About Me

Hi, I’m Rebecca — the heart, hands, and treat pouch behind Chasing Tails Dog Training.

Woman smiling while holding a black and white puppy on her chest in a living room.

A Husky Dream… and a Labrador Sled Dog

When I wanted a Husky and my parents said no, I didn’t give up — I trained Packer to pull a sled instead. I studied sled dog training, volunteered with a kennel, bought him a custom harness, and turned him into my very own sled dog. He even pulled in our Christmas tree every year.

Packer was my heart dog, and when he passed, it left a hole in my life — but also inspired me to help more dogs and their people experience that kind of bond.

From Passion to Profession

I spent years helping friends and family with their dogs, never thinking it could be a career — until one day, a business contact asked me, “Why aren’t you a dog trainer?” That question led me to start training professionally at PetSmart.

While I loved helping people, I found the large class sizes and lack of one-on-one time frustrating. I wanted to help dogs with real behavior struggles — the “hard cases” — and work closely with owners to make lasting changes.

That journey also led me to work in veterinary medicine, where I learned how health and behavior are deeply connected. My experience bridges the gap between the medical and behavioral sides of dog care, giving me a unique perspective as a trainer.

Today

Now, I focus on training through Chasing Tails while raising my own little human. I’ve worked with everything from brand-new puppies to rescues with a rough past. My philosophy is simple:
Build trust, encourage understanding, and train in a way that sets both ends of the leash up for success.

When I’m not working with clients, you can find me walking with my toddler and my rescue dog, experimenting with enrichment games, or with a cup of coffee in hand, brainstorming our next community dog event.

Every dog I meet reminds me of Packer—full of potential, just waiting for the right mix of patience, fun, and understanding.

My love for training dogs started when I was just ten years old and fell head over heels for a little yellow Labrador puppy named Packer. His fur had a green tint at birth, so I named him after the Green Bay Packers. The problem? He cost $350, and I only had $100 from garage sales and odd jobs.

Determined, I put together a “business proposal” for my parents — outlining how I’d cover food, exercise, and training. They agreed, but with one condition:
Packer had to be well-behaved, or he’d have to go. No barking. No jumping. No digging. No excuses.

That challenge lit a spark in me. My parents signed me up for the 4-H “Happy Paws” dog club, and within our first year at the fair, Packer and I won Grand Champion. The next year, we won Overall Grand Champion.

See what’s on the horizon for you and your pup!

☕ Coffee in One Hand, Leash in the Other

Life’s too short for boring bios—so here are a few random facts about me that don’t usually make it into the training plan.

Because even when I’m not wrangling pups, I’m still chasing adventures (and probably coffee).

🐕‍🦺 Sled-Dog Lab

I taught my Lab to pull a sled.

A happy yellow Labrador Retriever sitting outdoors on rocky terrain with a stick behind it and a grassy patch nearby.

🥾 Hiker

Trails are my happy place.

🏂 Snowboarder

Colorado seasons = best seasons.

Family taking a selfie with a man and woman holding a young girl, in front of a backdrop with Planet Funtime logos.

☕️ Coffee & Cats

Fueled by coffee; cat cuddles welcome. (Bugs? Hard pass.)