Meet the

TEACHERS

Each of our trainers is highly qualified with years of professional experience. While they all come from various backgrounds within the pet care industry and put their own unique spin on the curriculum, what they have in common is their passion for puppies and dedication to setting them up for long-term success through foundational training.

All of our trainers use positive reinforcement only.

Abby

After training with Puppy Preparatory for over two years, Abby recently accepted a position as our Assistant Principal. She is an excellent teacher, and we are excited for her to make an even greater impact on our students and their families through her new role.

Hi! I’m Abby! I am originally from Winston-Salem, NC and moved to Charlotte in 2018. Dogs have been a lifelong passion of mine and I am so grateful to have a career doing what I love. I have spent over seven years working with dogs of all ages and breeds in various areas of the pet care industry. Aside from working with dogs professionally, I have raised two of my own from 8 weeks old, a golden retriever named Bagel & a german shepherd named Draco. They are now proud to help show students the ropes and assist with socialization.

I started working with Puppy Preparatory in 2021 assisting with training and day-to-day operations. I have now stepped into a new role as assistant principal to not only continue working with the students but to also help ensure puppies and their families have the best possible experience.

Stacey

Stacey has extensive experience raising and training puppies. She specializes in our youngest students and has a true gift for setting puppies up for long-term success from an early age.

Stacey's sidekick, Maggie the goldendoodle, is also an excellent example for our students. Stacey trained her as a service dog, and they volunteer together through Atrium Health.

Hi my name is Stacey! I moved to Charlotte 10 years ago with my family from NYC where I was a volunteer with ASPCA and Wagging Tails Dog Rescue. I have a goldendoodle named Maggie who I personally trained for Good Canine Citizen, Rally 1, and her Therapy Dog International license. Maggie and I volunteer at Atrium Health hospitals in the area and so many have benefitted from our services in memory care, assisted living, hospice care, nursery school, title 1 schools, and personal therapy for a 5 year old girl with leukemia as she fought and won her three-year battle with cancer. Yes! Maggie was there when she rang the bell! Additionally, I have been a whelping foster for South Charlotte Dog Rescue where I have birthed, whelped, fostered, and trained, over 50 healthy, special need, medical case, and even blind puppies! Training these puppies so they could find their forever home and become wonderful additions to a family was incredibly rewarding. I also volunteer as an on-call “doggie doula” and trainer at Project2Heal which donates service dogs to disabled veterans and children with special needs. Suffice to say, I am all about puppies and training! I am so excited to follow this new path to devote my skills, vast experience, and love for puppies by working with Puppy Preparatory to use compassion and positive reinforcement to train more fur babies to be amazing additions to families and be the best they can be!

Leila

Leila is a lifelong animal lover with over nine years of professional pet care experience. Her years of professional and volunteer work with dogs sparked her interest and enthusiasm for training. Her nurturing approach and dedication have helped some of our shyest students come out of their shells and gain confidence. Leila works with many of our small to medium-breed students.

Hey, I’m Leila! I’ve been living in the Queen City since I moved here for college in 2017 but am originally from Fuquay-Varina, NC. I have been a dog lover my entire life and started working with dogs professionally in 2014. Since then, I have learned the ins and outs of puppy training by caring for dogs of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments. In recent years I worked through Rover but am truly passionate about continuing my career by focusing on training & socialization with Puppy Preparatory! I have extra experience administering medication and caring for sick dogs, as my own Maltipoo Boo is partially blind. His disability has taught me even more than I could have previously understood about reading a dog’s behavior and how to cater to their specific needs. Boo and I currently reside in East Charlotte, where we can’t wait to welcome your pup into our happy home!

Judy

Judy and her assistant, Nova (pictured above), love taking on students that are ready to dive into command work and have fun doing it! Her approach to training involves a lot of games and enrichment work and she is excellent at helping students gain confidence and learn what is expected of them in the home environment. Judy most often works with small to medium sized students.

Hello, I am Judy!

Animals have been a lifelong

passion of mine but nothing compares to my love for dogs! As a dog mom to a rescue, I realized how important getting involved was. Before moving to Charlotte, I spent time volunteering with foster puppies in NYC and helped prepare them for their forever homes by working on basic commands and safely socializing them. Working with puppies is incredibly rewarding and I have experienced firsthand the lasting impact early training can make. My goal is to help each student learn what is expected of them and establish a common language while also focusing on confidence building and safe socialization. My dog, Nova, and I are so excited to be working with Puppy Preparatory and can't wait to meet your newest furry family member!

Mike

Mike shares our passion for animal welfare and mission to use foundational training to reduce unwanted behaviors before they strain the relationship between dog and owner. While Mike's experience and expertise have led to outstanding results in all areas of the curriculum, he specializes in leash training and socialization. His students will be ready for an adventure!

Hi, I’m Mike! I moved from the Gulf Coast to the Charlotte area in the fall of 2021. Before moving to Charlotte, I rescued, rehabilitated, and trained dogs for 4 years. Shortly after arriving in NorthCarolina, I opened K9 Adventures, a dog exercise and board and train business. I started K9Adventures to give dogs the best life possible no matter the size, energy level, or personality. I believe every dog is unique and requires customized training that best fits their personality. Puppy Preparatory does an amazing job at accomplishing this goal by matching each puppy to the trainer that best fits their needs.

I believe that this approach training at an early age is one of the best ways to put an end to the need for shelters and I am excited to do everything I can to help support that effort. I look forward to meeting your unique pup and helping them them become the best they can be.

Meredith

Meredith has an impressive background in rescue work and training service dogs, so she has truly seen it all! While she enjoys working with dogs of all ages, she is a strong advocate for the importance of early foundational training to reduce the risk of unwanted and harder-to-solve behavior issues later in life. Meredith works primarily with our medium to large-breed pups.

My name is Meredith and I have lived in the Charlotte area since 1994. I grew up in Potomac, Maryland riding, training and showing horses and always had a dog or two by my side. I became active in the rescue world after graduating college and have rescued, rehabilitated, bottle-fed and fostered at least 300 dogs. I have assisted with community outreach for the past 5 years and in 2019 I started “Project Six”- a company that donates trained shelter dogs for local veterans. I have placed 4 dogs thus far and hope to continue doing this for years to come. Puppy training is one of the best decisions you can make as it sets the dog and you up for success right out of the gates. Watching a puppy learn new skills is one of the greatest joys in my life second only to the happiness a well-behaved puppy brings to a family.

I am grateful to work with Puppy Preparatory and can’t wait to help make your dog a super-star.

Corrisa

Corrisa has been training dogs since 2005 and has experience that extends well beyond basic obedience. Her extensive knowledge and true love for animals are apparent in her approach to working with our students. She is always eager to find what works best for each pup and motivate them to be the best they can be. Corrisa works medium to large breed puppies or small breed pups that are fully grown.

Hi! I'm Corrisa, but I go by Corrie. Since I was young I've always felt a strong bond with animals, and as I grew it turned into a very special interest and passion of mine. Since then I have always found some way to work with animals either professionally or in my personal life. I started as a dog trainer in 2005, where I learned how to do basic and off leash training, as well as working with protection and search and rescue k-9s. Over the years I've trained dogs for friends and family, was a professional dog walker and pet sitter, and owned a variety of pets myself!Most recently I've been focusing my attention on my sweet Luci love. She was found just wondering around two years ago and since then I've been showing her the ropes of how to be a wonderful housemate! I love learning to communicate with each new pup and finding what motivates them. Luci loves food and loves to learn, but her eagerness means she needs lots of patience! Every dog is different and wonderful in their own way, and I love to honor that in our training and day to day life!

Katie

Katie grew up in a family of animal lovers and learned the ropes of training dogs from an early age. She has cared for dogs of nearly every size, breed, and age and while she loves every pup she meets, she primarily works with our medium to large-sized students. While she gets results in every area, her specialty leash training and calm greetings.

Hi, I'm Katie!

I grew up on a farm in High Point, NC and have had dogs my entire life! I recently purchased my first home in Charlotte and share it with my three year old Shiba Inu named Kira. I've cared for dogs of all breeds and sizes and love teaching them new skills! I started working with dogs in college and once I graduated in 2016, I moved to DC and joined Rover where I gained even more dog and puppy experience. I'm happy to be back in Charlotte and can't wait to meet even more puppy faces through Puppy Preparatory!

Emily

Emily began her career as a positive reinforcement trainer in 2018. In addition to her work as a trainer, she also works part-time at a local vets office as she pursues her vet technician license online. Emily also recently became Fear Free Certified! Emily and Ellen are sisters that work together, giving their students the attention, care, and level of training they all deserve.

Hi I’m Emily! I moved with my family to the Charlotte area from Florida in 2014. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside our furry friends since 2018 when I began working at a positive reinforcement boarding/training/daycare facility in Tega Cay, SC. I have been working at a veterinary clinic since 2020 where I have been able to grow my knowledge on animal care and meet all sorts of dogs! Furthering my education is very important me as I have recently become Fear-Free Certified and am currently enrolled in an online program to become a Veterinary Technician. My love for dogs began far before any of this, throughout my childhood that was blessed with the company of many pups. Helping dogs is something my family and I have bonded over and value greatly. I currently have 4 small rescue dogs that fill my life with joy and I can’t wait for your puppy to meet them and become the best of friends. I am so grateful to be working with Puppy Preparatory where I’ll be able to make a positive impact during such a vital part of a dogs life: puppyhood! I cannot wait to meet your fluffy family member!

Ellen

Ellen shares her family's deep love of animals, so much so that she, too, made it her career. Ellen has been working as a positive reinforcement trainer since 2019 and is Fear Free Certified. Ellen lives and works with her sister Emily giving their students an abundance of attention. They primarily work with our small-breed boarding students and are excellent at brushing up on and improving their skills.

Hi, I’m Ellen! I’m originally from Florida but I’m a Carolina girl at heart! Ever since I can remember, I’ve always shared my home with wagging tails and wet noses! Currently, I’m blessed to have 4 small rescue pups, and my dwarf Rabbit named Winnie! From an early age I always knew caring for animals fulfilled me and I decided to make it a vision for my future. In 2019 I began working at a Positive Reinforcement dog daycare and training facility in Fort Mill, SC and fell in love learning about dog behavior! Now I work part-time at The Inn at Baxter Vet here in Tega Cay, SC where I’ve been able to continue learning about Positive Reinforcement training and became Fear Free certified. I’ve had the privilege of being able to work with all kinds of furry friends ranging from all sorts of sizes, ages, and personalities. I love having the honor of being able to impact dog’s lives in a positive way that will last for their whole lifetime! I am currently pursuing a career to become a Veterinary Technician where I aspire to use my love for animals and knowledge of their behavior to help pets be the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves possible! I’m so thrilled and thankful to be a part of Puppy Preparatory, I can’t wait to meet you!

Students are matched with their teacher based on size, age, and training goals. Puppies are paired with classmates of a similar size so they can play and practice socialization safely.

Pet First-Aid & CPR Certified

All of our trainers are Pet First-Aid and CPR Certified

Positive reinforcement Only

We are firm believers in the use of positive reinforcement only. We are strong advocates for this method especially when it comes to working with puppies.

Background Checked

All of Puppy Preparatory's trainers have passed a background check.

Training in the home

All students are kept in the home and treated like family during training. We believe this is the best way to set puppies up for success post-graduation. All of our trainers are committed to this and no puppy is ever left alone overnight.