Her first hands-on experience in the pet care world came through a job at Paws in Paradise, a dog daycare, grooming, and retail facility in Park Slope. Not long after starting there, a six-month-old puppy was abandoned by its owner, left stranded at the facility. For whatever reason, Tiffany’s gut told her that she needed to take him home, and so she did. Eager to do her best, she began devouring anything she could find about dog behavior.

Despite her best efforts, however, Thaniel developed a fair amount of reactivity toward other dogs, and at times, people. He had grown into a powerful 65-lb dog reflecting some unknown mix of powerful breeds, and this ultimately pushed her to seek professional help. As fate would have it, she came upon KIBA K9s and started working for them on Thaniel’s anti-social behaviors, and that experience gave her both practical insights and a deep appreciation for balanced, thoughtful training.

At the time, she was pursuing her Canine Obedience Dog Training (CODT) certification through Animal Behavior College, where Kirubell happened to be one of her instructors. She completed the program in 2022 with a strong foundation in both dog training and animal husbandry. This accredited program is recognized by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), and the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI). To her surprise, the principles she was learning—about motivation, communication, and emotional regulation—proved just as helpful in parenting as they were in dog training.

After graduating, Tiffany returned to KIBA K9s to complete a six-month internship under Kirubell’s mentorship. She dove deep into the craft, gaining hands-on experience with dogs across a wide range of behavioral issues. At the end of her internship, she was offered a full-time position—and officially joined the team in late 2022. Tiffany graduated from NePoPo® Silver School with Michael & Bart Bellon in 2023 and went on to graduate from NePoPo® Gold School in 2024. That same year, she completed the Training Without Conflict program as well as Nino Droewart’s STSK9 course.

Tiffany has a particular love for young dog development and building confidence in dogs through play. Her maternal, encouraging presence helps even the most anxious of dogs quickly feel grounded and supported. Sam, Tiffany’s 10-year-old son, often tags along to training sessions, bringing youthful energy and real-life context to her work. At home, Thaniel (now 7) is still her loyal companion and not only has overcome his reactivity issues, but serves as an incredible helper when training other dogs. Last but not least, Cherry, Tiffany’s 4-year-old guinea pig, completes her pack at home 🙂