Amanda Steffy

Born and raised in Northern NJ, Amanda had a plethora of animals to take care of growing up. It was inevitable that she would take interest in a career working with animals in some way. In school, Amanda gravitated towards math and science so becoming a veterinarian was naturally the way to go. She worked hard through her high school and college years to make this dream happen. Amanda ultimately graduated from William Paterson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. Unfortunately veterinary school wasn't in the cards but it didn't stop Amanda from finding a career working with animals while still making a difference. Dogs have always been a huge part of her life. Training family and friend's dogs wasn't uncommon for Amanda. It wasn't until she was an adult dealing with other people's dogs and her own personal dogs on a daily basis, she saw the struggle. This is where Amanda saw dog training as an avenue she wanted to pursue because there's nothing more rewarding than seeing people being able to enjoy their dog again or getting their new puppy started off on the right path. Dog training is more than teaching your dog obedience commands and tricks: it's a lifestyle. 365/24/7 if you will. She wants to help dogs make better choices every day but most importantly give owners the guidance they need to set themselves and their dogs up for success. Amanda volunteers at a local shelter dealing with many dogs that need the extra attention to help them become more adoptable and make the transition into home life a little easier on everyone. As you can imagine a shelter environment is very overwhelming so the extra one-on-one time with these dogs is super beneficial to get them interactive not only physically but mentally!She regularly attends seminars where trainers will troubleshoot any problems owners are experiencing with their dogs. This is a great opportunity to expand a trainer's knowledge on techniques and ask questions for the experts that use these methods within their training programs.Amanda is also continually learning and growing to better her dog training craft. Dog training is an art and one technique for one dog may not work for another. It is up to us as trainers that deal with dogs on a daily basis to continue our education to better the tools in our tool bags.