Our Awesome Staff

Denise

I love my job!

I am Denise and after many years of owning a business in the retail world of Vancouver it was time for a change. In 2000 I finally got a chocolate lab named Hershey and discovered a new passion, Dog’s, our precious fur babies.

Hersey and I started a small dog walking service in Vancouver and when Hersey passed away in 2013 we were heart broken. We moved to Airdrie in2015 and I was looking into Canine services when I found  Yes Dog!, Off Leash walking at a private acreage with a force free training approach! I contacted them and the timing was right. So here I am almost 4 years later and thankful to work with now a team of like-minded souls doing what we truly love.

In 2016 we were ready to open our hearts to another dog and with the help of some teammates we found our little Presley, at the time, rescued from a life of being a puppy mill mum, she was a very sickly 7 year old Australian Shepherd.  Now, healthy and active she serves as a Yes Dog! Lead Dog. Life doesn’t get any better than this!

Denise is a member of the Alberta Force Free Alliance and is currently completing her First Aid, Dog Walking and Canine Care Professional Diploma

Erin

Hi! My name is Erin, and I am addicted to puppy snuggles. Thankfully there is no shortage of snuggles here. I currently have two dogs of my own, Sabre and Kiwi, who keep me on my toes. The best part of my job is getting to watch my dogs become best friends with your dog.

It is so rewarding to see a new dog enter our pack and learn how to let loose and have fun all while gaining confidence and building
trust with us humans and the other dogs.

This is what eventually led me to go back to school and become a positive approach dog trainer. For more information about our training philosophy and services please visit our Training Page.

When I am not running around with your pups I can
either be found with my nose in a book or out in the mountains hiking and back country camping.

Shyla

I moved to Airdrie after being adopted at the age of seven. I have always had a love for animals especially dogs and I am excited to have the opportunity to be working with them.  

I have a special connection and place in my heart for reactive dogs and I plan on pursuing my passion with Yes, Dog! and becoming a Force Free reactive dog trainer.

I am currently furthering my education with dog behaviour and working on my First Aid, Dog Walking and Canine Care Professional Diploma.  I am a member of the Alberta Force Free Alliance.

Elise

I’m born and raised in Airdrie and I love this vibrant community. I grew up with my beautiful dog buddy who is a border collie. He is what started my love for animals.

I’m very blessed to of had a great dog at my side for most of my childhood and teenage years.

I started with Yes,dog! In March and its been a dream. Who doesn’t want to play with dogs all day?! Working with Yes,Dog! Has been an eye opening experience for me. A force free, positive approach environment is truly the way to go. Seeing a dogs demeanor change just from being patient and having a gentle voice is such a great feeling.

I plan to continue and expand my knowledge on positive approach care and cannot wait to see where these great skills I’ve learnt will lead me.

Jennifer

Hi, I’m Jennifer and I have been blessed to know the love of a dog for the majority of my life. I grew up in Brandon, Manitoba and enjoyed the company of my childhood dog, Marshall Foch, for the first 16 years. I have lived here in Airdrie for 25 years, and during this time found my first rescue dog, Jessie, through Animal Services in Calgary. Jessie was a very active 3 1/2 year old who thrived on lots of daily ball play and walks. I formed a very deep bond with her and she went everywhere with me; traveling to Manitoba and to Vancouver Island. She taught me a lot about unconditional love, her zest for life and the joys of consistency and routine, which was great preparation for having a child. Raising a child with a dog is a wonderful gift. Jessie was almost 17 years when she traveled over the Rainbow Bridge.

I met my current dog Samson from Victoria at Yes, Dog!  My daughter was 10 years old at the time and it was wonderful to welcome a new family member into our lives and home. Sam had just turned 1 year old and his young energy was very healing and a delight to learn from the training techniques of positive approach we gained from Victoria. As Sam continued with pack walks, he and I participated in agility for fun which deepened our bond together as companions, and in August 2019 I became part of the Yes, Dog! team.

Working with like-minded people in a force-free environment is a joy as a dog companion. I am passionate in my connection with dogs and enjoy seeing their playful spirits interact together. 

I am proud to be a member of the Alberta Force Free Alliance and I am expanding my education through Canine Principles with a Canine First Aid Certificate.  I also have a Dog Walking and Canine Care Professional Diploma.

In my spare time, I love to cuddle Sam and take him on nature hikes with my daughter, laugh and have a great time with friends and family. I also serve as the secretary on the Board of Trustees for the Calgary Centre for Spiritual living in Calgary.

Hannah

Hi! My name is Hannah, a lifetime animal lover with a major passion (obsession) for dogs. Currently, I am a full-time student pursuing a Bachelors Degree in criminal justice, and when I’m not in school the rest of my time I spend working at Yes, Dog!, doing what I love most.

I moved to Airdrie from Saskatchewan in 2007 with my family. I always grew up with animals and developed a passion for caring and loving them at a young age. Shortly after my arrival to Airdrie my passion turned into a purpose when I met the love of my life, my German Shepherd rescue, Georgia. Seeing how much love and compassion an abused dog had to give, inspired my passion to connect and understand dogs and their behaviours. Georgia had so much to give and taught me what it’s like to love unconditionally even when faced with fear.  The adoption of Georgia sparked the start of an unbelievable journey, that led me to Yes, Dog! 

The work that I do with Yes, Dog!, reminds me every day you need to be gentle and have patience with animals in order to get positive results. Working with packs since 2016 at Yes, Dog! I hope to continue to learn and expand my knowledge and experience with the furry friends I love. 

Victoria

After a lengthy career with the RCMP I needed a change. I got my first ever dog in October 2012 and what a life-changing moment that was for me. It was love at first sight for me and my rescue Shepard Wally. I didn’t know a thing about training a dog or dog behaviours. All I knew is I loved him and I didn’t want to be “that guy” yelling at their dog in the park, so I started researching different training techniques and quickly became an advocate for positive approach methods. I started my small group walk business simply because I was at the park every day with my sweet Wally, and the more time I spent there the more fascinated I became in dog body language, canine communication and behaviours. Quickly my little pack service was growing so in 2014 we bought an acreage and our private park was open just a few days later.

In 2015 we adopted our second fur kid Anna Banana, a rescue Pitbull/Collie cross and she opened my eyes to the difficulties and misconceptions around reactive dogs and another passion was born.  Anna opened my eyes to the realities of owning a fear-based reactive dog, and I am excited to soon be expanding our service to include more work with reactive dogs.

Now as owner and operator of Yes, Dog!  I am proud to be running a force-free, positive approach group off leash service and incredibly humbled to have such a strong team of like-minded and passionate individuals working with me.