Carissa's passion for dog training took root at just 13 years old when she spent countless hours in the backyard working with her family dog. What began as a fun hobby quickly blossomed into a lifelong love for understanding and communicating with dogs. As she successfully trained other family pets, her desire to learn more about canine behavior grew.
Carissa went on to attend Montana State University, where she earned a degree in marketing. During her college years, she ran a thriving pet-sitting business, giving her the opportunity to care for dogs of all breeds and personalities — and of course, enjoy plenty of snuggles. Her hands-on experience with a variety of dogs deepened her understanding of their unique behaviors and needs.
Eager to expand her knowledge, Carissa began studying dog psychology and canine nutrition, recognizing the vital role both play in a dog’s overall well-being. But it was when she rescued her first dog, Lucy, that her skills and dedication reached a whole new level. Committed to helping Lucy thrive, Carissa worked tirelessly to guide her through obedience, reactivity management, recall training, and adventure preparation. The experience strengthened their bond and further ignited Carissa’s passion for helping others achieve the same connection with their own dogs.
Today, as a professional dog trainer, Carissa is dedicated to empowering dog owners with the tools and knowledge they need to foster happy, confident, and well-mannered canine companions. She believes that with patience, understanding, and consistent training, every dog has the potential to shine.
Orhan Pamuk
Please reach out to carissa@highpeaksk9.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
High Peaks K9 offers a variety of pet training services including obedience training, behavior modification, aggression, advanced recall using e-collar, adventure training, dog etiquette, and more.
In addition to thousands of hours of dog handling, training application, and educational reading, I have obtained the following certifications:
K9 Wilderness First Aid - Montana K9 Safety
Dog Emotion and Cognition - Duke University
Canine Body Language for Pet Professionals - Crimson Hound
Canine Nutrition - Feed Real Institute
Canine Body Language - International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (In Progress)
Private training sessions typically last 1 hour, but can be customized to fit the needs of you and your pet. Day training sessions typically last 6-8 hours depending on the needs of the dog. Day training sessions also include an additional 45 minute debrief and walk through of at home exercises.
Carissa's methods are rooted in a deep understanding dog body language and communication. From there, balanced training, or the use of both positive and negative reinforcement, is used to effect positive change and build a relationship with your dog.
Every dog and every training goal is unique. Therefore, Carissa maintains a non-prescriptive application of tools. Some commonly used tools include slip leashes, Herm Sprenger prong collars, long-lines, and e-collars.
High Peaks K9 realizes that every dog learns at its own pace and has its own challenges. When working with us, we establish training goals and outline a training plan to reach those goals. From there, we will have regular sessions with at home training exercises to be completed until both the dog(s) and owners are calm and confident.
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High Peaks K9
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