About Us

 Shea was born and raised in the rural outskirts of Spokane, Washington, and in the mountains of Libby, Montana, where his lifelong love of dogs began. Introduced to the world of dogs at a young age through his grandparents—who bred red, smooth-coated Miniature Dachshunds for 25 years—Shea grew up training, showing, and caring for dogs. At just 8 years old, he was given his first pup to train and show, setting the stage for a lifelong passion. Over the years, he has gained more than 17 years of hands-on experience raising and training a variety of dog breeds from puppyhood to adulthood.

After high school, Shea pursued higher education at Washington State University and the University of Washington, where he earned a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Following graduation, he worked in the legal field, dedicating himself to personal and professional development. While he was successful, his true calling remained just ahead.

In the spring of 2018, Shea rescued a Black and Tan Coonhound puppy—his first cold scent hound. This experience ignited his passion for advanced dog training. Under the mentorship of respected trainers Joan Fetty and Rosemary (Mitzi) Jorgenson, Shea refined his skills and developed a deep appreciation for building strong, lasting relationships between dogs and their owners. When Joan Fetty closed her training school in 2019, Shea and Mitzi re-opened it to continue the important work at Pawsitive Dog Training School.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Shea committed to perfecting his craft by attending the Starmark School for Professional Dog Trainers, where he completed the prestigious Master Course. With this advanced certification, he returned to the Pacific Northwest with his husband, Tyler, ready to bring high-quality training to his community.

In 2023, Shea and Tyler purchased a small 9-acre farm in Bellingham, Washington, where they are building Whatcom County’s premier dog training facility. At the same time, Shea became the proud owner of Puget Hound, a beloved local pet care business offering daycare, boarding, grooming, and training. By uniting Pawsitive Dog Training School with Puget Hound, Shea has created a comprehensive hub for dog training and pet care in Bellingham, WA.

Today, Shea is recognized as a balanced dog trainer, using all four quadrants of operant conditioning to provide fair, effective, and science-based results. From puppy training and basic obedience to advanced off-leash reliability, competition preparation, and behavioral rehabilitation, Shea has helped countless families transform their relationships with their dogs.

Jess is a born and raised Washintonian. She was raised around her grandparents' horse ranch in Wenatchee. Her passion for horses switched over time to dogs when she saw how well trained her grandparent’s Labrador Retriever “Buzz”. She was so impressed by his impulse control and obedience that ever since then, she knew she wanted to work with dogs. 

Once Jess graduated high school the hunt for a gig with dogs began. She stumbled upon The Academy of Canine Behavior located in Bothell, Washington. Because Jessica lacked the required experience to become a trainer, she started out in reception. As she began learning more about balanced dog training and behavior modification, she was hooked! The science behind how dogs learn and what work goes into it satisfied her. After working as a receptionist for 3 months, she started her apprenticeship program through AOCB and became an official dog trainer as of October 2021. She was very drawn to dogs specifically with aggression issues. The reward of helping a dog become more comfortable with the world was like no other feeling. She was successfully able to rehabilitate an extreme case of aggression with a German Shepherd and eventually got her own! 

Jessica soon became the training supervisor and AOCB and led a team of trainers passing down the knowledge she had gained to future trainers. She even got to compete in Rally with one of Colleen McDaniel’s Irish Water Spaniels “Finn” and gave him his first two legs, winning first place her first day! 

Jessica became a trainer at Pawsitive Dog Training School in June of 2024. She was drawn to working with Shea in order to expand her training skills and knowledge with the intent to become a Master Trainer and Handler in AKC Performance Sports. 

She looks forward to meeting you and your pup and can’t wait to see what she can do to help you!