About Us
Lisa
Owner, Founder, Lead Trainer, Class Curriculum Designer
I have always loved the companionship of animals, from dogs, to cats, to bunnies, parakeets and gerbils; and have had one or more at any given time since childhood. Pets can teach us so much about helping others, seeing humor in situations, and teach responsibility and compassion. Even though I have always had a menagerie of some sort, and loved my pets, I had never planned to be a dog trainer. What I did know, however, from a very young age, was that I would be a teacher.
From playing school to teaching middle school Spanish and English for 20+ years, my mission has always been to help others learn. When I first started teaching middle school Spanish at age 21, my principal said to me, “A great teacher can teach anything”, and while at the moment I was dubious, (particularly in the area of Math….) it turns out he was quite accurate. My calling is to teach, as every hobby I ever had resulted in my teaching the topic to share that knowledge with others. I have gone from teaching foreign language and English to kids and teens, to teaching aerobics, martial arts, yoga, and other fitness classes to teens and adults, and now to teaching dogs; and more specifically to teaching PEOPLE to teach their dogs.
One thing I have found through teaching all of these diverse areas is that it isn’t about the books, or the exercises, or even the dogs. It IS about empowering the PERSON, (YOU) to love and appreciate and understand the books, the exercise, and the dogs. After all, when I am not there, will the student still want to read the book, or do the exercise? Will you understand how to train your dog in a way that fits your family? I make it my goal to make my classes entertaining and engaging, so you can learn in a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. As a middle school teacher working with a wide variety of abilities, I have learned to successfully adapt to the style of the learner, and explain things so it is easy to understand and implement. This carries over to all my classes in all areas. As a teacher, I value education very highly and strive to bring you, my learners, the most up to date information and skills in an original and innovative way to help achieve your goals with your dog.
In my spare time, I stay connected with the schools even though I am not teaching officially. My four therapy dogs and I make several visits every week to schools, assisted living facilities, kids’ camps, or wherever we are needed. I enjoy reading suspense novels when I am not reading training books, going to more training workshops and continuing to let my own dogs try out lots of new things, such as sheep herding, scootering, tricks, and agility, and inventing new classes for fun!
Of course, I am always looking to expand my knowledge base in new areas, like feline behavior as well as continue taking workshops and trainings with the best minds in the field of dog training, so I can share that with you.
Credentials and Experience
Dog Training
Other Certifications
ACE Fitness Group Exercise Instructor - Certified since 1997
YogaFit Level 4 Certification
M.A.T. – Masters of Teaching – Aurora University, Aurora, Il
B.S. – Sed- Spanish Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Spanish – UW- Madison, Madison, WI
Instructor: Janice CPDT-KA, CTDI, AACE
Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed
Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Animal Actors Certified Evaluator
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
AKC Temperament Test Evaluator
Instructor: Susan KPA-CTP, CTDI, AACE, CCFC, SDJ
Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner
Fear Free Certified Professional Trainer
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Canine Freestyle Coach
Stunt Dog Judge
Competition Judge, Treibball (NATE), Canine Musical Freestyle (WCFO)
Training Assistant:TBD
We coordinate with the Psychology Department at Shenandoah University to offer intern opportunities for class credit in Behavior Modification. Students begin working with dogs in the Behavior Modification class working with a shelter dog, fostering and training for the semester to prepare the dog for adoption under the supervision of their University Professor and Lisa of Head of the Class. After successfully completing this class, the most motivated and dedicated students are specifically chosen to work as class assistants for more hands on experience in a unique partnership between Shenandoah University and Head of the Class!
Animals have always been the center of Kara’s world. Since she could remember, she always wanted to be around animals, especially dogs! She loves spending time with and taking care of all animals from cats, horses, chickens, cows, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, you name it! She always loved helping to train her family’s dogs and she was overwhelmed with excitement when she heard about the Service Learning Project taking part in a Behavior Modification class at her university which incorporated dog training in the classroom! It is through this class that Kara met Lisa and did an internship at Head of the Class Dog Training! Her love of dogs and wanting to serve her community has inspired her career goals. Kara aspires to work with law enforcement training their K9s as well and recently earned her CPDT-KA credential, becoming a certified dog trainer to help families form lifelong bonds with their furry family members.
Instructor: Kara CPDT-KA, AKC Evaluator
