Owner & Head Trainer
Chris Miara, MA, CDBC
I have been training and showing dogs since 1984, earning multiple titles in AKC obedience, tracking, agility, and field. Dog training has changed a lot since I first started, and I regularly attend seminars to keep up with the latest research and training techniques.
I am a Behavior Specialist for dogs and people! I began teaching obedience classes and private behavior consulting in 2000. I am a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with IAABC and there are only 2 of us in the state of KY. Additionally, I am a graduate of IAABC's Aggression in Dogs Mentorship with Michael Shikashio. In terms of human behavior, I held a license in Psychology at the Master's level and worked in the field for 30 years. I specialize in solving problems, and I will do the best I can to help solve the ones you have with your dog!
Kristyn Kay
Profesional Dog Trainer
Kristyn Kay, owner of LexPets Dog Daycare, has been around dogs her entire life. Kristyn competes in several sports with her dogs and has earned multiple AKC Titles. She has been training dogs professionally for over 8 years.
Kristyn has worked extensively with her own reactive pug mix and young Australian Cattle Dog, learning how to manage leash and boundary reactive issues in dogs. She regularly attends seminars and conferences to keep up-to-late with the latest techniques and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer—Knowledge Assessed by the CCPDT.
“I think Kristyn Kay is amazing! She has helped me tremendously with my Australian Shepherd, Remy. When Remy came into my life, I knew right away I was going to need help. I am so thankful we connected with Kristyn. She has gone above and beyond expectations to help me with Remy’s reactivity and anxiety issues. Her work has enabled me to better understand my dog and his unique needs. Because of her continued work with us, I am much better equipped to help Remy navigate a variety of situations. Without her it would have been much more difficult for Remy to have meaningful relationships with other dogs and people. My relationship with my dog is exponentially better because of Kristyn’s work. She is always exceptionally professional and helpful. I can’t say enough about how helpful Kristyn has been.”
-Haley B, Lexington, KY
Tamara Pigeon
Profesional Dog Trainer
Tamara Pigeon has been involved in agility with her Weimaraners since 2001. She's been both a student and an instructor over the 20 years in the field. Most of her experience is hands-on, but she has attended many clinics and seminars to continue her education in the field. Her philosophy on agility training is to make sure the dog and handler are both having fun and getting what they need from the class. She's had many students go on to compete in several agility organizations but also has students just doing the classes weekly for bonding with their dog. All training methods are focused on positive rewards for both the human and the dog.
Joan Scott
Professional Dog Trainer
Bio coming soon…
“As first time dog owner’s with a high-energy puppy, we had A LOT to learn. Group sessions with other dogs did not seem to work because of Murphy’s anxiety. Murphy did a 2 week board & train with Joan and came back to us with a mindset to listen and respond positively to commands. Joan continued to train US to keep Murphy on track and to set all of us up for success. I highly recommend the one-on-one training after the board and train. Joan has been an invaluable resource in getting both pup and US on the right track!”
-Robey Family
Barb Peppin
competitive Obedience
Barb graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Animal Behavior. She also completed her MA in Counseling Psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She worked in CA as a Child Therapist and her English Cockers were therapy dogs in her practice.
She has been teaching competitive Obedience since 1975 in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was first hired by the well -known San Bruno Dog Obedience School in the San Francisco Bay Area and then began her own program in Lafayette CA.
She trained with the infamous Judy Howard for 20 years and completed obedience titles on 14 dogs of 5 different breeds (Sheltie, Irish Setter, Eng Cocker, Bernese Mt Dog and Golden Ret) from Beginning Novice through Utility. She also has titles in Rally, Agility, Tracking, Trick Dog, Herding and Hunting. Barb believes in making obedience fun and helping dogs and handlers become teams to bring out their best and enjoy working together.
Currently competing with her English Cocker Ben in Open A
Elizabeth
Assistant Dog Trainer
Elizabeth is a proud veteran that has had experience with dogs since the day she was born. Most have been purebred mutts, including her own, but she has been the assistant to a reputable breeder of AKC registered English Cream Golden Retrievers in Connecticut, as well.
Elizabeth has been working for LexPets as lead afternoon attendant, on and off, for the past two years, where she has become skilled in moderating a multitude of group play scenarios. This everyday experience keeps her on her toes and allows her to learn more about canine psychology, in action, which she applies to the training methods she is studying with Chris Miara at Rosetree.
Jesse Kephart
Assistant Dog Trainer
Jesse Kephart has been the Manager at LexPets Dog Daycare for the past 2 years, so he has had countless opportunities to work with all the different breeds, personalities, and sizes of dogs you can think of. He is also a graduate of the Animal Behavioral College Dog Training program. He is in the process of getting more certifications and is always attending training seminars to keep up-to-date with all things new in dog training. He has had dogs his whole life. He now has 4 dogs at home that participate in everything from frisbee to professional couch lounging.
“I believe that training can improve the relationship you have with your dog. Through emphasizing positive methods and the applications of behavioral techniques your dog can become a good canine companion.”
Professional Affiliations
Association of Professional Dog Trainers | Kentucky Psychological Association | Kentucky Association for Behavior Analysis (KYAB) | Lexington Kennel Club (former board member) | Greater Louisville Golden Retriever Club (former board member) | Golden Retriever Club of America (former club columnist) | AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator | Eligible to judge non-regular AKC classes
