Amanda adopted her first rescue dog when she was only 19. The late, great Spice was her constant companion for over 16yrs, and during their time together Spice taught Amanda so much about patience, compassion, love, basic household repair skills, and the need to shed attachments to material possessions (Spice had a minor chewing fixation) It was hard to say goodbye to her dear friend, but it opened up room in her home for Newt, the tireless cattle dog. She was 5yrs old when Amanda adopted her, and she hasn’t slowed down a bit. Newt’s inexhaustible energy motivated Amanda to become a disciplined long distance runner. In 2016, with help from many of her dog clients/running buddies, she completed her first marathon. We sadly lost Newt suddenly to cancer in 2019. She was so special to us that we quite literally adopted her doppelganger a few months later. Fig came to us very shut down and traumatized, but has melted our hearts and has become a very endearing member of the family and Westward Hound crew!
At Westward Hound we are committed to treating your fur-babies with the same love and patience as we lavish upon ours! Every dog has a different lesson to teach us, and we are looking forward to befriending yours. We understand the immense responsibility you are entrusting with us, and we look forward to working with you!
Amanda’s journey in training and behavior began As a regular volunteer at the Seattle Humane Society, and she is committed to giving back to the community of dogs she is so enriched by. In 2020 she graduated with honors from the academy of dog trainers, an immersive program that specializes in applied behavior analysis as it relates to dog training.
in 2021 she co-founded the humane alliance of rescue trainers, a non-profit that connects qualified, professional trainers to shelters and rescues in need of no-cost behavior support.
Amanda is also a certified fear-free trainer.
Our goal at Westward Hound is to provide the right combination of training, exercise and mental stimuli for your dog's ultimate health and well being. Westward Hound is fully licensed and insured.
