About Us
welcome!
Adventure dog trainer | writer | outdoors woman
Off-Leash Rebels is a platform for dog owners who want real, effective training rooted in how dogs actually think and learn. Built around my training methodology and years of adventure travel with my own dogs, it cuts through the noise to give you practical skills, honest gear recommendations, and the confidence to take your dog anywhere.
I am a trail runner, international traveller, dancer, and mountain lover and include my dogs in most of my adventurous pursuits. I biked across Europe and South America over two years with my dog, Sora, have trained for many ultra marathons with my dogs, and have gone on countless roadtrips with my dogs in tow.
I’m a NePoPo® Gold Certified dog trainer, author of The Essential Guide to Hiking with Dogs and have traveled the world with my dogs. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my heeler, Sitka and Border Collie, Alpine.
Like many dog owners turned dog trainers, my journey began with a dog named Laila that enjoyed hobbies such as chasing deer up mountainsides, befriending local flocks of sheep, and disappearing into the woods. I tried in vain to train her, but I couldn’t get her to listen as soon as that leash was unclipped.
I knew there had to be a way to get her to respond.
After months, I learned of a different training method from the ones I found in books, YouTube, and on the Internet and saw an instantaneous difference in her behavior.
While I never had the chance to fully train her to her full potential, I carried that knowledge onto my next dog, Sikta and began training him from the day I brought him home.
Sitka was a nightmare in the car, had strong feelings about diesel-powered engines, and let me know what he thought about neighbors who had the audacity to leave their homes.
But, with the right training, he learned to manage his objections differently and I learned how to channel them into appropriate responses. As a result, Sitka is a more confident, resilient, and manageable dog that I can take with me just about anywhere.
Once I accomplished my off-leash trail dreams with Sitka, I wanted to share my knowledge with other struggling dog owners.
I cut through the noise of conflicting training advice that keeps you stalled. I’ll show you exactly what your dog needs to thrive: communication, confidence, and biological and physical fulfillment.
I am constantly expanding my education and have attended workshops by Michael Ellis, Chris Sykes, and Maryna Ozuna. I’ve completed the Canine Decoded Triple Helix program and regularly participate in dog sports like protection work, detection, and sheep herding.
Beyond dog training-specific education, dance has helped me understand what exactly dogs experience in training, such as communicating through touch, generalization, struggling through a move until I finally get it right—all of that translates directly to working with dogs..
I Became Obsessed With Understanding How Dogs Actually Learn
and here’s what I teach clients…
- How to build clear communication with your dog using their language, not ours
- How to create off-leash reliability that works in the real world, not just your back yard
- How to give dogs the full-body movement and biological fulfillment they actually need
- How to build confidence and resilience in dogs so they can handle anything
- How to advocate for your dog in an “it’s ok, my dog is friendly” world