What My Clients Say

  • Korean K9 Rescue

    “Devi has been training our trauma dogs from Korea for over 3 years now and not only is she skilled and one of the best trainers in her profession, her ability to connect with the dog and adopter makes her stand out and shine in a city where so many trainers just want to take clients’ money with no results. Devi is communicative, responsive and kind. Her knowledge of shaping behaviors, bringing out play and dog psychology has proven results. Thank you Devi for your commitment to helping dogs and their humans!

    Gina Boehler

    Director at KK9R”

    (Pictured with Nora Lum/Awkwafina & Gina Boehler)

  • Miso

    "Devi was so kind and patient with my *extremely* reactive rescue dog. My pup was a shelter dog who came from Kentucky straight to a busy area of Brooklyn, and it was extremely overwhelming for her (and me). Devi taught me a ton of management skills to make walking around the city less stressful for me and Miso, and she taught me so much about dog behavior and body language. We’ve since moved out of the city, but the foundations Devi helped us set made Miso into the happy, confident, agility dog she is today.”

  • Kefla

    “Anyone looking for a dog trainer should definitely reach out to Devi. We had her as a trainer for our rescue pup, Kefla, who we adopted at 6 years old and was very fearful and unmotivated. Devi helped us learn how to communicate with Kefla and build her confidence. I had experience with rescue dogs but with Devi’s help we were able to understand Kefla even better. She’s a completely different dog now and it’s thanks to the foundation Devi helped us build with her. Devi was always understanding, polite, calm and excited to work with us. Thanks so much for everything, Devi!”

  • Maggie

    “Devi is the best dog trainer we've worked with hands down. Her training straight up works. She has an incredible wealth of knowledge, she teaches concepts clearly, she's empathetic, and she's a blast to train with. And she gives you follow up resources to review post-lesson. Our dog is obsessed with her. We've seen big time improvements since training with Devi and recommend her to anyone / everyone.”

  • Louie

    “Devi is kind, patient, and really took the time to get to know our little guy (who’s not food motivated) and provide us with training tips that works for him. He was a very nervous rescue and has made so much progress with us under Devi’s guidance! He is a happy pup and we couldn’t have done it without Devi.”

  • Gracie

    “Devi is so easy to work with. Our Rottie, Gracie, liked her immediately! Devi is very calm in her training and sends lots of great notes to keep for ongoing reference, as a reminder for working with our Gracie. I would highly recommend her!”

About me

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I don’t think there was ever a time in which I wasn’t obsessed with animals. I used to drive my mother mad bringing home random new friends that were abandoned, injured, or just followed me home. I was convinced that I was going to grow up to become a zoologist and I held onto that dream from kindergarten all the way up until my high school graduation in 2002.

I started volunteering at a local zoo just outside of my hometown near Philadelphia. It was a small zoo, full of misfit animals, mostly injured or given up by people who took home an exotic pet, only to realize it was still very much wild. I wanted to see what it was like working with exotic animals and I didn’t expect that I would become so intrigued and so attached to the wolves under our care, particularly Aurora, a 17 year old white wolf and the matriarch of the small pack. I learned about how wolves communicated with each other and how dogs evolved to connect with humans. The differences in between survival relying being close to humans or staying very much away from them was so fascinating to me. It created such a difference in the way you built a relationship with each creature.

Training with my own dogs was my transition from canis lupus to canis lupus familiaris. I started volunteering with local shelters and obedience training clubs, mentored under seasoned trainers, attended seminars and conferences, all while learning more about my relationship with my own dogs. By 2012, I had turned my love of teaching both dogs and owners into a full-time career. I officially became certified with the CCPDT and I never looked back.

A Philly native, I have experienced San Diego, then Indianapolis, to NYC, and now have found my way back to Indianapolis. I currently reside in Meridian Kessler, Indianapolis with my partner Seth, my Rottweiler (and retired service dog) Tyrael, our senior cat Teamo, and my Golden Retriever (and service dog in training) Newt. Outside of working with dogs and being a steadfast dog breed nerd, I am obsessed with plants and I am a fresh water aquarium hobbyist, having a 55 gallon betta sorority (tank of female bettas). Of course the dynamics of their social hierarchies would be intriguing to me! Feel free to talk my ear off about any of these subjects because I will never get sick of talking about any of them!

Now that you know a bit more about me, I would love to get to know you and your dog!

My Approach To Training

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Learning the challenges to city-living for dog owners

I’ve lived and trained in 4 different states, but my time in NYC really put my skills to the test. NYC dogs live in a world of constant stimuli. For behavior cases, they are often consistently over threshold, which creates a challenge for many dog owners. My time there has really taught me to become creative with my training techniques and find ways to create an environment that is suitable for learning for both dogs and owners.

What to expect with my training - More than just “sit, stay, come!”

Teaching dogs obedience cues is important, but it is far more crucial to teach them life skills that will make them become better companions. They may know how to give paw or roll over, but are they able to settle by your feet while you sit down to watch a movie? They know to go to their bed, but do they know what to do if your baby crawls into their space?

I use science-based training techniques that are tailored to you and your dog’s learning style. I follow LIMA (Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive), which means I will choose a route that will be the least stressful for your dog in order to work towards our training goals. Training should be fun, engaging, and educational! With a strong background in client relations and accredited training in interpersonal communications, I aim to create a safe space for both dogs and owners.

No one should feel intimidated about training their dogs and no dog should feel intimidated by their handler. Training can be frustrating at times and that’s okay to feel that way. That is why I’m here to help you! Setting rules and boundaries doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice our relationship with our dogs. It’s about bridging the communication gap and building trust. The first step in improving communication is to listen. I am here to listen to you and teach you how to listen to your dog.

For more information on my training techniques, see the FAQ page.

Meet My Helper dogs

Tyrael

Tyrael (named after an archangel from the videogame Diablo) is my senior Rottweiler that was trained to be my psychiatric and mobility service dog. He assisted me with my PTSD, fibromyalgia, and sleep disorder. Don’t let his intimidating appearance fool you, he certainly doesn’t live up to his breed’s reputation and is a big goof! Unlike many rotties in the US, he still has his tail and will helicopter it when he’s happy! He is officially retired from service work and now helps me with virtual and occasionally in-person lessons. He loves to work and him and I have dabbled in dog sports, such as agility and flyball, and he was a big fan of dog parkour. Now that he is older, he just prefers to nap and get lots of love and attention. He has a signature move of lean and sit on your foot, melt, flop, then giving you his belly. Don’t make eye contact with him or he’ll think you’re asking to be his next best friend!

Newt

Newt (named after Newt Scamander of the Fantastic Beasts series) is a golden retriever that was selected to be Tyrael’s successor as a service dog. However, after showing me he was completely capable of handling the position, he told me it just wasn’t the job for him and I listened. He has had a career change and also assists in virtual and in-person lessons and has proven to be a great helper for fearful dogs. He is too smart for his own good, has shown a real drive for scent work, and has already participated in a professional photoshoot in NYC for Gray Malin. He’s quite handsome and he absolutely knows it!