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I became a dog trainer because no one could help me.

Compassionate, science-based training built on trust, clarity, & real-life results, for dogs with big feelings & the humans who love them.

Meet Maddi

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Hi, I'm Maddi! Certified dog trainer, separation anxiety specialist, & the dog mom behind Paws & Frolic Academy. I help other dog moms go from dreading every goodbye & every walk, to feeling genuinely confident about what their dog needs & how to help them.


If you're here, your dog is probably struggling. And honestly? So are you. That's not a judgment... I've been exactly where you are.

How It All Started 🐾

Years ago, I was living in Raleigh with my puppy, Opie. He was sweet, energetic, & clearly struggling... and I had no idea how to help him. So I went looking for a trainer.


What I found were a lot of methods I wasn't comfortable with & not a single positive-based trainer in my area. It was frustrating & heartbreaking. So I did what any determined dog mom would do: I figured it out myself.


I dove deep into canine behavior, absorbed every resource I could find, and eventually went to school & became certified. What started as a desperate attempt to help my own dog became a full-blown calling, because I knew there were so many other families going through the exact same thing, with nowhere to turn.


That's why Paws & Frolic Academy exists.

Why Anxious Dogs? 💛

Anxious dogs hold a special place in my heart because I know exactly how heavy it feels to love a dog who's struggling.


The guilt of leaving. The hypervigilance before every walk. The feeling that you've tried everything & nothing sticks. I get it personally & professionally, and it's exactly why I chose to specialize here instead of being a generalist.


You deserve a trainer who gets it. Not just someone who has a protocol, but someone who understands what this experience actually feels like for you & your dog.

Credentials

  • CSAP-BC — Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behavior Consultant

  • CPDT-KA — Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed

  • FDM — Certified Family Dog Mediator

  • 6+ years experience working with anxious & reactive dogs and their humans.

I'm committed to a strictly force-free approach: no punishment, no pressure, no pushing your dog past their limits. Ever.

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