Join us for Class with
Tip Top Tails Dog Training


For the current or upcoming class schedules,
please visit www.tiptoptails.com
or call (269) 539-1847 for more information.

Meet Kelly Elvin, Owner of TipTopTails:

"I’m Kelly Elvin, the founder of TipTopTails Dog Training.

Successful dog training is all about teamwork and every great team needs a coach. That’s where I come in!

I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), which means I passed a national certification exam given by an independent testing agency after accruing over 300 hours as an instructor. The CPDT exam tests knowledge of dog behavior and application of training techniques in five areas: learning theory, instruction skills, animal husbandry, ethology, and equipment. I have been a CPDT-KA since 2004 and maintain my certification through continuing education.

I’ve had over ten years of experience working with dogs and their owners. Before founding TipTopTails, I was the Head Staff Trainer for AnimalSense Canine Training & Behavior, voted one of the top training schools in the Chicago area by the readers of Chicagoland Tails Magazine. I also worked for the Animal Care League in Oak Park, Illinois, training dogs in the shelter awaiting new homes.

I started off my dog training career just like you – as a student. Even though I grew up on a small farm with dogs, cats, horses, chickens and geese, when I got my first dog I was frustrated by my inability to get through to him. The traditional correction methods I learned at puppy class just didn’t work, and I didn’t know any other way to train.

It seemed like there had to be a better way.

My life changed when I learned about positive reinforcement training. This training method emphasizes showing your dog what to do and rewarding your dog for getting it right. Finally, my dog and I could train with cooperation instead of confrontation.

Going to training classes was so interesting and so much fun that I asked the instructor to let me observe additional classes, and that turned into a year-long internship. I had spent ten years working as a litigation attorney after graduating from Bucknell University and the University of Michigan Law School. Now it was time for a change. I became a dog trainer.

Today, I am lucky enough to work with other dog owners and my goal is to enhance your daily life with your dog. Whether you want to bring a new puppy into your home, teach your adult dog good manners, or spend some time learning fun new tricks with your best friend, I’m here to help.

When I’m not training your dogs, I’m doing a variety of other dog-related things. I am a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and regularly attend seminars and read trade journals to stay up to date with the most current information about dog training and behavior. I also serve as a board member and volunteer for Al-Van Humane Society in South Haven, and volunteer for Central Indiana Lab Rescue and Adoption. I have titled a dog in Rally obedience and agility and am interested in canine freestyle dancing.

I live in Grand Junction with my husband Matt and our three dogs: Mandy, a Labrador retriever; Hemi, a Rottweiler mix; and a new golden retriever puppy. Mandy is a registered Delta Society Pet Partner and is trained to find lost cats along with Matt, who is a Missing Animal Response Technician (yes, my husband is a pet detective) through Missing Pet Partnership. Hemi is planning to spend 2011 learning more about agility and figuring out how to be nice to our cats, Colby Jack and Pepper Jack."