Hi, I'm Melissa.
I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and Certified Behavior Consultant Canine (CBCC-KA), as well as an AKC Evaluator. I regularly work with dogs of all ages, breeds, and experience, as well as those exhibiting fear, aggression, anxiety and reactivity. I use positive reinforcement and applied behavior analysis in my training.
Why I do this the way I do.
I graduated from University of South Carolina-Aiken with a BA in Communications. I use this educational background to better communicate and serve my human clients. I love learning about animal behavior and training!
In 2013, I became a member of Florida State Animal Response Coalition (FLSARC). Within a week, I began deploying to help dogs rescued from cruelty cases such as dog fighting, hoarding and puppy mills. During these deployments, I learned a lot from the behavior specialists at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and realized I have a true passion for it.
In 2015, I became a Professional Responder for the ASPCA, as well as an instructor for FLSARC. I also started my dog training internship at New Dawn Animal Behavior Center in Clearwater, FL. These experiences helped me to study, train with and learn from a wide variety of dogs. In 2018 I became a full-time trainer at New Dawn, and in 2019 I took over as the Training Manager. In 2020, I relocated to Greenville and opened Curiosity Dog Training LLC.
Real letters, earned the hard way.
It's about trust and relationships.
I believe training is about building a strong and trusting relationship with your dog, as well as learning to communicate better with him or her.
Dogs learn by exploring and collaborating. That's the whole idea behind the name Curiosity Dog Training. I use positive reinforcement-based methods that build confidence instead of suppressing behavior with fear. My mission is to set your dog up for success no matter what they are going through. I will give you the tools to understand your dog's communication and help you train behaviors that will help your dog feel more comfortable and confident.
Four things every program has in common.
What working together actually looks like.
When I'm not working, I'm still with dogs.
Outside of sessions you'll find me hiking, volunteering with Greenville County Animal Care and the Sanctuary at Red Bell Run, practicing yoga and herbalism and hanging with my dog.