My Story

In the late '90s, my journey into the world of canine behavior began with my Rottweiler, Barin. His intelligence and loyalty sparked my interest, leading me to dive deep into understanding the intricate world of dog behavior and breeding. I devoted myself to studying pedigrees, genetics, and dog behavior, studying old competition results internationally. This marked the beginning of my journey, a path that led me from a passionate enthusiast to a certified professional.

In 2003, I took the first step in turning my passion into a profession, starting Canine Behavior Solutions. This venture was my first foray into behavior modification and consulting. The challenges I encountered further spurred my thirst for knowledge and honed my skills in handling various dog behavior issues.

4 years later, in 2007, I broadened my reach with the establishment of I Speak Dog. This was an endeavor to address more severe behavioral issues, applying the knowledge I had gained from my studies and experience. This was also during the “Dog Whisperer” days and everyone called me that. My response was always, “I don’t whisper, I speak” – and then it just kind of stuck.

My pursuit of understanding the world of dogs didn't stop there. I ventured into the world of dog breeding in 2006, establishing von der Stark Rottweilers. My approach to breeding was meticulous and deeply researched. I would spend months researching the perfect stud dog to complement my female, considering their genetics, potential faults, and qualities. The process was intensive, involving international semen imports or even personally travelling to Europe for live breeding's. I never bred to anything from American lines. That means even one generation unless it was my bloodline. Every breeding I ever did can be traced all the way back to the 3 Rottweilers from 1911 that were revamped as police dogs. I took this very seriously. The dedication didn't stop at conception, as I ensured the optimal nutrition and conditioning of the female, closely monitored the whelping process, and spent weeks nurturing the newborn pups.

Parallel to my breeding business, I began working on a business plan for a dog resort in 2009. My initial plan was to set up in Atlanta, but a visit to my parents on St. Simons Island in 2010 revealed a lack of quality daycare and training centers in the area. Seeing an opportunity, I moved my operations to the island and established Paws at Play in 2011, providing services such as training, daycare, and boarding. The journey was challenging, but my persistence led to success, and by 2014, I was able to expand to a larger facility and add more services, creating a dog resort called Tailwaggers.

Throughout this journey, my focus remained on offering the best quality services to my clients. Whether it was grooming, boarding, or retail, I always strived for the highest standards. This commitment to quality was reflected in my approach to nutrition. I had fed a B.A.R.F. diet to my dogs for years, balancing the diets of numerous top athlete dogs, each with a unique diet. Plus all of the puppy diets on raw. This expertise in nutrition allowed me to consult with thousands of people, helping resolve issues ranging from allergies to weight problems.

Over the years, I've trained and certified numerous dog trainers, groomed various breeds, handled dogs in international trials and shows, and worked with rescue organizations and shelters. I've received numerous awards and recognitions for my work, but the joy of working with dogs and helping people understand them has always been my greatest reward.

In 2018, I decided to take on a new adventure, moving to California with my faithful companion Bhaji. I started anew, building my reputation from the ground up once again. As I reflect on my journey, I can't help but feel grateful for the experiences, the challenges, and most importantly, the dogs that have been a part of my life.

My experience and what got me here..

"Dynamics"

A banner I designed for my Rottweiler page

2007 - Atlanta, Ga

von der Stark Rottweilers

Translation "of the strong/powerful"

Est. 2003 - current (dormant)

I started this with the goals of breeding healthy dogs who had the most stable temperaments and could work!

Professional Scientific Breeder/Trainer/Handler

Canine Behavior Solutions

Est. 2003-2007 (name change)

I used this as a name for the training side of v.d. Stark Rottweilers. Then I started doing group classes at PetSmart and doing day training at my house. In 2006, I started looking at this as an actual career and no longer a hobby. I started doing dog daycare training out of my house and held classes on my property.

iSpeakDog!

"Some whisper, I Speak"

Est. 2007 (I just consider it 2003)

I came up with the name because of Ceaser Millan "the dog whisperer". People always called me that and I always said..."But I don't whisper.... I just speak" and it kind of just stuck one day.

Paws at Play

Est. 2010-2013

This was my first facility and it was just a 2000sq ft building. Great story behind this!

Island Tailwaggers

"a place where friends meet"

est. 2013 - 2018 (sold)

My original dream. A full service Dog Resort. Long story short...I got tired of doing so much paperwork and managing hourly employees. I also got tired of having to evacuate because of hurricanes all the time. Been there done that....

Experience

Education & Early Career

Self-taught
Studied every USRC Rottweiler Quarterly from 1986 to 2003 and studied pedigrees, show results, and cataloged genetic markers in certain pedigrees for dominant and recessive genes in offspring.
Heard and read critiques on thousands of Rottweilers in person.
True Mentors that gave me countless hours of their time and knowledge.
Studied Psychology, Business, and Law in College
Trained dogs as a hobby during college.
Started Canine Behavior Solutions in Atlanta, Georgia (2003-2007)
Started iSpeakDog! (2007-Current) - I just liked the name better but it was a turning point
Worked at PetSmart as an Area Trainer - Trained the trainers for 7 stores (2007-2009)
Observed 10-90 dogs interacting everyday for 20 years. Observed pack interaction over 30,000 hours in the day care years with every breed you can think of.

Breeding Rottweilers (2006-Present, Currently Inactive)

Officially began von der Stark Rottweilers in 2006, focusing on producing the "Complete Rottweiler."
Extensive research and evaluation in selecting breeding pairs; sometimes involving importing semen or traveling internationally for live breeding.
Breeding pairs had all health clearances (OFA-CHIC) on all dogs, with all dogs having working titles or breed suitability test in addition to championships or multi V1 ratings
Owned 30 adult Rottweilers and co-owned countless others
Have had and raised 112 puppies (survived)
Breeding's only took place if the breeding pair had a good probability of producing better than the parents in all 3 important factors: #1 Health, #2 Temperament/Workability, #3 Structure/Looks
Bred to the German ADRK standard

Daycare/Boarding/Training/Grooming (2009-2017)

Moved to St. Simons Island and started Paws at Play (2011)
Opened Tailwaggers, a dog resort with daycare, boarding, grooming, training, and retail (2014)
Hosted over 11,000 clients at my facilities from 2011 to 2017
Worked 7am to 7pm every day, overseeing and managing the facilities, staff, and dog packs

Achievements & Contributions

Featured in newspapers, magazines, newsletters (international for Rottweilers) for training and facilities
Elegant Island Living - Best Dog Daycare
Main speaker at Art Unleashed, charity event for Humane Society and Glynn County Art - My topic was "The Art of Dog Training"
Helped many rescue organizations, animal shelters, humane societies with staff training and handling troubled cases.
Hosted and oversaw many events
Accredited and certified 42 dog trainers
Trained over 120 people to handle packs of dogs and read body postures in a daycare setting
Given over 2000 injections to dogs
Handled internationally for trials and shows for over 10 years - hundreds of shows received several breeding achievement awards, showing awards, and training rewards.
Handled and Trained around 20,000 dogs through group and private lessons.
Expert witness in court cases involving testimony for behavioral cases in GA, FL, an CA.
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator - since 2006
Member of the United States Rottweiler Club
Member of the American Rottweiler Club
Member of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler-Klub (ADRK)
Professional (5+ years) Member of International Association of Canine Professionals

Nutrition

Fed a B.A.R.F. diet to my dogs before premade versions were available, balancing diets of 8-20 competition dogs at any one time.
One mentor I Ph.D. in Canine Digestion.
Consulted with thousands of people on the subject of nutrition, solving issues often overlooked by veterinarians
Recognize nutrition as a root cause of many behavioral issues
Started all puppies on raw diets and balanced them per puppy.

Move to California (2018-Present)

Moved to Dana Point, California and restarted my business from scratch
Started co-hosting monthly community pack walks with Emily Haley - The Dog Listener in 2019. Regularly have over 150 dog at every walk. Orange County Register did an article on the walk in the Summer of 2022 with 167 dogs present.
Opened a Private membership only dog park on Mothers day 2023 named after my mom Dee. Dee Dog Park.

My Story