THE TEAM
MEET ALY
CEO, Trainer, Pack Leader, Dog House Mom, Dog Mom of 4
As a dog owner my whole life, I understand that work, vacation and life in general can sometimes take you away from your beloved pet. That’s why I founded Canine Excellence.
WOOF!
A little bout me: I was raised around animals my whole life and I knew at a young age that a four-year college was neither an option nor a desire, I wanted to work with animals, canines specifically. Shortly after graduating High School, I studied through ABKA earning my certification as a Certified Animal Care Technician while working my first job as a Kennel Tech at Postmore Kennel, Novato CA. (As of 2020, Postmore Kennel is under new ownership by my best friend and is currently undergoing a full renovation from staff, facility grounds, and I have had the pleasure of helping restructure services there as well. Go check them out!) Knowing being a kennel tech was not where I planned to stay, it was the first of many steppingstones into the canine industry. I took the plunge and went for my Pet First Aid / CPR certification, and applied at the Marin Humane Society. While there, I continued my education with intense reading in Canine Psychology and Training earning my first certification for obedience training from Penn Foster College to help me learn how to communicate with fearful strays and owner surrendered canines to help better their chances of finding new homes. I love it so much that I then enrolled myself in a small trade school, Animal Behavior College, for hands on experience earning my second and third certifications in Canine Obedience and Behavior Modification training, and canine nutrition. Sadly, I felt like I was still not where I was meant to be.
I quickly realized I had a stronger passion for the canine world and I wanted to do more for the dogs left behind, looked over, and euthanized due to their temperament and behavior faults and I was limited at the shelter as to how much I could offer.
In 2010 I was hired by a local training, dog walking and pet sitting company. It was then I realized I had found my true calling. Here I was able to work alone with different packs of dogs and really put all my training to work beginning with restructuring how the company ran their pack walk services. I created a structured training pack walk which resulted in a more balanced family dog for our clients. It was a HUGE hit with the locals who struggled with their rambunctious high energy dogs, where a simple walk was not enough of an outlet for them. Being a popular service with other companies around the world, but not yet a recognized service in our area, it was long over due for the North Bay to have a pack training service. About one and a half years later, this new found passion brought Petaluma and Northern Marin County, Canine Excellence and our ever so popular, Pack Walk & Train Program, where you can not find it in many other up and coming business around the area.
Loyal, loving, personalized canine care, when you need it.
Let us enhance the excellence of your excellent canine and bring peace and balance to your canine family.
My promise to you: Make every pet owner a happy owner, and every dog a more happy and healthy dog.
Lizz
Pack Leader, Dog Mom
Hi, I’m Lizz! I grew up on acreage in southern California with all of the animals, I mean ALL! We rescued absolutely everything under the sun, including horses, cats, birds, and, of course, a nice healthy pack of dogs. I came up to Sonoma County in 2008 to attend Sonoma State University and lasted about 6 months without a dog. I couldn’t help but adopt a small melting pot of a mutt whom I’ve had ever since. Eleven years later and I’m the proud owner of now 2 dogs, 3 accidental cats, a horse, and a Russian tortoise. Not to mention, I also have a 5-year-old son who is responsible for about half of the aforementioned full house. He is definitely his mother’s son.
I kind of fell into the dog walking industry… After college, I had intended on going further and getting my teaching credential, but life happened. I have since worked at a horse ranch and taught horseback riding lessons for kiddos, as well as done pet sitting for all kinds of animals. I took small steps to work towards teaching and got my substitute permit but after only one short week of substitute teaching, I found myself job searching online because, oh my goodness, substitute teaching is rough! I came across Canine Excellence and applied immediately. I couldn’t be happier that I did.
I had no idea that I could turn my experience with training and working with animals into a job that would twist my experience into pack training and get me outside surrounded by wonderful dogs every day—definitely not a bad way to spend the work week! I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this wonderful dog walking crew.
