A graduate of the Seneca College Veterinary Technician Program in 2008, Kelly is a current member in good standing of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians as an RVT. From 2007 to 2021, she had been employed in veterinary emergency and critical care medicine. She recently left the field to continue to build The Proper K9. 

 

From a young age, Kelly has had a passion for training dogs. As a child, she began to trick train the family Jack Russell Terrier and, in short order, also started her own dog-walking and dog-sitting business.

 

Although she took a segue into competitive horseback riding for several years, she came back to her passion for dogs, switching over to competitive dog sports in 2014 with her Presa Mallorquin named Kai.

 

Determined to do more than just compete with her own dogs, Kelly founded The Proper K9 in 2015, offering behavioural modification board and train services as well as private obedience and puppy classes. Her training methods focus on engagement and relationship-building between owners and their canines, forming a foundation and relationship based predominantly on positive reinforcement, while keeping the needs and requirements of each individual dog in mind.

 

Teaching clear direction so that the dog understands what is being asked of them, rather than trying to accelerate training to get quick results, Kelly uses structure, repetition, consistency and routine to form the basis of her training techniques.

 

Although The Proper K9 had to take a brief hiatus during Kelly’s two pregnancies starting in 2017, she continued to train and breed her own dogs and, in 2018, began showing conformation competitively with the United Kennel Club. The Proper K9 got back to business in the Summer of 2020.

 

As part of her continued education, Kelly focuses on attending or completing any animal behaviour themed lectures, courses or quizzes. Kelly is constantly  trying to improve her dog training knowledge by surrounding herself with like-minded ethical trainers who practice the same training methodologies and values. 

 

Kelly’s persistence and passion have clearly paid off. Four of her dogs are in a film-work database. Kai, her Ca De Bou was recently in a three-part Netflix series called New York vs The Mafia, and she also appeared in a Nintendo commercial in 2018.

 

But beyond the silver screen, Kelly is also the proud owner of the highest titled Presa Canario in Canada. She has the only trick dog champion Presa Canario and the only Presa Canario to have several titles in all three large kennel club organizations: CKC, AKC, and UKC. Her dogs have titles in conformation, nosework, dock diving, rally obedience, trick dog, lure coursing, and barn hunt. Kelly has plans to continuing building her dogs’ resumes in weight pull and formal obedience.

 

Mother of two young children and currently the owner of five Presa Canarios, and one Presa Mallorquin, Kelly also shares her life on the farm with cattle, rabbits, cats, and her husband Chris.