Both Ends of the Leash

Both Ends of the Leash offers professional dog training and canine behavioral consulting for you and your four legged friend. Private training, specialty services and pet sitting are available. We strive to help you and your dog live happily together and you can expect individual care and attention no matter what service you are seeking.

Both Ends of the Leash works with dogs of any age, breed, or background using positive reinforcement. It is our belief that training and behavior modification should be enjoyable and successful for all who are involved. Sarah hopes that her clients enjoy their training appointments as much as she does!

Both Ends of the Leash's founder, Sarah Althen, CPDT-KA has had a love of animals for her whole life. In addition to growing up with family pets she began working as a volunteer at nature centers and an animal sanctuary as a teenager and continued her work with animals by becoming a veterinary assistant before she attended a Professional Dog Training and Dog Psychology course. The course involved hands on work teaching group classes, private lessons and working with shelter dogs as well as classroom learning before Sarah graduated at the top her class. She continues to improve her knowledge of dogs and their behavior through educational conferences, professional organizations, seminars, videos, and the latest published information. Sarah is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) which is a certification through the only independent testing body in the country that also requires 36 continuing education units every three years as well as following a Code of Ethics. She is a member of Truly Dog Friendly Dog Trainers, an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and a founding member of a breed rescue that is active in over 12 states. Also, Sarah is a Presenter for the Dogs and Storks Program and The Dog and Baby Connection program which have been nationally recognized and are designed to help families with young children or those who are expecting children to train and prepare their dog for the baby as well as helping medical and childcare professionals learn about child and dog safety. Sarah and her husband Colin had their first child, a son named Joshua, in Sept '06 and their second child, a daughter named Avonlea, in Jan '11. She is also a proud Mom of her two rescued dogs Trina, and Jack, and two rescued cats Maggie and Holiday. Her special boy Trucker, CGC went to the Rainbow Bridge in 3/10 after a battle with a brain tumor. And her little Crestie girl, Jazmina, went to The Bridge in 7/11 after a long battle with heart disease. Sarah and her family look forward to adding another rescued dog into their family in the (hopefully!) not-too-distant future.

Sarah is an active member of the following organizations: