Puppy Raiser / Trainer Since: 2011
I am from Madison. My professional life involved writing and publishing for UW-Madison and Madison Newspapers. For fun, in addition to dog walks, I sing with the Madison Symphony Chorus and the Choral Union, and try to keep up with two busy children (ages 4 and 6).
Why WAGS? Becoming a service-dog trainer was always on my bucket list. I worked in offices that wouldn’t allow dogs, so I had to wait for this adventure until I retired. I love learning about dog behavior and working on my training skills. Every dog has its own personality, which keeps us trainers on our toes. It’s a wonderful, exciting feeling when the dog “gets” something you’ve been trying to teach for what feels like forever. The little light bulb goes off and you can see how happy the dogs are, too.
Favorite Memory? My current dog, Winnie, loves shoes as much as I do. She brings me shoes from the closet, and always in matched pairs. First the left, then the right, Then, another pair. She prances with them, so proud. By the end of an evening, there can be a lot of shoes on the couch. She’s an excellent, retriever, even for things I haven’t asked for!