Meet The Happy
Retriever Team
At The Happy Retriever, our mission is to foster a healthier, more responsive relationship between dogs and their owners through expert training and compassionate care.
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Our Philosophy
We hold the conviction that every dog can become a well-mannered and self-assured partner. Our training programs and services are based on scientifically supported positive reinforcement techniques, coupled with balanced training approaches, to guarantee effective and compassionate methods that honor the uniqueness of your dog.
Our Team
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Alyssa
Alyssa is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in canine care and training. She became a member of The Happy Retriever team in August 2020, starting as a front-office administrator. Her exceptional dedication and enthusiasm for the role quickly propelled her to the position of general manager. Alyssa's deep passion for her work and her genuine love for dogs is evident in everything she does.
As a certified AKC evaluator, Alyssa thrives on collaborating with dog owners to craft personalized training plans that cater to each dog's unique needs and challenges. She takes immense joy in guiding families toward successful training outcomes, fostering stronger bonds between owners and their furry companions. Looking ahead, Alyssa is excited to expand her impact in the pet care industry, helping more families create unforgettable memories with their cherished dogs, one thoughtfully designed training plan at a time.
Outside of work, she loves to spend time outdoors with her two dogs, read, and enjoy quality moments with family and friends.
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Hannah
Hannah is the Head Trainer here at The Happy Retriever. She started in 2016 as an Administrative Assistant while in high school and transitioned to Bump Up Trainer in 2018, working at the center in between attending Unity College. After graduating with a degree in Wildlife Biology and working for Denver Zoo and Blank Park Zoo.
Hannah returned as our Head Program Trainer in 2023, introducing training tools with a positive mindset. She believes that building a strong relationship with your dog is the key to successful training. With practice and consistency, every dog has the potential to be an amazing companion for their family!
Hannah is also an AKC Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen, Urban Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine, S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, and Trick Dog. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Zailey, a Border Collie Mix.
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Alexa
Alexa is a dedicated professional with a background in pre-veterinary medicine. She began her career in the veterinary field but soon discovered her passion for dog training. In 2021, she joined The Happy Retriever as a front desk receptionist and quickly demonstrated exceptional skills and work ethic, leading to her promotion to the position of office manager. Alexa thrives in an environment that allows her to work closely with dogs and their owners. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her pup, Romeo, or curling up at home with a good book. Her blend of expertise and love for animals makes her a valuable asset to the team.
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Karina
Karina is our E-Collar program trainer who strives to improve the relationship between humans and their dogs, fostering a harmonious coexistence. Karina has always been an avid lover of the dog world. Despite her recent entry into the field of training, she has dedicated herself to training fundamentals to her years of riding and working horses, continuously learning throughout her career. She owes all her current knowledge of handling skills and some fundamentals of training to her years of riding and working horses both in the saddle and groundwork. When not engaged in training, she dedicates her time to competing in sports and enhancing the obedience of her three dogs—Ticket, Moon, and Zelda. She cherishes this passion as a family activity, appreciating the moments they share together in pursuit of it. She looks forward to continuing to broaden her education throughout the years and building new and current relationships with other professionals in the field.
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Jana
Jana is an avid animal lover of all kinds! She joined the THR pack in the spring of 2022 as a Bump Up day trainer, working with all different types of dogs to keep their skills sharp. Her hard work and dedication paid off as she moved up the ranks and is now the primary trainer for teaching Doggie Boot Camps. Helping dog and owner navigate through the process of jumping from food-based training to balanced training. She loves teaching dogs new tricks and hopes to start running trick training classes soon.
When not at work, Jana loves to hike with her dog Sophie or curl up on the couch with a good book. Being a lover of good eats, she is just as food-motivated as the dogs!
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Rhiannon
Rhiannon is our head food-based trainer and has been part of The Happy Retriever team since October 2022. She has been training dogs for nearly four years and is dedicated to enhancing the bond between dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement training. Currently, she runs our Puppy Package and Puppy Resident programs, and she also works with some of our new or nervous puppies.
Rhiannon has two amazing dogs: Claude, a Chihuahua, and Daisy, a Rough Collie, who inspire her daily and demonstrate just how rewarding and fun training can be. She is passionate about her work and loves using what she has learned from them to help other dogs, and their owners build strong, happy bonds.
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Jocelyn
Jocelyn is a Balanced and Food-Based trainer who has worked for The Happy Retriever since 2017. Her favorite part of dog training is working with the shy and nervous dogs, helping them build the confidence to come out of their shells. She often gets help from her dog partner in crime, Mina, who the THR staff has crowned as the ‘therapy dog for dogs’. Jocelyn teaches several classes, including Puppy 101 and Canine Good Citizen Prep. She is also a certified AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and CGC exams evaluator. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, playing video games, taking trail walks, and taking Mina on adventures.
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Megan
Megan has always had a passion for dogs. She began her career working with animals in 2009 as a veterinary assistant at a local animal hospital. From there, she worked her way up to manager at the attached boarding facility. Later, she took a position at another local boarding facility as an enrichment coordinator, where she taught staff how to run safe and successful playgroups.
It was during this time that she realized she wanted to train dogs and help owners better understand their dog's behaviors. She then worked at a training facility, gaining valuable experience in training dogs and teaching owners basic obedience.
Megan strives to build strong bonds with all the dogs she works with and is very happy to be a part of The Happy Retriever family!
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Hailey
Hailey is one of our food-based trainers and has been with The Happy Retriever for almost a year. Previously, she worked as an adoption consultant at an animal shelter, where she learned that effective training can significantly impact a dog’s life, as well as the lives of their owners, enhancing the quality of their relationship. A mentally stimulated, enriched, and properly socialized dog is a happy dog!
Hailey is extremely passionate about helping dogs become their best selves through training and nurturing a strong bond with each dog. She believes there is nothing more rewarding than working with dogs, witnessing their breakthrough moments, and watching them successfully reach their potential.
Alyssa
General Manager
Alyssa is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in canine care and training. She became a member of The Happy Retriever team in August 2020, starting as a front-office administrator. Her exceptional dedication and enthusiasm for the role quickly propelled her to the position of general manager. Alyssa's deep passion for her work and her genuine love for dogs is evident in everything she does.
As a certified AKC evaluator, Alyssa thrives on collaborating with dog owners to craft personalized training plans that cater to each dog's unique needs and challenges. She takes immense joy in guiding families toward successful training outcomes, fostering stronger bonds between owners and their furry companions. Looking ahead, Alyssa is excited to expand her impact in the pet care industry, helping more families create unforgettable memories with their cherished dogs, one thoughtfully designed training plan at a time.
Outside of work, she loves to spend time outdoors with her two dogs, read, and enjoy quality moments with family and friends.
Hannah
Training Manager
Hannah is the Head Trainer here at The Happy Retriever. She started in 2016 as an Administrative Assistant while in high school and transitioned to Bump Up Trainer in 2018, working at the center in between attending Unity College. After graduating with a degree in Wildlife Biology and working for Denver Zoo and Blank Park Zoo.
Hannah returned as our Head Program Trainer in 2023, introducing training tools with a positive mindset. She believes that building a strong relationship with your dog is the key to successful training. With practice and consistency, every dog has the potential to be an amazing companion for their family!
Hannah is also an AKC Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen, Urban Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine, S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, and Trick Dog. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Zailey, a Border Collie Mix.
Alexa
Office Manager
Alexa is a dedicated professional with a background in pre-veterinary medicine. She began her career in the veterinary field but soon discovered her passion for dog training. In 2021, she joined The Happy Retriever as a front desk receptionist and quickly demonstrated exceptional skills and work ethic, leading to her promotion to the position of office manager. Alexa thrives in an environment that allows her to work closely with dogs and their owners. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her pup, Romeo, or curling up at home with a good book. Her blend of expertise and love for animals makes her a valuable asset to the team.
Karina
Program Trainer
Karina is our E-Collar program trainer who strives to improve the relationship between humans and their dogs, fostering a harmonious coexistence. Karina has always been an avid lover of the dog world. Despite her recent entry into the field of training, she has dedicated herself to training fundamentals to her years of riding and working horses, continuously learning throughout her career. She owes all her current knowledge of handling skills and some fundamentals of training to her years of riding and working horses both in the saddle and groundwork. When not engaged in training, she dedicates her time to competing in sports and enhancing the obedience of her three dogs—Ticket, Moon, and Zelda. She cherishes this passion as a family activity, appreciating the moments they share together in pursuit of it. She looks forward to continuing to broaden her education throughout the years and building new and current relationships with other professionals in the field.
Jana
Program Trainer
Jana is an avid animal lover of all kinds! She joined the THR pack in the spring of 2022 as a Bump Up day trainer, working with all different types of dogs to keep their skills sharp. Her hard work and dedication paid off as she moved up the ranks and is now the primary trainer for teaching Doggie Boot Camps. Helping dog and owner navigate through the process of jumping from food-based training to balanced training. She loves teaching dogs new tricks and hopes to start running trick training classes soon.
When not at work, Jana loves to hike with her dog Sophie or curl up on the couch with a good book. Being a lover of good eats, she is just as food-motivated as the dogs!
Rhiannon
Bump Up Trainer
Rhiannon is our head food-based trainer and has been part of The Happy Retriever team since October 2022. She has been training dogs for nearly four years and is dedicated to enhancing the bond between dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement training. Currently, she runs our Puppy Package and Puppy Resident programs, and she also works with some of our new or nervous puppies.
Rhiannon has two amazing dogs: Claude, a Chihuahua, and Daisy, a Rough Collie, who inspire her daily and demonstrate just how rewarding and fun training can be. She is passionate about her work and loves using what she has learned from them to help other dogs, and their owners build strong, happy bonds.
Jocelyn
Bump Up Trainer
Jocelyn is a Balanced and Food-Based trainer who has worked for The Happy Retriever since 2017. Her favorite part of dog training is working with the shy and nervous dogs, helping them build the confidence to come out of their shells. She often gets help from her dog partner in crime, Mina, who the THR staff has crowned as the ‘therapy dog for dogs’. Jocelyn teaches several classes, including Puppy 101 and Canine Good Citizen Prep. She is also a certified AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and CGC exams evaluator. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, playing video games, taking trail walks, and taking Mina on adventures.
Megan
Bump Up Trainer
Megan has always had a passion for dogs. She began her career working with animals in 2009 as a veterinary assistant at a local animal hospital. From there, she worked her way up to manager at the attached boarding facility. Later, she took a position at another local boarding facility as an enrichment coordinator, where she taught staff how to run safe and successful playgroups.
It was during this time that she realized she wanted to train dogs and help owners better understand their dog's behaviors. She then worked at a training facility, gaining valuable experience in training dogs and teaching owners basic obedience.
Megan strives to build strong bonds with all the dogs she works with and is very happy to be a part of The Happy Retriever family!
Hailey
Bump Up Trainer
Hailey is one of our food-based trainers and has been with The Happy Retriever for almost a year. Previously, she worked as an adoption consultant at an animal shelter, where she learned that effective training can significantly impact a dog’s life, as well as the lives of their owners, enhancing the quality of their relationship. A mentally stimulated, enriched, and properly socialized dog is a happy dog!
Hailey is extremely passionate about helping dogs become their best selves through training and nurturing a strong bond with each dog. She believes there is nothing more rewarding than working with dogs, witnessing their breakthrough moments, and watching them successfully reach their potential.
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The Happy Retriever is an outstanding training facility! Our 6 month old rescue, Nova attended a resident training program. She attends bump up days at least once per week. The training was life changing! We were unable to walk Nova pre resident program & she was terrified with any loud noises. There were many other issues that needed to be addressed as well. Nova has been doing wonderful since coming home! We can’t say enough about the staff at Happy Retriever. They are a very talented bunch!
The trainers and staff here are AMAZING. My boy, Dale, loves coming to THR! They've done an amazing job channeling his Spaniel energy into something productive and he's such a joy to be around because of their hard work! Update 9/27/22: I just picked up Dale from his 9-day E-Collar training class and he's a dream to be around! The team at THR really knows how to bring out the best in all dogs - even ones as willful and energetic as my boy!
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Five stars! If there were six or seven, or MORE I would DEFINITELY be rating them all. Do NOT hesitate, we had SUCH an amazing experience. I was so hesitant to board my 4-year-old rescue. I adopted her as a 4-month-old "cautious" pup, and while she's come along way socially and emotionally, she was in dire need of probably private training, and lots of it. So we spent a couple of weeks doing bump-up training and the progression was slow going. I came back from my trip to a completely well trained dog. What a joy! There were daily report cards that were thorough, honest and insightful.
