ABOUT HAPPY K9 TRAINING
Hi there! My name is Sunny Bravo and I have lived in the valley of the sun the majority of my life. I have been surrounded by dogs since the age of 5. My family bred Siberian Huskies & entered them into AKC conformation shows. My first personal dog as an adult was a Golden Retriever-Chow mix gifted to me by a friend on my 18th birthday, followed by a beautiful male German Shepherd from Greenleaf Kennels in Show Low, a rescued Yorkie mix, and then a Border Collie. I currently have the pleasure of being accompanied by my 8 year old Standard Poodle, 3.5 year old Chinese Crested and a 17 month old Dutch Shepherd.
I have volunteered in the past with Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, Arizona Humane Society, and multiple rescues statewide doing home checks, interstate dog transport, fostering and rehabilitating dogs. I also personally rescued dogs in need, providing medical care, grooming and training, and then adopting them out to the perfect home. I have also previously worked with equines, a variety of bird species, felines, and multiple small animals including rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and fancy mice.
I am a positive reinforcement trainer specializing in Service Dog training who uses humane, cooperative, and consent based methods.
I do not use choke chains, prong collars or e-collars on your dog, ever.
My goal is to work cooperatively with both dog & owner throughout the process and make training as stress-free, successful and enjoyable as possible. I currently spend my time coaching humans and their Service Dogs, and I volunteer regularly with Service Animals of Arizona offering free trainings in public to Service Dog teams. I also help run the online Facebook group: U.S. Service Animals and work regularly with Veterans to help prepare their dogs for working in public by their side.
I volunteer and spend my time (sometimes with other Service Dog teams) in the community raising awareness about Service Animals and their handler's rights.
We also help advocate for Service Dog handlers when they run into an access issue at no cost.
We participate in educating businesses on their rights regarding Service Animals, and the behavior they *should* expect to see from an advanced team at no cost.
I am a certified AKC CGC evaluator. I am also a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy. I am a member of PPG (The Pet Professional Guild), and I carry insurance through Business Insurers of the Carolinas. I am committed to continuing professional development.
I am the proud handler of an 8 year old female Standard Poodle. She is the mascot behind the company name and assists me with my clients and their dogs that I work with - during private lessons, group classes, Service Dog group trainings and even during online training sessions. She knows no stranger, and all animals are her friend. She not only is my personal service dog, but she is also involved with rally, dock diving, coursing, Fast CAT, trick training, barn hunt, canicross, bikejoring, scent work and weight pull training.
She currently has the following titles: ATT, CAA, CGCA, CGCU, DN, FCAT2, FDC, FITS, FTI, RATI, RN, and TKA.
She is the happiest dog I have ever known, and she shares her joy with everyone she encounters. My goal in life with my personal dogs are to ensure their well-being and happiness by providing them with choice in training, cooperative care, decompression walks and plenty of enrichment.
I know each dog in every family is different, and I’ll work with you to help give them the specific guidance they need in a humane and compassionate way. Whether you’re considering getting a Service Dog, have just gotten a new puppy, already have a dog and need assistance getting them ready for public access, or task training, I am here to help.
I have professional working experience with thousands of canines over the last 25 years - these include purebred dogs, AKC show champions, dogs titled in canine sports, mixed breed dogs, rescue dogs and dogs with physical special needs (missing a limb, paralyzed, blind, deaf, etc.), all ranging from puppies to seniors.
Some of the purebred dogs I have worked with professionally over the years are the following:
Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier, Akita, Alaskan Klee Kai, Alaskan Malamute, American Bulldog, American Eskimo Dog, American Pit bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Kelpie, Australian Shepherd,
Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle, Bearded Collie, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervuren, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bichon Frise, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Boerboel, Bolognese, Border Collie, Border Terrier, Boston Terrier, Bouvier de Flandres, Boxer, Briard, Brittany, Brussels Griffon, Bull Terrier, Bullmastiff,
Cairn Terrier, Cane Corso, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Chihuahua, Chinese Crested, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Cocker Spaniel, Collie, Coton de Tulear, Curly Coated Retriever,
Dachshund, Dalmatian, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Doberman Pinscher, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Dutch Shepherd,
English Bulldog, English Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Flat-Coated Retriever, French Bulldog,
German Pinscher, German Shepherd, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Giant Schnauzer, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Greyhound,
Havanese, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Greyhound, Japanese Chin, Japanese Spitz, Jindo, Keeshond,
Labrador Retriever, Lhasa Apso,
Maltese, Mastiff, Miniature American Shepherd, Miniature Pinscher, Miniature Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Norfolk Terrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Norwich Terrier, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever,
Old English Sheepdog, Papillon, Parson Russell Terrier, Pekingese, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Presa Canario, Pharoah Hound, Pointer, Pomeranian, Portuguese Water Dog, Pug, Puli, Rat Terrier, Redbone Coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Rough Collie, Russell Terrier,
Saint Bernard, Samoyed, Schipperke, Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, Shiba Inu, Shih Tzu, Siberian Husky, Silky Terrier, Skye Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Spinone Italiano, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Standard Poodle, Standard Schnauzer,
Thai Ridgeback, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier, Toy Poodle, Treeing Walker Coonhound,
Vizsla, Weimaraner, Welsh Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Whippet, Wire Fox Terrier, and the Yorkshire Terrier.
My goal is to make training as enjoyable for the dog and their human as possible. If you'd like to get more information, please email me at sunnyb@happyk9training.com or send a text to 480-886-6596. I look forward to speaking with you about your training goals soon.
Go play with your dog!
Sunny Bravo, KPA CTP