Meet the Trainers
Kat Carter |
Kat Carter began training dogs in 2004, but her lifetime love of dogs began much earlier. Her parents bought her a rescued shepherd mix and a book on dog tricks when she was 14 and created a passion that has never dimmed! Over the years, Kat has studied many different methods and disciplines of dog training with different trainers and behavior professionals, and continues to learn new things on a daily basis. She believes that every dog is different and that there is no one "right" way to train. Hound's Tooth Academy is founded on that belief.
Each and every family deserves a training experience customized just for them. What works for one family and one dog may not work for another, each family's goals are different and every method has its place. At Hound Tooth Academy, we try to involve the owners in each step of training and explain WHY certain methods work best in some situations as well as HOW dogs learn. Kat believes strongly that the best results are attained when the owners are as involved as possible in the training process. Training dogs and working with owners isn't a hobby for Kat, it is her full time job, her passion and her life. Kat is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals, and an AKC CGC/CGC-A/CGC-U/STAR Puppy Evaluator. She is a Certified Pet First Aid & Disaster Preparedness Instructor with ASHI. Kat lives right outside of Lexington with her husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs, a bunny and way too many chickens. |
Kelsey Widener
Kelsey Widener began her dog training career over 12 years ago in Winston Salem NC. “Rescue.Train.Repeat”, was created in 2010 and focused on shelter dogs needing a second chance. Having trained her personal dogs to compete in several sports she trains her rescued animals to compete boosting their confidence and increasing their chances of getting a good home. Two former rescues went on to be service dogs, others went on to become police or search and rescue dogs, and some found wonderful companion homes. She has also worked in several commercial kennels where she learned animal care skills/ husbandry and was employed by a local animal hospital for four years until she decided to make dog training a fulltime career. Recognizing the plight of dogs in the local shelter she began going to these shelters and evaluating dogs and pulling them to train and adopt into a loving homes, which she continues to do along while operating her business full time. Additionally, she rescued dogs and trained them for easy placement for Eastern Herding Dog Rescue, Stokes County Humane Society, AARF, South East German Shepherd Rescue, and Triad Golden Retriever Rescue. Kelsey Widener also specialized in enrichment, training, and caring for wolfdogs at a sanctuary over the summer where she learned a multitude of skills and is thankful for the experience.
Kelsey runs the in-board program at Hounds Tooth Academy, as well as offering private lessons through TriCity Canine, based in Winston.
Kelsey runs the in-board program at Hounds Tooth Academy, as well as offering private lessons through TriCity Canine, based in Winston.
