Meet Shauna

If someone would have told me 12 years ago that I would very soon leave my 15-year corporate career in the legal field as a senior paralegal and office manager and take on something unique that would be even more challenging and more fulfilling, my interest would have been surely piqued. As a paralegal, I was charged with thinking and analyzing complex issues accurately and efficiently in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment. I relied heavily on my critical thinking skills, and my ability to think outside of the box in order to problem-solve and meet the expectations of my superiors and our clients. I loved my job, but I craved something different.

I had a dog of my own as a child, and I had loved dogs since I can remember. But, it wasn’t until Sydnie, my female Belgian Malinois came into my life that I quickly realized my incredible passion for dog training. I fell in love with the art and the science of dog training – I simply could not get enough. I made a commitment to myself and decided that I was going to take a leap; a big leap. Leaving behind my paralegal hat was pretty scary, but I was ready. I was excited at the awakening of this new passion in me; a passion that changed my life in countless ways, and in many ways for the better.

My dog training education is multi-faceted. I was personally mentored by one of Sacramento’s most widely known and well-respected dog trainers. Simultaneously, I held an office position as Club Secretary for the Sacramento area’s then-largest French Ring Sport dog training club where Sydnie and I trained and competed for over four years. I am also fortunate to have been taught and guided by other highly-regarded and nationally recognized trainers, covering various aspects of dog training, including: obedience training (basic to highly advanced); dog sport competition handling (obedience, agility, bitework); combatting undesirable behavioral issues (including aggression, reactivity, sensitivity, resource guarding, etc.); and, canine protection sport training and competition. I believe that my background and experience as a paralegal strengthen my ableness as a dog trainer, both with respect to my ability to coach humans and my knack for problem-solving with dogs.

One of my objectives as a dog trainer is to help facilitate a better and stronger relationship between you and your dog through training. No matter what training program you choose, I want to work toward helping your dog be the best version of himself. I am a balanced trainer. I use a positive, reward-based training method, combined with appropriately-suited and well-timed guidance when undesirable behaviors are exhibited. In using this method, we are teaching our dogs that making better choices can bring them very pleasant results! This multi-faceted method has been proven to elicit the best and most reliable results from our canine companions.

As for the name Green Valley – it has been with me since birth and has a significant meaning to me. Much like my awakened passion for dog training, sometimes, the best things in life happen unexpectedly.