Meet Shawna

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"My name is Shawna, I am the owner and trainer at Off The Grid K9. I live in Rhinelander, Wisconsin (GO HODAGS!!) with my fiancé Ben, our son Brayden, and our 7 dogs. From a very young age I have had a passion for animals of all shapes and sizes but dogs have always held a special place in my heart.

I started my career working with animals back in 2008, caring for 30+ horses on a local farm. In 2013 I enrolled myself in a dog grooming certification course and just like that, my career in the dog world was born! After several years of working for other shop owners, I took the plunge into opening my own grooming salon. It didn't take long for me to evolve from "dog groomer" to "dog trainer".

I briefly stepped away from Off The Grid K9 to train for a service dog organization, "Patriot K9s of Wisconsin" in Wausau Wisconsin.  Patriot K9s of Wisconsin is a non-profit that trains psychiatric service dogs for military veterans. I love all dogs but my heart pumps for "working dogs"!!! Helping veterans train their own services dogs was a job I took great pride in. 

My unwavering passion for dogs doesn't stop when my work day ends. Over the years I have participated in a few AKC dog events with my personal dogs. Several of my dogs hold titles in FastCAT, Canine Good Citizen (urban and advanced), Farm Dog Cert., AKC Temperament Test, and Novice FETCH. My Redbone Coonhound "Red" and my Border Collie "Rooster" (both trained by myself) are registered therapy dogs through Therapy Dogs International. I can regularly be seen around Rhinelander with a leash in hand and a dog in tow.

What I love most about training dogs is watching my clients and their dogs connect on a deeper level. The pride and sense of accomplishment I get from working side by side with my canine partners is what continues to drive me forward in my career. It is my hope that the services I offer help keep dogs in homes and strengthen the bond between them and their owners."

-Shawna