Helping dogs and their people find clarity and connection.
Training Philosophy
State of Mind Canine Solutions strives to educate dog owners on the “why” behind their dog’s behavior, and how their relationship influences that behavior.
Our dogs live in an extremely human-centric world, so it’s our responsibility to provide them with all the information they need to be successful and build confidence in their own ability to handle whatever they may encounter day-to-day.
I strongly believe every dog requires a unique approach, which is why I have spent my free time learning a variety of methods - from motivation-based training to intentional leash-work, I’m prepared to find the best approach for your dog as an individual and for your lifestyle.
My career began with my own reactive dog, Beau, who taught me so much about the importance of our relationship and how that can influence his behavior in a positive way. He is now my best helper, and does a wonderful job helping client dogs learn how to socialize in a safe and appropriate manner.
Education is a critical part of my journey, and I strive to continue my education by attending seminars and shadowing amazing mentors in the industry so that I can continue to provide my clients with an honest and well-rounded approach for their training program.
Courses/Workshops:
Canine-Human Relationship Institute - Relationship-base Behavior Modification Level 1
Michael Ellis Obedience Intensive 2021
Michael Ellis Puppy Development 2022
Oregon Tails - Student of the Dog 2022/2023
Scent Detection Workshop with Lauren Wendt 2023
Forrest Micke Obedience Practical & Problem Solving 2024
Canine-Human Relationship Institute - Working With and Affecting Aggressive Dogs 2024
State of Mind Canine Solutions is insured and bonded through Pet Sitter’s Associates, LLC.
Gracie is an extremely knowledgeable and thoughtful dog trainer. Her approach and techniques go beyond obedience and management. This was so helpful to diagnosing and addressing my reactive dog's underlying issues. She focused on helping train me to reshape the relationship with my dog, and introduced me to invaluable tools with guidance on how to use them. My dog's behavior is noticeably improved and she continues to support us when I reach out with questions. Her use of social media to demonstrate technique and progress with other dogs she trains has also been super helpful and inspiring to me.
— Athina (Rocko’s owner)
Gracie just changed our life!! Our Golden Retriever pup was about 3 months old when he started showing serious behavioral issues like aggression and demand barking. We were also not able to train him to stay in his crate at all.
Thankfully we found Gracie and she accepted to take him for a 2-week boarding program and he literally came back a changed boy! Gracie provided regular updates and was very elaborate in her communication and recommendations. She prepared a very detailed plan for our pup to help us continue to train him at home after he was back. She was also accommodating to our dietary preference for our pup. Overall, it was one of the best decisions we made for our dog. I would recommend State of Mind Canine Solutions to anyone looking for a pawsome trainer!
— Bhavya (Cosmo’s owner)
I have two dogs with very different personalities. Jagger who is big and bold and Nash, my anxious boy. We had some obstacles to overcome. Nash has a case of stranger danger, and leash reactivity. I live in the city end I’m constantly surrounded by people, so it was a struggle to take him out for walks. I had worked with a few trainers. Some great and some not so great. I started working with Gracie after receiving a referral. Gracie’s understanding of dogs, and her ability to read them and work with them is amazing! I’ve done a few training sessions with Gracie and board and trained both my dogs with her. Jagger came back walking on a leash, like a proper boy, and managing Nash‘s anxiety has been so much easier or with all of Gracie‘s help and advice.
Gracie sent me home with a training plan. She has been breaking it up week by week. We have continued her training guidelines, and both of my dogs are doing great!
— Bailey (Nash and Jagger)
Gracie has been our trainer since our dog was a few weeks old, and has been extremely helpful and knowledgeable as our dog transitioned through multiple stages, including reactivity. Gracie listens to you and your dog’s needs, and adapts training plans for realistic situations and expectations. Gracie has a very calm demeanor with both dogs and humans, while assertively helping build confidence in you and your dog. While Gracie is very competent in all kinds of training, she focuses a lot on the root of calmness. She helps guide you and your pet into a therapeutic state of mind—before building other blocks of training and behavior. I think highly of Gracie and would recommend her 10/10.
— Shannon (Lolita’s owner)