Alyssa embarked on her journey with dogs when her parents gifted her a puppy for graduating high school. Although her family always had canine companions, this one was special—it was her dog, and her responsibility alone. She had the choice of going away to attend college or stay local and raise a dog. She naturally opted for the dog! Chase was an Australian Shepherd, and her heart dog, who became the first dog she truly dedicated herself to training.

 

During her college years, Alyssa spent over five years working at PetSmart, where she did dog training and grooming. Chase served as her demo dog for obedience training and also assisted in teaching grooming students. Together, they participated in agility and obedience rally until Chase had an unfortunate CCL tear. Determined to help him recover, Alyssa immersed herself in rehabilitation and physical therapy programs, acquiring a wealth of knowledge about dog strengthening and conditioning exercises in the process.

​

Alyssa has her bachelors in biology and psychology as well as other medical related certificates and currently works in the healthcare field, but she always knew she would return to the dog world at some point again. In the spring of 2024, she welcomed Finn, her new Australian Shepherd, into her life and enrolled him in classes at Puppy-Wuppy. The urge to dive back into training intensified, leading her to shadow and learn from us and go on to teach classes herself. 

​

As Finn matures, Alyssa hopes to compete with him in obedience and agility, exploring various dog sports along the way. She cherishes the bond and teamwork that can flourish between owner and their canine companions.