Meet the Assistants

Elizabeth Nally

Assistant Trainer and Intern

I knew I wanted to work with animals at a very young age. As a little girl I would dedicate my time watching Animal Planet and make it my job to visit all the neighborhood pets. Unfortunately, I could not have any due to family allergies. When I reached high school I became very interested in psychology and how people and animals learned and interacted with others. Recently I graduated from HCC with an Associate Degree in liberal arts focusing on psychology and biology. I have worked at a local dog daycare where I supervised dog play and trained dogs basic commands on a one on one basis. I also assist trainers in classes such as puppy kindergarten, level 1 and 2 obedience, and agility. For almost a year, I’ve been assisting Elise Gouge in her reactive dog class. Any free time I have I spend training my sister’s Springer, Jolie. I am working on becoming a certified dog trainer, CGC evaluator, and soon hope to teach classes of my own. My goal is to traing seeing eye dogs and other assistive dogs for the community. Currently I am working under Elise doing basic behavior consultations, training lessons, in home pet sitting, and daily visits.

Stacey Alberts

Class Assistant and Dedicated Dog Owner

Stacey’s life with dogs started when she was 3 years old and her mom brought home a beautiful husky/GSD puppy who they named Tasha.  Tasha was the sweetest dog and they grew up together.  Tasha passed away the summer before Stacey left for college and then she spent several long years waiting for when it would be the right time to get a new dog.  Finally, a few months after their marriage, she and her husband Andrew decided it was time.  They discovered an 8-month old American Eskimo up for adoption and decided to drive out to meet her.

The poor Eskie had had a hard life.  She was born to a back yard breeder who believe that socializing puppies meant they would not bond with their eventual families and so she kept her puppies isolated until they were sold.  The family that bought the Eskie had similar fundamental misunderstandings about dogs, and didn’t know how to train or handle the Eskie puppy.  Finally, it became too much and they gave the puppy away, leaving her with no socialization and huge anxiety issues.

Stacey and Andrew decided to adopt the Eskie anyway, despite her past history, and named her Psyche.  Psyche’s anxiety is pervasive in her life and she is reactive toward both people and other dogs, so Stacey and Andrew started working with Elise on behavior modification.  Stacey now has over a year’s worth of experience living and working with a reactive dog and it has taught her enormously about both dog training and behavior.  She enjoys meeting others who face similar challenges and is always looking to improve her training skills and try out new techniques.

Danielle Robertson

Class Assistant

I began studying dog training and behavior in 2007 when I adopted my dog, Dante, as a puppy from the Sterling Animal Shelter.  Though not my first dog (I had my   dog Blue for 18 years), Dante would prove to be much more challenging.  As he grew up, Dante started to develop different behavioral issues such guarding his food and becoming increasingly reactive towards other dogs.  After five years of working together, Dante still has his issues, but some are improved and we have a much better relationship.  My experience with Dante has strengthened my desire to help other people improve their relationships with their own dogs.

I have a Bachelors Degree in Wildlife Ecology, and I spent several years studying the dogs’ wild relatives.  I studied wolves in Banff National Park, Alberta, and coyotes and foxes in Yellowstone National Park.  Since I started studying dog behavior, I have attended numerous training classes and seminars, and I have volunteered at T.J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center working with their adoptable dogs since 2009.  I am also a member of the Association for Pet Dog Trainers and have passed my Clicker Trainers Competency Assessment Program Level 1 (CAP1).

In 2009, I started my business Compassionate Pet Services offering search and recovery services for lost pets.  I am certified as a Missing Animal Response Technician (i.e. pet detective) through the Missing Pet Partnership, a national non-profit organization dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their owners/guardians.  Finding lost pets and learning about their behavior has taken up most of my time for the past few years, but I would like to add dog and cat training and behavior consultations to my business in the future.

Laura Kokoski

Class Assistant (Amherst reactive)

My experience with dog training began in 1992 as a volunteer puppy raiser for NEADS, raising my first pup, Greta, who graduated in 1993. I just finished with my 7th dog, Romeo, and finished another pup, Pax. My pups became Service Dogs, and Therapy Dogs, Balance Dog and Ministry Dog.

I am a training assistant at NB Productions in Greenfield, for Beginner, Intermediate, CGC and Therapy Dog classes. I assist Level 2 Obedience, CGC, Variety Classes and several Reactive Dog classes, for Elise, at Exercise Finished. I also assist training inmates at the Hampshire County Jail for NEADS.

I completed the 2010 Instructor Training Course (ITC) in NY. Attended seminars with Pia Silvani and Sue Sternberg. Attended a seminar with Ken Ramirez on marine mammal training and behavior. Attended a lecture with Stanley Coren, on the intelligence of dogs. I love to attend various behavior and training seminars, any chance I get.

My love for pets, volunteering for NEADS, raising puppies, and working with dogs and owners in training and behavior classes, led me to start my own pet related business, Neighborhood Pet Services. A dog walking, pet sitting, and private good manners training business for Hadley, Amherst, Sunderland and South Deerfield.

Laura Kuzmeski

Intern