Contact Kathlyn's Professional Dog Training Services (760) 822-7174 service dog certification services professional dog trainer
Fun, Effective, Positive & Trustworthy Training for over 20 years.
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Hello and welcome to my site.
My name is Kathlyn, and I go by Kat. I am committed to helping dog owners and other dog trainers become successful. Growing up, my family and I took great pleasure in rescuing and rehabilitating pets, as well as lending a helping hand to those less fortunate than us. As a toddler, I was always captivated by animals; it felt as though they sensed that I understood them. When I was nine, my family lived with my aunt and uncle for a year, who had a lot of land and many animals. This period in my life helped me discover a deeper connection with animals. I became eager to know what they wanted and what they were thinking. I spent all day, every day, with the animals, and that experience proved invaluable when I later became a trainer at SeaWorld.
How I became a trainer at SeaWorld was a serendipitous journey. I was pursuing a degree in marine biology and, while in college, I struggled to pass the math requirements. I decided that if I became a trainer at SeaWorld, I could expedite the process by working from the inside. I wanted the job there so much that I created a vision board focused on getting the training position. After I had my interview, I received a call from the director informing me that I was one of 300 candidates who got the job. I was chosen to work as a trainer at SeaWorld in San Diego for the show "Pets Rule." During my time there, I learned how to rescue and rehabilitate animals, including cats, dogs, pigs, ducks, exotic macaws, and pigeons. I was trained by Karen Pryor and Ian Dunbar. I trained these animals to perform behaviors on stage independently, without a human present. A couple of years later, I left SeaWorld and launched my own dog training company. While establishing my business, I started collaborating with a South African trainer named Graham Bloem. Together, we operated West Coast K9. Our first endeavor involved training a service dog for a soldier named Jay Kopelman. A street dog had saved Jay's life. Jay named the dog Lava brought him back to the USA and the rest is history. Lava became the first service dog we trained. During this period, I also started working with local humane societies to train and rehabilitate dogs on their behalf, aiming to prevent euthanasia. I helped educate numerous volunteers at these organizations and dog owners throughout the county by organizing workshops and group sessions.
I am incredibly honored and appreciative that over the past 20 years, numerous reputable service dog companies, famous people, and high-profile clients worldwide have reached out to me and requested my assistance, opening their homes and lives to me. I was invited to take charge of training dogs to save lives in the ocean as the head trainer for the nation's only canine water rescue team in 2010. I'm so passionate about what I do that word-of-mouth has brought me most every client. I've had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing people—many of whom start as clients before evolving into friends and family. I've had the privilege of instructing hundreds of service dogs that save lives daily.
I love every aspect of training dogs, including finding the right service dog, teaching basic obedience, search and rescue, scent training, task training helping people manage their disabilities. In 2011 I moved to Colorado. I worked in a therapy dog program at two Colorado hospitals. In Colorado springs on the air force base I had fun teaching dogs to sniff out bombs and narcotics. I had fun performing search and rescue missions. My unwavering commitment to helping people and their dogs has gained recognition and reached a global audience. I've been interviewed several times regarding laws about service dogs and their presence in public schools. My current activities include inventing new methods to provide service dogs to individuals in need, training other trainers, and leading community Q&A workshops. I collaborated with renowned bike manufacturer SRAM in 2016 to increase office efficiency by allowing staff members to bring their dogs to work. Allowing employees to bring their dogs to work has been shown to increase productivity because both the employees and the dogs are happy. In 2023 my family and I moved to Washington State where I currently I provide Q&A workshops that are free at the Spokane libraries (in-person or virtually). I give speeches nationwide to staff members of doggie daycare centers, shelters, and rescues to help them understand dog psychology. As a community member, I think it's critical to provide a forum for these discussions since they benefit dog owners and the community at large by improving our understanding of canine behavior. My training philosophy is positive, emphasizing on rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, or play. However I fade out treats as quickly as possible because the outcome is that the dog learns to decide from consistent guidance. This approach focuses on teaching dogs what to do instead of punishing unwanted behaviors. The goal is to build a strong bond and trust between the dog and the trainer through a positive learning experience.
My area of expertise is training, testing, and certifying service dogs. Other areas I specialize in include basic obedience, agility, behavior modification/rehabilitation, preparing your dog for the arrival of your human child, selecting the ideal family and service dog, Deaf Dog training, and local workshops and programs. I am supporting families and dog owners. I enjoy training other trainers to become service dog trainers. I have a strong enthusiasm for it that originates from my spirit.