Our Team

I started Freak on a Leash in 2015 because I am passionate about positive reinforcement training and teaching people the kindest ways of interacting with their dogs. I am a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). I am also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Family Dog Mediator (https://www.familydogmediation.com/), and Fear Free Certified Professional.

My specialty is treating challenging behaviors like aggression, anxiety, and fear and I am thoroughly educated in treating challenging behaviors safely and kindly. One of my highest priorities is ongoing education. I stay current on the latest science-based methods of training, allowing me to help you get the best results in the shortest amount of time.

Lasting behavior change takes patience and teamwork. Dogs are motivated by many things and we can find reinforcement that works; sometimes we just have to get creative! If crocodiles, dolphins, and wolves can be trained with reinforcement, why use painful devices on your best friend? I want you and your dog to live happily together, and I am confident I can help you reach your training goals.

Certifications:
Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) with IAABC
Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) with CCPDT
Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) with CCPDT
Professional Member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI)
Certified Stunt Dog Judge
Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP)
Pet FirstAid / CPR Certified
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Instructor
AKC TemperamentTest Evaluator (ATT)

Sampling of attended workshops and seminars:

• ClickerExpo
• Dogs with Big Feelings conference
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Michael Shikashio’s Aggression Cases from A-Z
• Aggression in Dogs conferences
  Dr. Tim Lewis – The Biology of Dog Aggression 
• Behavior Bible – School of Canine Science
• L.E.G.S. In Motion conference
• Living and Learning with Animals course

I have been working with dogs for almost three decades. I got my first dog in college and entered the world of training, specifically competition dog sports.

In 2009 I learned about the field of applied behavior analysis through my son who is on the autism spectrum. This sparked a deeper interest in the science of learning and behavior, and a deeper dive into behavior change through the lens of positive reinforcement and rewards-based training. It also initiated my interest in becoming a professional trainer. 

I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through CCPDT and Fear Free Certified. I love helping people and dogs of all ages with everything from beginning foundational skills and socialization to addressing challenging behaviors including fear, anxiety, reactivity and aggression issues. 

I enjoy continuing education in all things behavior modification through conferences and other professional programs targeting behavior issues. I also enjoy volunteering my time with service dogs in training and shelter animals. I currently serve as Team Facilitator and Teaching Assistant for the non-profit Atlas Assistance Dogs 

My training career started with a reactive dog I adopted in 2017. I had to learn tons about behavior modification and reactivity to help him succeed in the world, which started my love of interpreting and identifying behavior. I spent time shadowing a professional trainer and earned my professional dog training certification in 2019 from the respected Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).

Teaching people how to navigate reactivity with kind and humane techniques is what I find most rewarding. It is life-altering not being able to enjoy your dog to the fullest due to reactivity. I also enjoy helping dogs struggling with aggression, fears and phobias, separation anxiety, or other behavior issues.

I live in Smithfield, VA and share my life with a gaggle of misfit bully breed mixes and an Australian Shepherd. Rescue dogs are a big part of my life, and I often share my home with foster dogs from a local bully rescue. I love seeing dogs from hard circumstances relax and learn, and preparing them for their forever homes.

I train and compete with my own dogs in sports like Fast CAT and Barn Hunt. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing a dog follow their natural instincts!

 I have always been passionate about animals, and my journey into the dog training world began with hands-on experience in animal care and behavior modification. With a background as a Veterinary Assistant, I have worked with a wide variety of animals, utilizing low-stress handling techniques to create positive veterinary experiences and ensure the well-being of the pets in my care.

My interest in the science of behavior and training led me to become a Certified Dog Trainer through Animal Behavior College, and I am proud to hold certifications in Fear Free Shelter and Animal Training. I have extensive experience in creating behavior modification plans, helping owners manage challenging behaviors, and instructing group classes.

I have worked with shelter animals, assisting with behavior assessments and implementing behavior plans to help dogs adjust and thrive in new environments. My work with the Virginia Beach SPCA and Jacksonville Humane Society also gave me the opportunity to run community programs, offering free behavior assistance to prevent surrenders.

My focus has always been on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress in pets, whether in the shelter, at home, or in the veterinary clinic. I find great joy in teaching cooperative care techniques, allowing dogs and their owners to work together for a happier, less stressful experience.

Currently, I continue my education in behavior modification and positive reinforcement, always striving to help dogs and their families build strong, lasting relationships.

From a young age, I have held an abiding passion for animals. Our family had a Sealyham Terrier and cat until I was nine, when my first horse and dog joined the mix—a Border Collie/Greyhound mix. My involvement with 4H marked the start of my equestrian and canine sports training journey, which has continued to this day. 

While working at an Arabian horse training facility, I obtained my first Australian Shepherd who soon found success competing in various forms of obedience as well as conformation shows—paving the way for our current trio of Australian Shepherds. We also have a sweet Pomeranian along with two cats.

I have found dog sports to be a great way to connect with my dogs, as well as provide enrichment for them. Aside from sports such as Conformation, Rally, Agility, Herding, and Drafting, we also pursue Dock Diving and dive deep into the world of Scent Work (Nose Work). I enjoy teaching Scent Work since it is such a great sport for confidence and team building. Dogs are simply amazing!

Scent Work & Agility Instructor

Countless trainers embark on their journey with their own dogs, and Brandy’s story is no exception. She started out training her childhood dog, Roy Boy, to do basic obedience and silly tricks like dunking a miniature basketball into a terrier-sized hoop and sneezing when asked if he had a cold. She added agility into the list of fun activities they did together, going on to earn several titles and high-in-trial awards in 4-H, NADAC, and UKC, including the honor of a UKC Agility Championship title, back when mixed breeds, add well as junior handlers, were not always welcome in the sports arena.

Brandy began teaching agility classes as a teenager. She later added two shelties to the mix, Whisper and Angel. While Whisper had an amazing temperament and was an “easy” dog, Angel was a rescue who came with quite a few behavioral issues, one of which was being completely terrified of being out in the world. Through a lot of training and patience, Brandy and Angel went on to earn a NADAC Agility Trial Championship title. Brandy currently lives in Moyock, NC with an intelligent and highly opinionated sheltie named Nox and a fun-loving aussie named Katniss. Nox holds titles in NADAC, AKC, and UKI agility, while Katniss is just starting out in her athletic career.

Brandy also started competing in scentwork a couple of years ago and has earned titles in AKC and UKC with both dogs, along with each dog winning High in Trial for their division. She has started training in flyball, barnhunt, and dock diving as well.

Whether she’s working on sports skills or helping a dog with reactivity issues, she focuses on breaking skills down to make dogs and their owners successful and to keep training fun and effective.

I have been training and competing in dog sports for 16+ years. This type of training has highlighted, for me, the importance of and need for true “teamwork” with your canine partner. We adopted a rough collie, Chesnee, when she was 9 months old, and we quickly learned she wasn’t really interested in people. As much as I wanted us to learn about agility, she just wanted to chase squirrels – and me! We spent the next 4 years doing sheep herding, which helped us develop a working relationship and a deep teamwork bond. After that, I was able to begin training agility with her. That experience taught me that relationship-building is the foundation for any dog sport. It’s also the relationship, not the accomplishments, that keeps the game fun for both you and your partner.

When I started dog agility training, I did not expect to compete; in my mind, it was just a hobby we did in our spare time. It didn’t take long for the agility bug to bite! Chesnee and I did agility for 6 years and earned a combined 16 NADAC Agility Trial Championships (NATCHs), 10 regular NATCHs and 6 Versatility NATCHs. We also earned multiple Hall of Fame awards and the distinction of being the #1 Collie team in NADAC agility for her last 3 years (2015 – 2017). I am now training and trialing with my sheltie, Liv. We are working our way through the Open (intermediate) classes and solidifying our teamwork. I have also trained and competed in herding with my collie and Scent Work with another sheltie.

I retired from my day job 4 years ago as a Management Professor in the business school at ODU, teaching and researching topics related to employee and group development. I “practice what I preach” and apply all the knowledge gleaned about employee motivation to dog training and team development. 😊

My interest in dog training began with my childhood family dog, a Shih Tzu named AJ. I tried recreating training games with him that I had seen on TV. Although he wasn’t a willing participant, I knew this was a field I wanted to explore more, even at a young age.

I began my first job in a boarding kennel, and my first volunteer work at an animal shelter. Through each of these, the most valuable skill I gained was learning to work with the complex personalities of each dog I met.

My interest in dogs expands throughout all of the animal kingdom, so I decided to pursue a degree in biology. In 2025, I will graduate from Old Dominion University with a BS in Biology, where I studied animal behavior, nutrition, and physiology.

With my current dog Rory, a Doberman pinscher mix, I’ve had the opportunity not only at trick training, but also cooperative care and behavior modification for reactivity. The longer I’ve had her, the more we learn about each other and our communication grows. In the field of dog training, there isn’t any area that I don’t want to explore.

Through leading group classes and private training, I want to share the same joy I have with my dog by helping other dog owners. Creating more harmony in the human-dog bond is my top priority. I am excited to continue my journey in dog training and assisting more people and their dogs!