Meet the Dog Trainer

Welcome! I’m Leighann—the doggy problem solver and human behind Koinonia Dogs.

I founded Koinonia Dogs in 2014 and became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer in 2019.

I love helping frustrated owners solve their dog and puppy behavior problems so both ends of the leash can enjoy an easier life together.

From “dog lover” to Certified Professional Dog Trainer and beyond

2003

The dog-sitting my sister and I had done for neighbors turned into boarding I did out of our home.
2009

Fostering Rocky for a service dog organization launched me into the positive-reinforcement dog training world.
2014

Koinonia Training and Boarding was born and I moved from hobbyist to professional.
2016

After four years as a surgery technician at a spay and neuter clinic, I bid a bittersweet farewell to my friends there to pursue Koinonia full-time.
2017

Fostering Eclair for the service dog organization gave me a big taste of puppy raising and taught me an important lesson about the nature vs. nurture question.
2019

10 years after my journey started, I earned my Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification.
2019

I suspended Boarding after 10 years to make room for Board and Train.
2020

My Fear Free Certification reflects a commitment to prioritizing emotional well-being for dogs in all parts of their life.
2023

Koinonia Training and Boarding became Koinonia Dogs to better reflect current services and leave room for future change.