I’ve loved dogs my whole life. I was the kid who wished for one every single year when I blew out my birthday candles. And even from an early age, I’ve studied them. From watching documentaries to reading behavioral studies... dog behavior has always fascinated me. So when I was hired by a training facility in Los Angeles, I dove head-first into the field and was instantly addicted. There, I taught thousands of classes, and worked with hundreds of dogs of all varying breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Obedience, Agility, Tricks... even a dog-yoga class!

After teaching in Los Angeles, I moved back to Chicago to start my own business and continue my studies. Some of the trainers and behaviorists I've taken guidance from are Karen Pryor, Emily Larlham, Donna Hill, Sue Ailsby, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, Sophia Yin, and Grisha Stewart just to name a few.

When I'm not training other peoples' dogs, you'll probably find me loving on my own. During my time in Los Angeles I adopted Clover, a scrappy little stray, from a rescue in Van Nuys. Today she lives a charmed doggy life... full of playtime, snuggling, and (of course) plenty of training. We love playing fetch at the park, doing agility in my backyard, and playing hide and seek around the house. She teaches me new things every day, and I am very grateful to have found her. If you want to see the adventures of me and my fluffy friend, you can follow us on instagram @california_clover

krista stockman positive reinforcement dog trainer
 
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