From military service to dog training.
I'm an Army Veteran who began this work shortly after I got out of the military. It started with my love of dogs and the privilege of working alongside bomb-sniffing, drug-sniffing, and tracking dogs while I served. I was blown away by how smart and capable these animals were.
After my last tour overseas, I was struggling with PTSD. Nothing was working. One day, as I was leaving an appointment at the VA Hospital, an older veteran saw the struggle in my eyes and asked if I liked dogs. I said yes. He told me to go to my local SPCA and sign up to volunteer. He said it was the best therapy he ever had — and he was right.
I started volunteering regularly at the SPCA of the Triad, where I discovered I had a way of communicating with dogs that the staff and board members started to notice. From there, I decided to become a trainer. I began by observing — and eventually taking on the tougher dogs who hadn't been able to get adopted because of behavioral issues.
While working with those dogs, I enrolled at CATCH Canine Academy. I finished the program and earned my certification as a Professional Dog Trainer (CCPDT). I named my business Direct Connect Dog Training, and things grew from there — most of my early referrals coming from the same SPCA that trusted me with their toughest cases.
