Owner/Founder

Dogs have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. In my early twenties I was introduced to the pointing breeds, and the obsession became alive. I aspired to train dogs professionally. After my research, I decided to learn under Rick & Ronnie Smith. I pursued all they had to offer and received my Gold Level HuntSmith Certification. I hosted, instructed, and certified using the HuntSmith Silent Command System.

For the next twenty years, I continued to train for the public as well as run a high-end guide string throughout the United States. My understanding and relationship with the dogs began to grow deep. I’ve trained hundreds of dogs for the public, from upland applications to incredibly aggressive dogs.

Over time, my training style changed. Together, with Jordan Wells of J. Wells Kennel, The Method™ Training Program was created. Currently, we give seminars across the US.

Today, while obedience training is still a large part of our business, I am extremely excited to be training single-purpose detection dogs.

Owner/Founder

While Sonny was building the kennel business, I worked at our local bank as an operations supervisor full-time and did much of the after-hours bookkeeping and maintenance at the kennel. After our daughters graduated, we either needed to hire an employee or I needed to take on a more full-time position at the kennel. In 2017 we added on to the facility. We trained, boarded, and groomed dogs. While Sonny was still training for the public and guiding upland hunts, I was working all the detection candidates.

When Covid hit in 2020, the detection work took a substantial hit, and I pivoted to work with more obedience dogs. Currently, I am working side by side with Sonny and our two employees.

ASSISTANT TRAINER

I started my career with Hay Creek Kennel in 2014. For several years, I worked under Sonny, learning how to read and understand dog behavior. During that time we trained primarily upland bird dogs and high-need obedience dogs. In 2018 Sonny and Shannon started to direct their focus towards detection animals. After learning alongside Sonny and Shannon on how to develop and create single-purpose detection dogs, I found interest in this path fairly quickly and was eager to learn more. 

With the knowledge and experience that HCK had given me, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work for Auburn University's Canine Performance Science Program as a puppy developer in 2020. This was an incredible experience. I was able to jump in and work with an elite program creating single-purpose detection dogs.

After moving back home from Alabama in 2021, I continued working for HCK. I am able to bring the knowledge and skills I learned during my time at Auburn University back to HCK.

I started working at HCK when I was 12, so being that I started working fairly young, the experience at HCK has shaped my understanding of hard work and dedication. I quickly learned that working with dogs was something I wanted to do for my career, and HCK has provided me with countless opportunities over the past decade to pursue that.

My goal is to continue playing a key role at HCK in their continued growth and success in producing vapor wake-capable detection dogs.

Assistant Trainer

Working with dogs has always been a passion of mine. From the second my parents brought home our first dog, I started brainstorming about all the things I could train her to do! This passion followed me into adulthood when my parents began breeding Labrador Retrievers. I became instantly hooked, not only on training but also on the breeding and genetics behind dogs!

In the fall of 2020, I attended UW-River Falls with the intention of majoring in Companion Animal Science. My goal was to learn all aspects of canine behavior, how dogs communicate, and even how to build a dog training business. I also wanted to dive deeper into the genetic makeup of canines. After attending for a semester, I found a program that aligned better with what I was looking for. In 2021, I enrolled in the Dog Obedience Program through Animal Behavior College. Over the course of a year, I gained a wealth of knowledge on topics ranging from canine basics, effective problem solving, and dog first aid/CPR, to the essentials of building a successful dog training business. I proudly completed the program in the summer of 2022 and began accepting clients for private lessons later that year.

At the beginning of 2023, I officially launched my own dog training business, Rosey’s Obedience & Dog Training LLC. For the first few months, I traveled between neighboring towns, gaining experience and learning more from every client I worked with. Then in April 2023, I connected with Sonny and Shannon from Hay Creek Kennel, LLC, which opened up a new chapter in my dog training journey.

Working at Hay Creek Kennel, I learned all about "The Method Dog Training™," which included everything from bird dog development to basic and advanced obedience training. This experience helped me understand how to properly read a dog, grasp their mindset, and create hard-working, problem-solving, and confident animals. Later that summer, I began my journey gaining hands-on experience with the breeding and development of single-purpose explosive detection dogs. For the past year and a half, I’ve been involved in developing and training VaporWake® caliber detection dogs, a unique and fulfilling aspect of my career.

The knowledge I’ve gained working with Sonny and Shannon has been invaluable, and I’m excited to continue growing, learning, and contributing to the future of Hay Creek Kennel’s detection training program. My journey with dogs has been a blend of passion, education, and hands-on experience, and I look forward to what the future holds as I continue to pursue my mission of training and developing incredible dogs.