About

Head Trainer – Stevie Mathre

Stevie Mathre, CPDT-KSA, Low Stress Handling® Silver Certified, Fear Free Certified, AKC CGC and Trick Evaluator, AKC Fit Dog Instructor – Stevie grew up with a rough-coated collie, and got her first very own collie after graduate school. She volunteered through a shelter program, where she quickly became a trainer. By the time that first collie, Joella, was 18 months old, she started competing in obedience, and soon added agility and herding. 

Stevie has been training dogs professionally since 1997 and was the first in the Fargo-Moorhead area to earn her Certified Professional Dog Trainer certification in 2006. She competes with her dogs and with clients’ dogs in obedience, rally, conformation, agility, and herding, and has earned numerous additional titles in tricks, Canine Good Citizenship, cooperative care, fitness, and backpacking. She also has experience training service dogs and therapy dogs. 

While competing is challenging, and she’s proud of the titles she’s earned, the greatest positive reinforcement comes from the day-to-day training and simply sharing life with her dogs. The titles are merely a way to break down their goals into achievable steps and motivate her to keep training daily. There’s always something more to learn, and new activities to try. Current interests are cooperative care, tricks, and scent work.

Currently, Stevie lives with two collies (Quinn and Tor), a blind-deaf aussie (Pippin) and a macaw. Working with Pippin has fostered a deeper understanding of interspecies communication. He’s earned a couple of trick titles so far and is training in scent work. 

Stevie works with clients virtually and was the first trainer with PawsAbilities to work exclusively using that modality. Her specialty is working with dogs with behaviors problems, including separation anxiety. Working virtually has been beneficial in keeping the dogs calmer and ready to learn, and owners are empowered to handle their dogs through the process. “Owners are better equipped to handle situations that arise when they’ve been hands-on from the beginning. They amass the same skills and experience and can help their dogs get through the tough times,” she says.  Stevie also takes in occasional board and train dogs. 

Stevie is a member of the following professional organizations: AKC, CCPDT, and IAABC.

Outside interests include photography/videography, cooking, gardening, quilting, figure skating, and Norwegian language and arts. Oh, and ask her anything about the music of Queen!

Assistant Trainer – Quinn

A young up-and-comer, Quinn has her own way of doing things, but puts her heart in her work. Nothing gets in her way, even the most obstinate of clients!