About Your Trainer

Meet Christy – Founder & Lead Trainer at Jolly Dog Training​

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Christy’s journey to dog training started on the ice—literally. She spent years traveling the world as a professional figure skater before accepting a contract at Busch Gardens in Florida. It was there that Christy’s lifelong passion for animals met opportunity. Working full-time while studying animal behavior, she began preparing for her professional dog training certification—and never looked back.

In between skating contracts, Christy dedicated her time to animal rescue and worked hands-on in a Florida animal shelter. There, she gained experience with dogs facing fear, anxiety, aggression, and other behavior sensitivities. It confirmed what she always knew: she was put on this earth to help dogs and their people build lives of trust, understanding, and unbreakable bonds.

Now with over 10 years of experience training dogs of all breeds and backgrounds, Christy holds multiple certifications and is committed to ongoing education in the field of behavior and training. Her philosophy is rooted in empathy, strengthening bonds, and the belief that every dog-human team deserves to have the information needed to thrive together.

Christy is especially passionate about keeping dogs in their homes—knowing that most shelter surrenders happen due to behavior issues that can be addressed with the right support. That belief led her to found Jolly Tails Animal Sanctuary, a registered nonprofit rescue dedicated to helping dogs in need and giving back to the community.

At home, Christy is surrounded by her husband, Tim, and their beloved dogs:
🐾 Lumen (16, Husky)
🐾 Keela (15, Lab mix)
🐾 Zayn (10, Husky mix)

🐾Teegan (8, malamute mix)
🐾 Jax (4, Husky mix)
🐾 Bindi (1, Husky)

Each one has taught her something unique—and continues to inspire her work every day.