Meet Cori!

Owner & Head Trainer

It all started when I adopted my dog, Blair. I had this picture in my head of the perfect dog, but what I got was a crash course in reactivity, anxiety, and fear. Blair struggled with reactivity to anything that moved on the walks, resource guarding, fighting with other dogs in the house, and even redirecting on me. I worked with several trainers, but progress was slow and honestly pretty discouraging. I felt stuck and unsure what to do next.

Everything changed when I connected with a balanced trainer who helped Blair start making real, meaningful progress. That experience opened my eyes and in order to keep making progress—this wasn’t just about changing Blair’s behavior; I had to grow and learn too. In 2022, I dove headfirst into understanding dog behavior, and I haven’t looked back since.

These days, I’m all about continuing to learn—through hands-on workshops, mentorships, and real-life experience. I especially love working with foster and rescue dogs who come with big feelings and even bigger challenges. A lot of the dogs I work with have been unsuccessful in other foster homes or with other trainers and I am passionate about helping them find success, stability, and a shot at a great life.

Method K9 Level 2 Certified Trainer
Continuing Education & Workshops
7+ Years Fostering & Supporting Rescues
International Association of Canine Professionals
IACP Prong Collar Knowledge Assessed

Because of Blair Team

Rayleigh

Rayleigh girl is a 10 year old American Staffordshire Terrier and certified sweet as pie. She prefers to spend her days sunbathing and is happy to tag along on whatever adventure we go on. She is my go-to helper dog because she is unbothered by her fellow canines which allows me to safely test how foster and training dogs react when around another dog.
Blair

Blair is a 8 year old American Staffordshire Terrier, Boxer, Rhodesian Ridgeback & Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. And if her name doesn’t give it away, she is the reason for it all. She is high energy, intense, and loves to play. Blair has taught me more than any dog I’ve ever worked with and continues to teach me new things each day. Blair is my spicy helper dog who I graduate dogs to when they pass Rayleigh’s test.
Fitz Gerald

Fitz Gerald is a 13 year old Lynx Point Siamese but prefers to be known as King of the House. Fitz is a very confident cat who loves to sit at the top of his cat tree staring down among the far inferior canine species. Fitz helps me proof dogs for cat friendly homes and provides a suitable distraction for dogs with higher prey drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Discovery Call is required before moving forward with services. This is a free 15–30 minute virtual call via Facetime, WhatsApp or Zoom that provides an opportunity for us to review your training questionnaire, answer any questions you may have, and determine whether we’re a good mutual fit before moving forward. The Discovery Call is not a training session, and in-depth training advice or recommendations will not be provided during the call.
We take a balanced approach to dog training. This means we believe in teaching a dog both “yes” and “no” to create clarity for the dog.
With a balanced approach, we teach new behavior with positive reinforcement and reward good choices to increase the frequency of those behaviors while using fair corrections and redirections to decrease unwanted behavior.
The term “balanced” simply reflects the use of all 4 quadrants in operant conditioning. This means we use reinforcement to increase the good behavior while using punishment to decrease the bad behavior. Every dog is different and our goal is to meet the unique needs of each dog. Simply put, we do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach. Together, we will find what works best for you and your dog while building a trusting relationship and maintaining kindness, consistency, and clear communication.
When used correctly, no. Prong collars and e-collars can be incredible communication tools for our dogs to provide clarity and understanding. That being said, not every tool is appropriate for every dog. We consider breed, temperament, sensitivity, confidence, and your training goals with your dog to make recommendations on the most appropriate training tools to use.
Also to note, quality matters! For prong collars, we only use Herm Sprenger and for e-collars, we only use Educator Collars (although Garmin and Dogtra are okay too!)
We do not recommend nor do we use other off-brand prong or e-collars available on amazon or from other pet stores.
Yes we do! Although depending on the severity of the behavior and size of your dog, we may refer you to someone more experienced or equipped to navigate your dog’s behavior needs. We will always be fully transparent in our own limits to support you and your dog on your training journey.
While your dog will have made great progress during their board & train program, it is important to remember that a board & train is not a quick fix. It is an investment.
The work does not stop when a board & train is over, it is just beginning! We do the hard work to lay a strong foundation and then give you the blueprint you need to continue building on that strong foundation. If you do not continue the recommended training, your dog will regress to old behaviors.
Absolutely! We always welcome you to visit us in person so that you can see exactly where your dog will be staying, sleeping, playing, and training.
Yes! We are actively insured through Business Insurers of the Carolinas.