Trainer Bios

Melissa Simpson, CPDT-KA

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
Masters in Business Administration – Grand Valley State University
Professional Affiliation: Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
Member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
AKC Approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
18+ years of Behavior Modification training experience with reactive and aggressive dogs
Completed Seminars 2023: The Role of Emotion in Aggressive Behavior, The Role of Arousal in Aggression, The Heritability of Aggression, Neuroscience of Frustration in Dogs, Animal Instinct: Let's Talk About Intact Dogs, MET (Modern and Ethical Training Conference
Completed Seminar: Aggression in Dogs - 2020, 2021, 2022
Completed Seminar: Advanced Training Topics by Ken Ramirez – 2019
Completed Seminar: Positive Solutions for Dog Aggression by Pat Miller – 2018
APDT Course: Comparative Psychology and Cognition - 2018
Multi-dog experience
Human companion to Labrador, Slash

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers
Masters in Education
CATCH Canine Trainer Academy
Trainer at Happy Tails
Predation Substitute Training Instructor
AKC Evaluator
Member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
Fear Free Certified
Completed Seminar: Positive Solutions for Dog Aggression by Pat Miller
Completed Seminar: Aggression in Dogs - 2020
Assistant Adoption Coordinator at MacKenzie’s Animal Sanctuary
Multi-cat household experience with dogs
Human companion to Labrador, Luke

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers
Trainer at Happy Tails
Assistant Trainer at Happy Tails
5+ years experience caring for dogs and supervising play groups
Volunteer at Kent County Animal Shelter
Bachelors from Grand Valley State University
Human companion to Labrador, Xena

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers
Trainer at Happy Tails
Assistant Trainer at Happy Tails
Over 25 years personal large breed training experience
Multi-dog household experience
Legal assistant for over 20 years
Proud owner of Marley
Spoiling grandma to human Cayden, Golden Retrievers Duncan & Dug, and German Shorthair Pointer Teeter

Assistant Trainer at Happy Tails
Trainer at John Ball Zoo including leash work and cooperative care for large and small carnivores, birds, other mammals including pygmy hippos, meerkats, cape porcupines - 10 years
Avian and Ungulate Certifications from American Association of Zookeepers
Bachelors of Science - Biology from Grand Valley State University
Conservation and Game Management - University of Pretoria, South Africa
Human companion to Darwin - a rescue dog from Turkey, Frank a 20-year-old African Spurred Tortoise, and Plato – a crested gecko