My Name is Melissa. I have been professionally training dogs for over 20 years. I own Pawsitive Connection Dog Training. I live with 10 dogs of various working and sport breeds (Border collies, Malinios, Whippet, Border Staffie). I am an active competitor of various dog sports like flyball, dock diving, barn hunt, agility, obedience, rally, scent work and Search and Rescue. With my dogs I have various titles and certificates in various sports and different organizations. I am also an active member with our local sheriff's office with search and rescue and K9 unit. Prior to that I was in the military and was in the Air Force for 10 years as an aircraft mechanic.

For the longest time I always wanted to be a veterinarian to be able to help pet owners and pets when they are in need of help. Then I realized they go to school for a very long time and going to school for that very long period of time wasn't my cup of tea. So instead I went to Vet Tech School in Las Vegas. I worked in several veterinarian clinics and was also an emergency tech for a while. That was many many moons ago.

Then I wanted to do something new and that's when I started to train dogs. Dogs are my profession but more important they are my passion. As a pet owner, I understand the stress of an untrained dog can add to the household. I am dedicated to helping other dog owners achieve their personal goals fast and effectively. I enjoy learning about “all things dogs”. I try to keep my knowledge and skills current by attending classes, seminars, workshops and conferences.
I became a pet tech instructor to teach pet owners how to do cpr and first aid to take care of their pets when they need help. To give dog owners the knowledge to properly take off their pets in order to get them to veterinarian clinic.