Meet Your Trainer

Hey, I'm Traci.

Dog trainer. Canine neuroscience nerd. Always digging deeper into why dogs do what they do.

Traci, dog trainer at Valiant Canine Training

I'm a Michigan native, a Coast Guard spouse, and a dog person to my core. But more than anything, I'm someone who genuinely believes that understanding your dog changes everything.

Let's start with Piper.

I did not get into dog training because I had a perfect dog. I got into dog training because I had a dog I was struggling with.

Piper was the dog who started all of this for me. I loved her deeply, but I was struggling to understand her behavior and find the right answers. I worked with multiple trainers, tried different approaches, and still felt like I was missing something.

And, if I'm being completely honest, that experience was frustrating. I loved my dog. I wanted to help her. But I didn't always understand why she was doing what she was doing or what I was supposed to do about it.

So I started learning. And then I became completely obsessed.

I know what it feels like to be that owner. And I know that training is about a whole lot more than teaching a dog a list of commands.

I wanted to understand the why.

My journey in dog training began in 2017 while living in the Florida Keys. I started by working with dogs in a variety of capacities and began my formal education through The Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers.

I spent years continuing my education, learning from trainers across the country, and gaining hands-on experience with a wide variety of dogs.

Eventually, that journey took me to Mobile, Alabama, where I had the opportunity to work with Grunt Style Canine Training under Steven Joshua Wood. That experience was incredibly influential in my development as a trainer.

Grunt Style specializes in behavioral modification, and working with dogs with serious behavioral challenges gave me the opportunity to grow in ways that simply reading about dog training never could. I got to work with real dogs, real behavior, and real owners who were often struggling with some of the most difficult parts of living with their dogs. That experience shaped the kind of trainer I wanted to become.

And then I became completely fascinated by the science behind it.

I have a particular interest in canine neuroscience and how dogs learn, adapt, and process the world around them.

Basically, I am the person who can very easily turn a casual conversation about your dog into me excitedly talking about learning theory and behavior for an hour. Sorry in advance.

But here's what I really care about.

I care about the relationship between dogs and their people.

I care about the owner who is embarrassed to have people over because of their dog. The owner who dreads going for a walk. The owner who feels like they have tried everything. The owner who loves their dog deeply but is also exhausted, frustrated, or honestly a little overwhelmed.

I know what it feels like to be that owner. And I know that training is about a whole lot more than teaching a dog a list of commands.

I work with the dog in front of me.

Every dog learns differently. A confident, social puppy is not the same as a fearful dog. A dog that is reacting out of uncertainty is not the same as a dog that is simply a little too enthusiastic. And a dog that is struggling with behavior often needs more than someone showing up once a week and telling you to be more consistent.

I spend a lot of time watching dogs. I want to understand what is happening, what is motivating the behavior, and where we can start making changes. Then I teach the owner how to be part of that process.

Because your dog is going home with you. And my job is not to create a dog that only listens to me. My job is to help you and your dog understand each other a little better.

I would love to hear about your dog.