Meet the Trainer
Treebark and you.
Hi! I'm Helle (hell-uh) and I love dogs. That's why I want to help you have the best relationship with your dog. I've been working with animals since I was a kid - begging my friends to let me "train" their dogs on made-up agility courses in the backyard, to running my own pet-sitting business in high school, and working in equine and small livestock rescue. As an adult, I've worked professionally in kennel settings and as a trainer.
I pride myself on my knowledge of training theory and application. I approach each situation individually and use scientifically backed methods to train your dogs - and you!
-Pet CPR & First Aid Certified-
Meet the Treebark Dogs:
Freyja - The one who started it all
Every dog trainer has a dog (or dogs) that changed their lives. This is mine.
Freyja was the first dog I acquired after moving out of home and she's been with me since 2012. I thought I was getting a nice, well-behaved, lab & pointer mix. Boy, was I in for a surprise. Instead of a sweet puppy, I brought home a shark with paws. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Freyja came to me with resource guarding, leash reactivity, dog aggression, separation anxiety, and bad hips to boot, I knew that if we were going to have any sort of peaceful life together, I needed to change my training and learn to adapt my life to her.
7 years later, she is my heart and soul. Most of what I know about training started with her. While she still has quirks, Freyja is a happy, healthy, and well-trained dog. We still train regularly and has earned several titles in obedience.
Meet the Treebark Dogs:
B-Bert - 50% cattle dog. 50% mutt. 100% love
B-Bert is as unique as his name. Born from a family oops litter, all puppies received placeholder names A-E plus Bert in honor of mom, Q-Bert. B, obviously, kept his name. Originally a family dog, B has been with us since 2015.
B is one of the sweetest souls. He has added so much love to our home. Although he is a chill dog, his wild side comes out on occasion. At 11, he can still be found wrestling with Freyja, ripping through the backyard, and masterfully herding squirrels.
B has his Canine Good Citizen, Canine Good Citizen Advanced, and Canine Good Citizen Urban. He is working on a Therapy Dog certification and often assists me with training other dogs.