In this series, we’ll be chatting with every member of the KeenDog team. We’ll dive into their origin stories, their passions, and the experiences that have shaped them into the trainers you know and love. And maybe we’ll discover a few quirks, too!

Next up, KeenDog regional manager and trainer, Rachel…

Tell us about your first dog!

My first dog was a stray female Collie x Chow mix that we named Wiley. She was our first family dog, who fortunately did not come with any real behavior issues. She was actually a very solid dog that we got very lucky with! She lived to be around 15 years old and was by my side for my entry into dog training as a career path.

What inspired you to become a dog trainer?

I grew up watching The Crocodile Hunter and adored Steve Irwin and his family. I always had a strong love for animals. From a very young age I found myself daydreaming all day long of handling and learning about animals in some way, and hoped to find myself in the animal industry one day. I began riding horses around 9 years old and that fire really ignited. My first real job was at a local doggie daycare when I turned 17, and I knew that dog training would be in my future.

What is your favorite thing (behavior, sport, etc.) to train and why?

This is a hard question for me to answer because there are so many components of training that I find absolutely fascinating. When it comes to general behavior modification with clients' dogs, I enjoy working with owners to solve problems and find as much success with their dog as possible. For myself and my own dogs, I am very passionate about protection sports and high-level obedience. It is an indescribable feeling to be able to not only witness, but be a small part of allowing a dog to genetically express what they were created to do. The power and drives of these animals give me goose bumps, so being a part of that training is something that keeps me very motivated in the dog training space.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new dog owners?

Take the time to truly build a relationship with your dog, and your trainer! Do your research before you bring your friend home so that you and your dog are set up for success from the beginning. And if you don't know where to start, please ask for help.

What’s the most memorable moment you’ve had while training a dog?

I have been lucky enough to say that I cannot keep track of all the memorable moments I have experienced while training dogs. A more recent one would have to be the first time my client Alexa was able to walk her Rottweiler Hank without him reacting to people, dogs and cars. It was such a happy moment for everyone, and they have thrived since!

If you were a dog, what breed would you be and why?

I would absolutely be my dog Duchess. She was a working line German Shepherd, and our personalities were almost identical. She was pretty friendly (albeit pretty serious looking at times) but would keep to herself a lot, largely unfazed by most things, always ready to go and work, loved to have fun and loved to learn.

If you could only have one dog breed for the rest of your life, what breed would you choose and why?

Surprise...working line German Shepherds. GSDs are the most versatile dog breed I personally have ever experienced working with. I firmly believe there is nothing they cannot do well. I will never not have one by my side... or several.

Anything else you want the people to know about you? Your dogs? Your training style?

I am an open book to a fault, so please don't hesitate to ask me any questions! I own 6 dogs of my own at the moment, and I love them endlessly. They are my world. I try to document their training on my Instagram so people can see what I am up to with them in my down time. My training style is ever evolving as I am always trying to better my skills and knowledge of this beautiful art we call dog training.

Tell us about your teammates!

I enjoy having a team of trainers that are all so different when it comes to what we do with our dogs and what we enjoy teaching them in our free time. Whether it be dock diving, scent work, service dog work, etc. It is very cool to be a part of a group that gets along despite preferences everchanging. My favorite thing about our team is that we do not take ourselves too seriously and we love to have fun while training!