Hello!

I'm Val! The owner and lady boss of Venture Doggie LLC, and before I became a trainer, I was a dog owner just like you—doing everything I could to give my cattle dog the best life possible. So trust me when I say, I get the struggle. My dog Lewen is the reason I’m here. His past aggression and reactivity lit a fire in me that changed the course of my life. I had planned to become a Veterinarian, but Lewen had other plans for me.

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Animals have always been my world. I’ve worked in vet clinics, shelters, kennels, farms, and ranches—basically anywhere I could be around dogs or horses. So chances are, I’ve met a dog a lot like yours before.

I’m also wildly obsessed with learning (seriously, it’s a problem... in the best way). I devour everything I can about dog and horse psychology and training—from studying with top clinicians, to reading every book I can get my hands on, to signing up for every online course I can find. That means when you work with me, you’re getting the most up-to-date, well-rounded support out there—plus a whole lot of enthusiasm. I can't help it—I love what I do!

 

When I'm not training you'll find me hiking with my dog, riding my horses, or just being with them. Training and time with animals is what keeps me sane, it's my meditation, my zen, and my life's purpose and I feel so grateful to share this passion with others. I am incredibly dedicated to developing a deep connection and partnership with all the animals I work with. Over the years I have found that the real lessons are in what animals have to teach us about ourselves, not what we have to teach them!

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I really do see all the animals I works with as divine guides in my life. They’ve taught me so much—about presence, patience, and connection—and I’m constantly in awe of how wise they are. And that goes for my human clients too! I genuinely love learning from you, cheering you on, and helping you feel more confident in both yourself and your dog.

It’s an honor to do this work, and I’m so grateful to be a part of your journey.

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RELEVANT EDUCATION

• Julie Blanding TWC trainer Drive & Motivation Play Based Training workshops & lessons

• Rhonda Bilodeau's year long dog trainers program, My Dog Camp program, and continued apprenticeship

• Mark McCabe's Training Between the Ears System 

• Service Dog Training with Victoria Warfel

• Zero to CD Obedience with Hannah Brannigan

• Obedience and Behavior training courses through Michael Ellis & Ivan Balabanov

• Play is the Way with Jay Jack

• Training Workshops with Linn Boyke

• Positive reinforcement for horses with Madison Shambaugh (Mustang Maddy)

• Horse Training with Stacy Westfall

• Horse Training with Feather Light Academy with Yvet Blokesch

• Horse Training with Amelia Newcomb Dressage

• Weekly Riding and Horse Training Lessons with Jamie Leo & Chelsea Cannedy 

• Bi-weekly lessons in The Academic Art of Riding with Bettina Biolik

B.S Environmental Biology SUNY-ESF

M.S Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology University of Innsbruck Austria 

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