My Journey
Hi, I’m Leanne.
I’ve spent over 20 years working in the pet care world, but my path into training didn’t start with a goal to teach dogs obedience.
It started with questions.
I kept seeing the same patterns—dogs struggling in ways that didn’t quite match the solutions being offered. Dogs who “knew” things, but couldn’t follow through. Guardians doing their best, but feeling stuck or disconnected.
So I started digging deeper.
Into behavior.
Into communication.
Into how dogs actually experience the world around them.
What I found changed the way I see training entirely.
It's not just about behavior.
Most training focuses on what a dog is doing. But underneath that is something more important—how they feel, how they process, and how they connect.
Once you understand that, things start to make sense.
The reactivity.
The inconsistency.
The moments where everything seems to fall apart. Not as problems to fix—but as information.
Pluto changed everything.
Around the same time, I adopted Pluto—a young hound mix who was both curious
and cautious about the world.
Traditional training didn’t quite fit what he needed.
And honestly, it didn’t feel right for me either.
So we did things differently.
We slowed down.
We focused on connection.
We worked through the real world instead of trying to control it.
And that experience shaped everything I do now.
Our approach is different.
My work is grounded in understanding the full picture of the dog in front of me—their learning, their environment, their genetics, and their individual tendencies.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but there is a clear path.
At Wild Hearts K9, everything is built around helping dogs and their guardians:
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Create calm, regulated states
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Build clear, consistent communication
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Navigate real life together with confidence
Because lasting change doesn’t come from control. It comes from understanding—and the relationship that grows from it.
What does this mean for you?
You won’t just learn what to do with your dog.
You’ll learn how to read them.
How to support them.
And how to move through the world together in a way that actually works.
Wild Hearts K9 is built on the belief that lasting behavior change comes from the relationship between dog and human—not control or quick fixes. By focusing on nervous system regulation, clear communication, and real-world application, the goal is to help dogs think, stay connected, and move through life with confidence.
It’s a structured path— Regulate → Relate → Real-World
This supports both dog and guardian in building something steady, resilient, and lasting.
Our Philosophy
Education, Certifications, Memberships
