Amanda’s Story…

Amanda started her training career by accident.

Growing up, she knew she wanted to work with dogs, and wanted to help them in any way she could. In her mind, the only way to do that was by becoming a veterinary technician, but to get to that point, she needed to build her resume. She started by training horses while in high school, and into her early 20’s. She then found a job at a doggy daycare facility that also offered grooming, boarding, and training. It was there, that she was taught everything from how to read a dog’s body language, groom, and most importantly train dogs of different breeds, ages and temperaments. She then was offered a job in a vet clinic, and left training because that’s what she “thought” she wanted. In pursuing her veterinary career, she worked as a kennel tech, receptionist, and then a veterinary technician. After 7 years of being in veterinary medicine, a light switched on…

Almost every dog that walked into the clinic, was suffering from 1 common outlier:

poor leadership.

She then started her own training business, and that’s where the magic started…

She quickly realized that anybody could teach a dog obedience, but not many trainers cared about the PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING of the dogs they were handling.

Now, Amanda uses a combination of motivational training techniques, positive/negative reinforcement and is constantly continuing her education in all aspects of training. She focuses on guiding your dog into thinking they WANT to perform these tasks for you, rather than FORCING them. Forcing behaviors will only suppress the dog, and eventually cause an outburst of behavior later down the road. Dogs that DESIRE to please and complete the tasks of their handlers, create a solid, reliable dog.

Not only does she have over 7 years of veterinary experience, but she is also an AKC CGC Evaluator. This means she has the qualifications to administer the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program, CGC, AKC Community Canine (the advanced level of CGC), Urban CGC, Video Home Manners and Trick Dog tests. These are all nationally recognized tests.

High Desert Dog Training offers private sessions, boarding, and one of the best board and train programs in Western Colorado. Our trainer doesn’t just focus on guiding your dog, but trains YOU as well. This approach gives the owner a clearer idea on what needs to be done at home.

These programs are invaluable to you and your pet. The knowledge and education you both will receive will last a lifetime.

“There is no better feeling than creating a bond between owner and dog that I know will last a lifetime.”