About Us
My name's Kate and I am a trainer currently working within the Vinton, Bedford, Moneta, and greater Roanoke Virginia area. After nearly 20 years away and a variety of careers, I decided to relocate back to the area in 2022 to put down some roots near my family and work on growing my self and my real passion, a life surrounded by dogs! At the time of my move ,I had 2 long term companion dogs, Jimmy and Pepper, who have since passed away, a mostly feral cat and my very young rescue dog Arrow, which is when my real training journey began. Since then we have fostered through local organizations and in 2023 fostered a mother and litter of 11 which grew my family by 1 with Ripley. Arrow and Ripley have now raised a kitten that is more like a dog and turned our feral rescue into a dog tolerant house ruling queen. While Canine Steady is a one person operation, my canine and feline team members are a huge help with our boarders and making everyone feel safe and welcome.
My first year in town, I worked at a large daycare and training facility here in Vinton and gained an immense amount of knowledge from clients and my peers, eventually teaching large group classes with an incredibly talented group of women who I am incredibly grateful to have learned from. After leaving the training facility, I worked at a veterinary office in Roanoke as a kennel attendant and eventually vet assistance and kennel management. These experiences combined helped shape where I wanted to take my career, which brings us to now. I believe working in these environments gives me strong perspective on your dogs needs, health and overall wellness. While Canine Steady does not currently hold any certifications, I am constantly seeking out education materials to broaden my knowledge and I hope I never stop learning!
My goal is to provide pet owners and their dogs with the tools needed to have a healthy, joyful and copacetic relationship. Canine Steady's training approach includes reward driven learning (they earn as they learn), to teach dogs how to make good choices, build confidence and become your best companion. I want to help pet owners have a happy dog at home, and a happy dog while out and about. We ask so much of our animals living in the human world and they only know and understand what we teach them. When you work with me, you're learning right along with your dog. We'll take a fun proactive, consistent approach together to get your dog where they need to be.
I strongly believe in growing community and know that we are all stronger together. If you are a trainer in the local area I'd love to collaborate, combine knowledge and experience. The more we all know, the better for everyone!