Rachel McMichael

Rachel McMichael is the owner and founder of UpSwing Canine Behavioral Services and UpSwing Total Pet Care, LLC. With nearly 20 years of experience working with dogs and an entire lifetime around them, Rachel now specializes in the most shy/fearful dogs as well as dogs with moderate behavior issues. Rachel goes beyond the basics for dogs in need and puts concentration on humane, positive and effective behavioral change. Her goal is to repair relationships between dogs and their people and to create happier and more harmonious households. Rachel fully believes that the relationship that the dog and family share can often be a contributing factor in behavioral challenges, therefore she aims to create treatment plans for dogs and their families that include relationship building as well as added enrichment.

In addition to being Butler County's leading Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA), Rachel is also a Catch Certified Dog Trainer as well as a Catch Mentor Trainer for new students. She is an Accredited Dog Trainer through the IAABC (IAABC-ADT), Certified Trick Dog Instructor through DMWYD, and a AKC CGC, STAR Puppy and Trick Dog Evaluator. Rachel also holds a degree in Veterinary Technology and has a wide base of canine knowledge.
She is a proud professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, a professional member and Board Member of the Alliance of Modern Pet Professionals, as well as a professional member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She has attended many behavior seminars and demonstrations over the years and continues to earn credits, attend conferences and stay on top of the most current animal behavior studies.

She is super passionate about creating enriching, positive and lasting bonds between pets and their families and views training as an integral and imperative part of overall wellness for our pets. She truly believes that a great relationship with your dog is more important than any trick you could ever teach, and you can teach your dog just about any trick if you have a great relationship!