The Humans

Please also visit our Gallery page to see pictures of some of our furry friends!

Jenny Kline - Founder & Trainer

A native of Wisconsin, Jenny has always had an understanding of and love for animals. From rabbits, guinea pigs. frogs, snakes and salamanders, to rescuing stray dogs and cats, and barrel racing in 4-H, Jenny grew up immersed in animals.  She was thrilled with the opportunity to train her first dog, an aussie/lab mix, in obedience, which eventually led her to begin showing dogs in AKC conformation & obedience through the eighties and nineties. She attended grooming school in 1984,  and honed her skills by gro0ming clients' dogs and show-grooming Bouviers for professional handlers in Nebraska.  She worked with a certified canine behaviorist for six years in Pennsylvania and took classes in Shutzhund (a 3-part dog sport consisting of obedience, tracking, and protection work) and showed Australian Shepherds in conformation extensively throughout the northeast - finishing several champions. Over the years she’s attended canine nutrition seminars by renowned veterinarian and nutritionist Dr. Ian Billinghurst, as well as numerous other training and handling seminars. 

Jenny moved to the Gallup area with her husband and son in 1998 for the wide open space and has never looked back. Here, she continued to build on her vast experience caring for  animals by working for Dr. Ken Podkonjak at Red Rock Animal Hospital for seven years as groomer, receptionist, and then  office manager until he sold the practice in 2005.   She has rescued countless strays which she kept or fostered  and found "forever homes".  She has also done equine rescue/re-hab & re-home over the years and remains active in learning natural horsemanship methods which she uses riding and training her horses in dressage. 

She currently owns six dogs, (a German shepherd, three Aussies and two very challenging but hilarious rescue pug mixes), one rescue cat, four rescue goats, and three horses.  Her training philosophy remains:  gently communicate/show what you’re asking, develop focus, mark/reward the correct response, repeat, build drive and motivation.

Elizabeth "Libby" Nickerson

Libby has been a dog lover and owner since birth, as her family has always had for multiple dogs at once. Upon leaving home and starting to care for her own dogs, she grew interested in dog training and over the years has been involved in Schutzhund, tracking, search and rescue, as well as basic obedience and canine good citizen. She loves getting dogs started with the basics of training (sit, stay, heel, etc.) as well as with more trick-style training (shake, rollover, and such.) Libby has seven years of  professional dog grooming experience,  five years of experience as a kennel technician, and two years experience as a veterinary technician. She says, "Dogs are a big part of my life, and I can't imagine that ever changing."