Professional and Personal Service

For Dogs and Their Owners!

Meet the Trainers

Christine Grove Williams | Kristie Swan | Cheyenne Williams | Melissa Simpson | Leah Seely

Christine Grove Williams:

Christine has over 20 years experience working with dogs professionally in the area of training and behavior problem resolution, including 15 years experience working in a Veterinary setting. Christine is a AKC C.G.C. Evaluator and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class Instructor. Christine’s K-9 Service first opened it’s doors in March 1999.

Christine's areas of special interest are dominance/aggression, anxiety related cases, and the relationship between children and dogs.

Endorsement by the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors - provides an assurance of knowledge, skill, and positive training methods. www.nadoi.org

Christine offers service to the greater Grand Rapids and Ionia areas. (MI)

A high level of professional and personal ethics is upheld at all times. Christine offers personal caring and attentive service for discriminating clientele. The emphasis is always on customer satisfaction and quality, not quantity.

Professional Affiliations

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers www.apdt.com

Medallion Rottweiler Club www.mrcrottweiler.org

Midwest Bullmastiff Fanciers Club http://clubs.akc.org/aba/regional/midwest/regmw.htm

National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (membership & professional endorsement) www.nadoi.org

Canine Good Citizenship Evaluator www.akc.org

Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce www.lowellchamber.org

Paw's Unlimited-Grand Rapids Dog Training Club

Professional and personal references are available upon request.

Kristie Swan:

Kristie Swan has been volunteering and working with animal rescue organizations for over ten years. Kristie began training foster dogs, often working with the most difficult cases to rehabilitate and re-home them. Kristie believes in mutually beneficial training with positive reinforcement techniques because a dog enjoys training and the owner enjoys a well behaved dog.

Kristie has studied candid behavior at Wolf Park in Battle Ground, IN; learned the training techniques of Suzanne Clothier author of "If Dog's Prayers Were Answered, Bones Would Rain from the Sky", as well as Christine Grove. Kristie is also a AKC C.G.C. Evaluator and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class Instructor.

Kristie has a special interest in early development for puppies, fear, anxiety, stress, and their related aggression, as well as proper training and understanding for all dogs.

Cheyenne Williams (Exercise Enrichment Specialist):

When Cheyenne became the proud owner of his first Rhodesian Ridgeback in 2004 he realized the importance of early obedience training, socialization, and the need to provide adequate exercise for his companion. (meeting the dog’s mental, emotional, and physical needs)

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is an energetic breed and Cheyenne wanted to provide a variety of exercise options that he and his companion could enjoy together. Offering a variety of options provided for more mental stimulation, less boredom, promoted a teamwork attitude, and has enhanced the bond between handler and companion. It is also important to Cheyenne that his dog be in optimal physical condition, as they compete together in the sport of lure coursing.

Cheyenne offers a new service option to our clientele. He will help you find ways to meet your dog’s need for exercise and mental stimulation, while strengthening your relationship. Treadmill training, biking, roller blading, weight pulling, and use of a lunge line are among the exercise options currently being offered for consideration.

You may want to visit the following links that outline the importance and benefit of exercise.

Lure Coursing Event Slide Show

A photo show of Cheyenne competing with his dog “Sulawesi’s The Trixter SC CGC” (call name = Xaos) in a lure coursing event, where Xaos earned the title of Senior Courser.

Links:

http://www.pedigree.co.za/index.php?section=5&item=0

http://dogshealthinfo.com/excersize/proper-exercise-for-dogs-natures-dictates-and-mans-desires/

Melissa Simpson:

Training Certification, 2006: Animal Behavior College
AKC C.G.C. Evaluator and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class Instructor
Professional Affiliation-APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers)
Training approach: Use Positive Reinforcement techniques to assist dog owners with establishing successful communication with their dog.
Volunteered at Kent County Humane Society to help care for Katrina victims.
Worked with mentor trainer at Paws with a Cause.
Training dogs for 4 years.
Special interest – adolescent dog behavior issues.
Other education: Masters in Business Administration – Grand Valley State University
Owner of three Labrador Retrievers.

Melissa has been training dogs for four years and has a special interest in working with adolescent dogs. This age group of dogs often frustrates owners – they have quickly outgrown their puppy cuteness and are often jumping up, stealing items, and pulling on their leash.

Melissa’s goal is to work with dog owners to help them understand how to establish communication with their dog, eliminate these unwanted behaviors, and develop a well mannered companion in order to keep dogs with their families and out of the shelters.

Upon receiving a Master in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University, Melissa’s graduation gift was a yellow Labrador puppy, named Tucker. Since Tucker’s arrival, the canine household has quickly expanded to include the complete “Labrador Rainbow” – yellow, black and chocolate. As the owner of three rambunctious labs, “training” is a way of life in the Simpson household. “Training” is actually the communication between humans and canines. Melissa's frustration as a new and inexperienced pet owner sparked her interest in training and behavior. As she strived to educate herself to achieve a peaceful and well run household within her pack, she discovered a passion in assisting other frustrated pet owners.

Leah Seely:

Leah Seely has been working professionally with dogs for ten years. She acquired her knowledge and experience through years of working in the veterinary setting, the animal rescue field and with local trainers including Christine Grove. Leah currently enjoys teaching puppy and basic obedience classes as well as conducting puppy orientations for new pet owners, seminars, breed selection, temperament evaluation, and private consultations. Leah believes a truly happy well trained dog is one who is sound in body, mind, and spirit. She views training in a positive reward based manner and recognizes that each individual dog has specific needs that must be met and understood in order to achieve success between human and animal. Therefore, her main goal is to instill benevolent leadership skills and teach clear understanding of core principles and concepts to pet owners in order to keep a pleasant home environment and to keep pets in their homes and out of rescues and shelters. Areas of interest include behavioral issues of shelter/rescue dogs, fear-based issues, and the roles that nutrition and overall health play in a dogs behavioral development.

Leah is a fourth generation Boxer-lover and shares her home with her beloved Boxer, "Grace", as well as her hound mix "Hunter", 2 cats, a fish, and last but not least, her better half Mark- who helps her keep newest member of the pack - rescue dog "Patrick", (a Dachshund) from trying to take over the world with his can-do tenacious attitude. Holistic and alternative canine care is also a main area of focus and interest in her spare time.

Christine's K-9 Service

(616) 868-0057

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