, socialization classes, you name it! But despite ALL my book learning, it was still so hard!
CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM
Head Trainer
Brittni Hyzer
compassionate, supportive,
relationship-focused training
get to know me
favorite book:
favorite movie or show:
dream vacation:
go-to snack:
favorite local restaurant:
when I'm not working...
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
(honestly, anything by Sanderson!)
True crime documentaries
I would LOVE to go back to Japan!
Peanut butter on Ritz crackers
Close tie between Kyoto Sushi or The Tin Peddler
I'm hiking with my dog, reading, or spending too much time on Facebook.
Sound like we'll work well together?
Get in touch!
At this same time I was attending the Karen Pryor Academy where I learned to become a professional dog trainer. I spent the next two years trying to learn as much as I could and I had a wonderful team consisting of a neurologist, an internist, and a veterinary behaviorist all working together to figure out what was going on with my dog. During that time he was diagnosed with multiple health and behavior disorders and quickly showed a reduced quality of life. With the support of the veterinary professionals, trainers and loved ones in my life I made the very difficult decision to choose humane euthanasia right before his third birthday.
Despite the challenges I have faced, I am so grateful to have experienced life with such a complex dog who taught me how to be a more curious and empathetic dog trainer. After Sir passed In 2023, I continued pursuing my education and became a Fear Free Certified Professional, a Family Dog Mediator, completed the Aggression In Dogs masterclass, and became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. In late 2025, after a long two years of not having a dog I happily welcomed a Belgian Sheepdog puppy into my life whose name is Intensity, although we call her Sity for short. I also share my life with 5 guinea pigs!
I started my journey into dog training in 2020 after bringing home my Golden Retriever puppy named Sir. He was my first dog of my own as an adult and I wanted him to live life to the fullest so to accomplish that we started training at a very young age. We had so much fun going to group classes a few times a week, going on hikes, visiting the beach and enjoying dog friendly places together. Things were going so well with Sir the first year of his life but then my confident, happy go lucky dog started facing common behavior struggles such as anxiety, resource guarding and dog reactivity which lead us down a long road of learning about how health can greatly affect behavior.
CPDT-KA, KPA-CPT, FFCP, FDM
Marissa Quarles
empathetic, compassionate,
quality of life-focused training
get to know me
favorite book:
favorite movie or show:
dream vacation:
go-to snack:
favorite local restaurant:
when I'm not working...
'The Stress Factor in Dogs' by Kristina Spaulding
Jumani (the original). TV show: The 100
A Safari adventure in Africa
Apple sauce squeeze pouches
Mango's wood fire pizza company
I spend my time hiking and doing different dog sports such as nose work, barn hunt and fast cat
Sound like we'll work well together?
Get in touch!
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