MEET THE PACK

I always teach as a unit and that’s one of the biggest differences between me and most other trainers. My teaching dogs come with me to every lesson and every class. They don’t just demonstrate what’s possible; they actively help teach you and your dog through their presence, their body language, and their example.

This page is a chance to meet me, my current working dogs, and a few of the unforgettable animals from my past who shaped the trainer and person I’ve become. Welcome to my pack.

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MEET JAYE

Hi, I'm Jaye :)

I absolutely love working with animals and their people. My first job when I was 11 was helping run a horseback riding summer camp for kids even younger than me! Since then, some of the most meaningful work I’ve ever done has been with service dogs and their people. That work eventually led me to pursue my Master of Clinical Social Work degree at Boston University, and I now work full-time as a (human!) psychotherapist.

But I can’t help it…the human-animal bond is just so incredible that I could never give up dog training for good. So, I still run WWAGD and teach for the joy of it. My personal research interests in the realm of dogs center around how the psychological theory of attachment may (I believe) be the mechanism through which many animal assisted interventions actually work. PhD thesis coming; stay tuned.

In my free time, you can usually find me in a hammock reading a fantasy novel (Mercedes Lackey, anyone?), throwing pots on the wheel in my basement studio (yes, there's a kiln too), or tending to my ever-growing edible garden.

MEET MY DOGS

A RECIPE THAT WORKS:
TEAM DOGGO

My two working dogs, Kerbal and Evie, go just about everywhere with me. They're not only my co-pilots in life, but also my assistant teachers, always ready to demonstrate skills, work with a student, or model what trust and teamwork can look like between a dog and their person.

They’re not just my proof of concept:

they're my daily inspiration, and they remind me that good training is as much about relationship and way of being it is about mechanics.

CEO (Corgi Executive Officer)

Kerbal

WhiteRaven Man On The Moon CGCA TKI

Kerbal is a 12-year-old Cardigan Welsh Corgi who has truly been there, done that. He’s hiked mountains, camped under the stars, kayaked, braved subway systems, strolled through big cities, flown on airplanes, and even lived with me in Italy for a while. Years ago, he worked in public as my service dog, performing trained tasks that supported me through some of the hardest chapters of my life.

Kerbal’s favorite kind of training is “literally anything." He’s one of those diehard BALL IS LIFE dogs, focused and committed when there’s work to be done.

These days, Kerbal is semi-retired. He mostly holds things down at home, keeping watch with his signature gravitas. But you might still spot him in the occasional lesson, offering wisdom and wags. He’s my soul-dog, my thesis in fur form, and my boy.

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COO (Chief Of Om-noms)

EVIE

Collinswood Evolution of Fawkes CGC TKN

Evie is a 3-year-old Australian Shepherd who loves to work hard and play even harder. She’s sharp, observant, and endlessly intuitive, with a natural gift for reading other dogs. Whether it’s time to sniff, play bow, or give space, Evie knows just what to do, making her an invaluable partner in classes and lessons. Evie's specialty is helping me with angry dogs: she simply never takes it personally.

Like Kerbal, she’s been everywhere (even Italy!) and she’s a beautiful example of what it looks like to raise and train a dog with clarity and mutual trust. These days, Evie is all about swimming, and we’ve recently started Dock Diving: a sport where dogs launch themselves off a dock into the water in joyful pursuit of their prize. (For Evie, it’s always The Stick.) Evie is my heart-dog; her sweet smile and her love of life brings the sun wherever she goes.

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MY OTHER TEACHERS

Here are just some of the other amazing creatures I’ve shared my life with and who have each taught me unforgettable lessons…

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MANGO

Mango, a maroon-bellied conure, was my first buddy after graduating college because I lived in a city apartment where dogs weren’t allowed. Mango loved to train and learn, and using similar techniques to how I work with dogs, his library of tricks was always growing! He could show his big wings shake your hand with a foot, target with his beak, and do flips (his favorite)––all on command.

You’ll notice that Mango looks a little raggedy around the edges. Unfortunately, he picked up a virus at a very young age that cause malformed feathers and various health issues for the rest of his life. To help, I made him fresh meals from human food every day, supplemented his diet with a specialized bird kibble, and made him little sweaters out of baby socks. Mango loved to snuggle (really!) and do tricks for as long as we were together.

Mango taught me...

If you understand behavior, you can bridge any communication gap––even with a totally different species! As a flocking bird, he saw the world in a totally different way than you or I do as social mammals. Our foundation was our bond.

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CHICKADEE

When I first met Chickadee, she was a wild thing. Chickadee was a street dog in Puerto Rico when she was trapped by an American rescue organization and adopted out to a US family that was struggling to handle her. Things were getting better after starting classes with me, but not quickly enough, and not long after they decided they would need to surrender her back to the shelter. Chickadee was so sweet and misunderstood that I couldn’t just stand by, so I took her on. She started out with a history of biting humans and a severe terror about crates, but after just a month or two she was a star assistant teacher in my training classes and best friends with my roommate’s cat. Chickadee then found her forever family and was adopted by a couple with two older children who fell in love her.

Chickadee taught me...

Any dog, no matter how they started out in life, can reach their potential if you just know how to answer their questions. Chickadee was afraid and confused, and she needed someone calm and confident to help her feel safe in the world. Once I worked with her in a way that she understood, the sky was the limit!

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SOUP & CRACKERS

– and panda, too!

I was raised by a pair of Rottweilers, Soup and Crackers, who I clearly named myself. These two lovable knuckleheads were the original nanny dogs: gentle, watchful, and endlessly patient. They kept a close eye on me as I toddled around the house, always ready with a big head nuzzle or a reassuring lick. It’s no wonder I feel so comfortable working with large breeds: my earliest memories include dogs who could fit my whole head in their mouths and still be the sweetest companions around.

Panda was a little black-and-white Shih Tzu and my constant childhood companion. I’d lure him with cookies to perform little tricks, completely captivated by how much he could learn and how much fun we could have together. He loved water and would try to jump into the bath with me every chance he got. True to his breed, he was a total snuggle bug, happiest curled up in a lap or stealing all the attention in the room. Panda was the first dog who taught me that tiny dogs can have giant personalities, and that even a child can start to build a bond rooted in trust, curiosity, and joy.

…To the countless dogs who have been a part of my life through teaching and all of my dog jobs: May your walks be long, may your bellies be scratched, and may the hot dogs always flow freely.

…To all of the creatures big and small––furry, hairy, scaly, and smooth––who have made me who I am. To Frosty, Monroe, Ebony, Kodi, and more. You taught me everything.

MEET THE PACK

Hi, I'm Jaye :)

A RECIPE THAT WORKS: TEAM DOGGO

MY OTHER TEACHERS

WOW!

A RECIPE THAT WORKS:
TEAM DOGGO