Meet Penny
My journey into dog training began in 1995, when I adopted Jordan, a spirited two-year-old Labrador from Golden Gate Lab Rescue in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jordan quickly became my constant companion. He was a star student in class, but at home, he barked fiercely at anyone who came to the door. I was frustrated, confused—and, honestly, embarrassed. I needed help.
At the time, many training approaches didn’t feel right to me, especially those that weren’t kind or respectful to Jordan. So I started researching alternatives. I discovered trainers around the world who approached dogs with empathy and curiosity—people who prioritized building trust, honoring the dog’s needs, and working with their individual personality instead of trying to overpower it.
That shift changed everything. I began to understand Jordan in a new way, and it wasn’t long before I caught the dog training bug. Within a few years, I became certified in Canine Communication, and I haven’t looked back since.
I started out helping friends and family with their dogs while gaining hands-on experience by volunteering at the Marin Humane Society. From there, All About Canines was born.
To this day, I continue my education through professional conferences, live and recorded webinars, and collaborations with dog professionals across the globe—people dedicated to positive, holistic training practices. Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of dogs and their people, from all backgrounds and with all kinds of behavioral challenges. Each one has been unique. Each one has taught me something.
At the heart of my work is this: the welfare of the individual dog always comes first. I don’t just look at symptoms—I ask why? I draw from a variety of modalities and stay current with peer-reviewed research to offer compassionate, evidence-based support that meets your dog where they are.
When I’m not training, reading about training, or taking a class, you’ll likely find me at a Sniffspot with my dog, Hope—a joyful, three-year-old “career change” black Lab from Guide Dogs. Or, I might be in the kitchen cooking, or curled up with a movie (especially if there’s a dog in it).
