Our Instructors
Kristie Swan, BAA, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
Kristie was the first trainer in Grand Rapids to be certified through CCPDT. The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers has become the most recognized and respected certifying organization for trainers. She is also a Certified Training Partner with the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy. Kristie is also an evaluator for AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog. Through fostering rescued dogs and raising puppies she has gained insight and experience. Dedicated to pursuing the knowledge and skills needed to help dogs and owners live happy lives together, Kristie continues to expand and update her education. Kristie has over fifteen years of experience and trained at Whiskers University for 7 years before starting A Dog's Life.
Kristie shares her life with her husband and young dogs Selkie and Pasha, Silken Windhound Mixes.
Nikki Koning, KPA CTP, FPPE
Nikki got her start teaching basic obedience classes at Petco. Soon after, she began fostering dogs for a local rescue and found great joy in helping her fosters find their forever homes. This led to her learning more about canine behavior and positive training techniques. As a mother Nikki is aware of the challenges that can arise when raising children with dogs, so she became a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, along with being a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, and now specializes in dog and baby/toddler dynamics and raising the next Dog Aware™ generations.
Nikki is owned by four dogs: Nelly, a shepherd mix from Lebanon; Sherman, a Rat Terrier mix; Bruno, a Pitbull mix; and Marshall, a doodle mix. Nikki also shares her life with her husband and three young children, and a handful of other animals including cats and parrots.
Rachael VanDyke, LVT, KPA-CPT, Fear Free Certified
Rachael graduated from Baker College in 2011 with her degree in veterinary technology. She works in small animal practice with a focus on reactive wellness care, pain management and behavior concerns. She is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and a Fear Free certified trainer. Her area of interests are cooperative veterinary care training, group dog training classes and feline behavior and enrichment.
Rachael volunteers and fosters through a local animal rescue and spends her remaining free time with her family and pets.
Amy Townsend, LVT, LMT
Amy is a licensed veterinary technician and manual therapist who has loved training animals since elementary school. Her veterinary nursing career spanned spay & neuter clinics, shelter medicine, emergency/ICU nursing, and day practice before she found her niches in behavioral and physical rehabilitation. She enjoys working with pets and their owners to restore physical and emotional well-being, and open communication using positive, force-free training, science, and mindfulness. Amy is a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America & the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians. She has handled two therapy dogs and her favorite dog sports are agility and rally obedience. Amy also volunteers with 4-H, helping kids learn how to train their dogs.
Amy shares her full house with Trevor, an Australian Cattle Dog; Simone, a pit bull-coonhound mix; Fern, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; three kitties, and a revolving door for small animals in need of a home, along with her husband and two children.
Lindsay Carlson, BS, CDBC, CPDT-KA, FPPE
Lindsay graduated from Central Michigan University in 2009 with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Biology. In her degree program, she studied animal learning and worked in a rat and pigeon behavior laboratory. After graduation, Lindsay worked in the veterinary field for 2 years before leaving to pursue human learners, working as a foster care case manager and an elementary paraprofessional and teacher.
Lindsay a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, and a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, and loves working with families and their children to help integrate dogs and kids successfully. Lindsay is also the only Control Unleashed Certified Instructor in West Michigan, and loves using pattern games and other strategies with reactive dogs.
Lindsay and her dog Grover are a certified therapy dog team and volunteer in a variety of settings in Grand Rapids.
Leah Dykstra, LVT
Leah first fell in love with dog training when she participated in 4H with her rescue Maltese mix. Since then, she has had four Shetland Sheepdogs that she has trained and competed with in Rally, Scentwork, and most recently conformation. One of her Shelties experienced reactivity due to pain and fear, so she has also spent extensive time working with him to be more confident. Leah has been a licensed veterinary technician since 2010 working in small animal general practice. She is also a judge for CPE Canine Scent Sport and C-WAGS Rally and Obedience.
Erika Gregorian, CPDT-KA, VSA-CDT
Our friend at The Well Read Dog
Erika is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and graduate of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior. She specializes in herding breeds and dogs with special needs. Erika also teaches Nosework classes (Scent-ology). After managing a very successful dog walking company she sought education and certification to further her service to dogs and those who love them. Through her studies at the academy and with the many dogs she has worked with, Erika has become fluent in canine body language. She is also well practiced in treating fear and anxiety and their resulting behaviors.
Erika shares her life with a military husband and their dog Matilda, an Australian Shepherd mix who is deaf and has limited vision. Erika is currently living in Kansas, but continues to provide virtual appointments.