Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie McIntyre.
Hi Carrie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in the Detroit area and made West Michigan my home after meeting my husband, Mike, and graduating from Hope College. After 20+ years in sales, I felt the pull to do something more meaningful. With the help of a career coach, and the courage to invest in myself, I returned to a lifelong passion: dogs.
Dog Training Elite gave me the support and confidence to build a business around that passion. Today I help people enjoy life with well-trained dogs and also specialize in service and therapy dogs. My favorite moments are when owners and their dogs finally “get” each other.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been easy or fun. When the company I worked for was bought out during the pandemic, a challenge I faced throughout my career, I used it as a chance to pause and redirect. What could have been a setback became the push I needed to create a career I love. My years in sales gave me the business acumen and confidence to step into small business ownership, and now I get to do work that makes a real difference in people’s and dogs’ lives.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We train dogs in obedience, manners, and behavior challenges. We also set puppies up for a lifetime of success and happiness and specialize in training and certifying service and therapy dogs. Training begins with private, in-home lessons where we can work with dogs and people in a familiar environment and address challenges where they actually happen. Once those foundations are in place, we transition to group classes with real-life distractions in parks and dog-friendly stores. This ensures sustained obedience and gives owners the confidence and skills to handle their dogs when we aren’t there.
I’m especially proud of the service dogs we have trained that empower students to attend college independently, assist handlers through medical challenges, and provide support for individuals with autism. It’s equally rewarding to train therapy dogs that bring comfort and happiness to counseling and medical centers, schools, and dental offices.
Some of my most meaningful moments include watching a nonverbal child with autism pet my dog and, for the first time, say the word “dog.” His mother cried with joy. Another was helping a family whose once, uncontrollable dog , learned to walk calmly next to a stroller, making outings enjoyable for everyone. A couple once shared that they had tried other trainers without success, and if I had not helped their dog stop barking at everything, they would have been forced to give the dog up after neighbors complained. Moments like these, along with the everyday wins we see in training, fuel my passion for this work.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
This question was and seems to fit better…What makes you happy?
I’m grateful to say work now makes me happy. Watching people and dogs grow together brings me joy, even on the tough days. It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me I’ve helped them change their life. It’s amazing what dogs can do with the right guidance.
At home, I’m happiest with my husband Mike and our three Golden Retrievers: Arlo, Sturgill, and Hatfield. They remind me to enjoy life’s simple moments. I also love West Michigan’s beaches and live music whenever I can.
Pricing:
- We offer a range of training packages designed to fit different needs. Full details are available on our website.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dogtrainingelite.com/west-michigan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogtrainingelitewestmichigan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dogtrainingelitewestmichigan
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/carrie-mcintyre-b1209a42
- Other: Email: WestMI@dogtrainingelite.com
