Meet The Team
Liz
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
Backstory:
Hi, I’m Liz and I’m fortunate to have discovered my passion for dogs at a young age. As a child, I would always choose the animal shelter over a playground. This lead to me spending my teenage years volunteering at an animal shelter as a dog walker. Then one day, I was "gifted" an adolescent husky who lived primary outdoors for
Backstory:
Hi, I’m Liz and I’m fortunate to have discovered my passion for dogs at a young age. As a child, I would always choose the animal shelter over a playground. This lead to me spending my teenage years volunteering at an animal shelter as a dog walker. Then one day, I was "gifted" an adolescent husky who lived primary outdoors for the first year of his life. Within the first hour of meeting him, he grabbed a sock and started resource guarding. I was scared of my own dog. I didn’t have the knowledge to help him. This opened a new door for me. We worked together to help address his daily struggles including fear aggression towards humans and dogs. The relationship I built with him is strong and rewarding. Throughout our training journey, I got to learn about him inside and out. That’s something I’m thankful for every day. This is what ignited a fierce love for dogs who have behavioural struggles and need extra support.
Experience:
I started working with dogs in a dog daycare. This quickly lead to a 10+ year career working in animal shelters. Animal shelters gave me endless opportunities to learn and grow. Often when dogs end up without a home, it’s the hardest time of their life. Here, I was able to support dogs who needed it the most. I worked with dogs who struggled with severe reactivity (towards humans and dogs) and many with anxiety. I learned about fear free handling and was immediately able to see how beneficial it was. By using kindness to connect with them, it built a strong foundation to help them start their journey to become the dogs they could be and get adopted. While it wasn’t easy, I found it incredibly rewarding.
Education:
Education is an incredibly important component of my passion. I have received a Dog Trainer Certification through Good Dog Academy and continue to supplement my knowledge with lectures and seminars(see below). The list will never stop growing and I can’t wait to learn more.
Animal Welfare Certificate - TRU(2013)
Professional Dog Training Certificate - Good Dog Academy(2014)
BAT Instructor Course(2015)
Separation Anxiety: Mission Possible Seminar(2017)
Chraig Patel Practical Puppy Training Workshop(2019)
Defensive Dog Handling Course
Shelter Training and Enrichment - KPA
Dog Trainer Foundations - KPA
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
I started volunteering and fostering with an animal shelter in 2020 when the film industry shut down due to the pandemic. I felt very connected working with the animals there, and that realization expanded the thoughts I had around what I was passionate about doing. It was so fulfilling when I’d experience a tense animal begin to relax wi
I started volunteering and fostering with an animal shelter in 2020 when the film industry shut down due to the pandemic. I felt very connected working with the animals there, and that realization expanded the thoughts I had around what I was passionate about doing. It was so fulfilling when I’d experience a tense animal begin to relax with me, or when I’d notice even the slightest behavioural improvement from an animal in my care. My career path in film slowly shifted to one of walking dogs so that I could work more directly with animals. This also gave me the time and space to pursue my certification as a sound healing practitioner, which is my other passion! My favourite part of each day is taking our group of misfit puppers to the off-leash beach and watching their little personalities shine through while romping around with them rain or shine! I never had dogs growing up but have always had cats, so I also have an affinity for all magical little feline friends. I currently have two kitties, Oliver and Kooshi whom I adore. I am both Pet First Aid and Fear Free Certified, and creating positive experiences catered to every unique pets’ needs including shyness, anxiety, fear and reactivity is my specialty. The emotional and physical well-being of animals in my care will always be my top priority. I can’t wait to meet yours!
Leo
Neshe (Neh-Shay)
Leo
Leo CPDT KA, originally from Malawi, discovered her passion for dog training through her experiences fostering and training dogs, which cultivated a love for positive reinforcement techniques. With extensive volunteer work at organizations such as BSPCA in Malawi, Adoptadobe, Loved At Last Dog Rescue, and Pacific Assistance Dogs, Leo gain
Leo CPDT KA, originally from Malawi, discovered her passion for dog training through her experiences fostering and training dogs, which cultivated a love for positive reinforcement techniques. With extensive volunteer work at organizations such as BSPCA in Malawi, Adoptadobe, Loved At Last Dog Rescue, and Pacific Assistance Dogs, Leo gained invaluable hands-on expertise in working with diverse canine personalities.
Under the mentorship of local trainer Sarah Shapiro-Ward, she has found a home in fear-free methods and positive reinforcement techniques. She focuses on bolstering dogs' confidence and addressing reactivity issues through engaging training games and personalized sessions. Her goal is to nurture success and foster strong connections between owners and their furry companions.
Leo finds immense satisfaction in nurturing curiosity and strengthening the bonds between dogs and their human counterparts, aiming to make a positive impact on both ends of the leash.