Katie Robertson

Owner & Lead Trainer
CAP1, ATDI, LLA Certificate of Excellence, PPG member, AKC-CGC Evaluator

Katie has nearly a decade of experience training dogs. She belongs to the Pet Professional Guild and holds multiple certifications. She is passionate about using positive reinforcement to train dog behavior and help handlers learn how to understand and support their four-legged family members.

As a member of Pet Professional Guild she continually updates her education in force free and science based training methods. Using positive reinforcement she guarantees you will benefit from the most up to date science of Applied Behavior Analysis to teach your dog.

Katie is honored to hold a Certificate of Excellence from Living and Learning with Animals, taught by Susan Friedman. This course especially taught her to understand the fundamentals of learning and behavior and prepared her to build functional training plans for you and your dog. She looks forward to updating her knowledge as an auditor for this course each year.

She is an AKC-CGC and STAR Puppy Evaluator, Associate Trick Dog Instructor, and holds a CAP-1 from Kay Laurence's Learning About Dogs Competency Assessment Program.

Katie’s Story

How did Katie get her start? In 2009 Katie and her Husband, Ryan, brought home a little Cavalier named Maizey. This 14 pound little tri-color Cavalier started it all. Katie explains:

“I've always lived with dogs, but it's a long way from living with and loving dogs to understanding how to train dogs using Applied Behavior Analysis. Maizey taught me this. She was what we label, "genetically fearful and reactive." Everyday things triggered severe fear which meant every day was a struggle. When I sought help from trainers and behaviorists around the nation I learned the best way to help her was through positive reinforcement. Since then I've never looked back.

I began as a training assistant at a local training center in the Salt Lake Valley. I was soon writing curriculums, expanding my education, and teaching my own classes. While there I helped hundreds of handlers develop relationships with their dogs. I've taught puppy classes, adult manners classes, classes for taking your dog to dog-friendly locations around the valley, tricks classes and more. I'm most proud of the work I did with fearful and reactive dogs like Maizey. I developed a seminar for handlers to understand fear in dogs and a behavior modification class specifically to desensitize and counter condition these dogs. I also designed agility curriculums focused on giving these special needs dogs a safe place to play and build connection with their handlers.

My focus is on educating dog moms and dads to read their dog’s body language and respond proactively. When we understand why our dogs react a certain way and know what to do to support them, we build trust and understanding. With practice we see that investment returned in desirable behaviors.

I’m happiest when outside and spend most of my leisure time traveling and hiking with my current crew of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and our newest addition, a Golden Retriever.”

Our Family

THESE ARE THE PUPS WHO LOVED AND TAUGHT US OVER THE YEARS

Summit Little Man — Summit and Little Man

Our Community

We're proud to work with some of the kindest and most talented professionals around the Wasatch Front. Please check out the friends and professionals we recommend. If there is anything PTDT can't help you with it's likely we’ve worked with someone who can. We're honored to refer to and be referred by these talented folks.

Our Community