Meet the Sit Pretty Dog Training Team

Aubrey Sperry, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is the owner and head trainer of Sit Pretty Dog Training. She is certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants as a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), and by Fear Free as a Fear Free Certified Trainer. Aubrey is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the Pet Professional Guild, and she has worked professionally with animals since 2007. She gained experience teaching people while working as an educator at the Los Angeles Zoo, and learned to work with various dog breeds as a veterinary technician in an emergency and specialty practice in Los Angeles. More recently in Boston, Aubrey worked as a zookeeper at the Franklin Park Zoo, where she trained or assisted in training a variety of exotic animals.

As her career progressed from vet tech to zookeeper to aquarium vet tech, Aubrey realized dog training is her first love. During her five years working in the veterinary field, she noticed that the discomfort animals can have in veterinary clinics makes work difficult for veterinarians and can make dogs and their owners anxious. She has also seen instances of dogs being returned to shelters and rescues due to a lack of training. These situations ranged from differing energy levels between an owner and the dog chosen, to leash reactivity in the city, to simple misunderstanding of normal dog behavior. Being a witness to these common problems has led Aubrey to work with dogs in a way that reduces frustration in dogs and their owners with supportive and positive communication. Aubrey wants to be there to support new dog owners, veterinary clinicians and their clients, and people who are struggling to maintain a balanced city life with their dogs.

As a veterinary technician and avid participant in dog sports, Aubrey has worked with many different dog breeds, and knows how to tailor training regimens to suit different temperaments of individual dogs. She believes that many dogs can adapt to fit a lifestyle that suits a city dweller with the right training and mental stimulation.

Aubrey lives in West Roxbury with her two dogs, Jolene and Guillermo. They are active in the dog sport flyball and can be seen with their team, Ready, Set, Ruckus!, at tournaments throughout the year. Aubrey also enjoys working her dogs in rally obedience, dock diving, canine frisbee, lure coursing, and nosework. She also works hard to make sure her dogs are well adjusted city dwellers. Say hi if you see them around West Rox or JP.

Carol Brackett, CPDT-KA is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Profession Dog Trainers and is a certified Pro Dog Trainer through Absolute Dogs. Carol’s focus is in family dog training, helping owners achieve their goals of a well-mannered dog at any age. A dog’s full potential is unlocked through understanding their strengths while using positive and science-based solutions for their struggles. Carol also enjoys helping shy and nervous dogs build the confidence to become confident and curious.

Carol’s path to dog training started with birds. Her previous experiences included studying breeding behaviors of native birds and being an avian keeper and trainer at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. Working with a diverse group of birds provided many challenges and opportunities for creative approaches to training. Carol was presented with a whole new challenge when she moved with her reactive dog, Hudson, from rural New Hampshire to a city apartment. Her drive to understand reactive dogs has not only led to great strides in Hudson’s confidence and happiness, but also encouraged a new passion, dog training. Carol hung up her feathered hat for one with fur.

Her recent experience includes working as a trainer in basic obedience and puppy skills, leading group classes in basic and intermediate obedience, obedience for reactive dogs, puppy socialization, and confidence building. She worked with a variety of breeds and temperaments at a daycare that specializes in socializing and training dogs that have behavioral issues not appropriate for traditional daycare settings.