Rachel has been working with dogs professionally for 10 years. Rachel’s certifications include:

Rachel is a trainer with Teacher’s Pet: Dogs & Kids Learning Together. She works with at-risk youth at Children’s Village in Pontiac and Crossroads for Youth in Oxford, and shelter dogs from Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center and K9 Stray Rescue League.. She has been with Teacher’s Pet for 10 years, previously facilitating program at the Juvenile Justice Center in Macomb along with dogs from Macomb County Animal Control, and facilitating Shelter School at the Humane Society of Macomb.

Rachel held positions at the Humane Society of Macomb for 7 years, including Lead Dog Trainer, Animal Care Coordinator, and Rescue Coordinator. This included overall daily care of the dog population, evaluations, training plans, in-home training for adopters and fosters, obedience classes, dog adoption counseling, staff and volunteer training, and more.

Rachel holds training seminars for shelter staff, shelter volunteers, and rescues.

Rachel utilizes positive reinforcement training because there is a science behind behavior change. She teaches owners how their dog learns, to identify behaviors to reinforce and minimize the reinforcement of behaviors they don't want. Fear stops the learning process so she chooses not to use punishment or "dominance" based training. Not only is punishment risky, it fails to teach the dog acceptable alternate behaviors. The goal is to create a trusting relationship between dog and owner, strengthening the bond to create harmony in the home. Just like anything, it takes practice and she is here to help!

Rachel is passionate about working with non-profit organizations. She has been involved in a variety of animal welfare organizations in Southeast Michigan for 13 years. Helping owned dogs stay in their homes is a key component to decreasing the amount of homeless dogs in shelters, rescues, and on the street. Education, outreach, veterinary assistance, and compassion are vital when assisting the community. A project Rachel is proud to continue is fundraising to provide igloos to outreach groups that are in the field every day keeping dogs safe and educating their owners. Of course, educating humans about dog behavior is at the top of the list for her role in ending dog homelessness. Check out more information on animal welfare groups and projects on the Resources page. Help raise funds on the Donate page. Rachel has volunteered and served on the board for a range of organizations.

Rachel’s Dogs