About Cassie

Dogs aren’t bad. But sometimes their behavior really sucks.

I’m Cassie, and I work with dogs who struggle with things like reactivity, fear, aggression, and their people. Most of my clients are exhausted, embarrassed, or feel like they’ve already tried everything. I’ve been there.

My dog, Steamer, became reactive after being attacked at a dog park. I did what most owners do, I signed up for training, followed the advice, and hoped things would get better. But most of what I found didn’t translate to our day-to-day life. The structured classes, didn’t address what was actually happening on walks, around triggers, or in everyday situations. So I started digging deeper.

I was mentored at Oregon Humane Society, where I built a strong foundation in behavior through hands-on work, careful observation, and reinforcement based methods. I learned how to look beyond the basics and understand what was actually driving a dog’s behavior.

From there, I worked as a trainer at Petco, where I saw just how many people were struggling with the same thing I had been. Dogs who were “fine in class” but falling apart outside. I learned how to meet people where they were, break things down in a way that actually made sense, and gave them something they could realistically follow through on.

I then moved into shelter work, helping dogs with serious behavior challenges, dogs with bite histories, dogs who were struggling to cope, and dogs who needed a lot of support before they could even be considered for adoption.

That progression shaped everything about how I train today. A lot of dog training focuses on very basic obedience. Sit and stay are useful, but they don’t solve the problems most people are actually dealing with. Behavior work is different. It’s about helping dogs learn how to handle the world without panicking, exploding, or guarding everything they care about.

My job is to help you understand your dog, figure out what’s actually driving the behavior, and build a realistic plan to change it, one that works in your day-to-day life.

My training approach is rooted in positive reinforcement and behavior science. I focus on teaching dogs what to do rather than punishing them for what they shouldn’t do. That said, training still requires clear boundaries, consistency, and fairness. While I don’t rely on tools, I can guide clients who are interested in options like prong collars or e-collars so they’re used safely and thoughtfully and not as shortcuts, but as part of a bigger plan.

I hold a B.S. in Psychology and a certification from CATCH Canine Trainers Academy. I’m currently pursuing my Master’s in Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare and plan to sit for the Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) exam in September.

I know how overwhelming it can feel when your dog is struggling. I’ve been there. You don’t need a perfect dog. You need a plan that makes sense, support that actually helps, and training that works in real life.