Huron Valley Service Dogs
Kimberly Poisson, program coordinator and lead trainer
Atlas Certified Trainer, Karen Pryor Academy-CTP, LFDM-T, FFP, CTDI, CCFC
Kimberly grew up with a love for training dogs as it was instilled in her at an early age as she followed her father, also a trainer, around. She has been involved in training and dog sports her entire life and is dedicated to training dogs using only reward based positive methods, never any aversive tools or techniques.
She is passionate about supporting service dog owner trainers and helping them by providing training support and ensuring the teams are successful.
Before training service dogs, Kim worked in many fields of the animal training profession as a dog trainer and behavior consultant, dog sport participant (herding, agility, scent work, obedience, and rally), and two decades with raptor rehabilitation and wildlife educational programing.
When she owned her own training facility Kim helped thousands of pet families with training and behavior issues from puppies to adult and senior dogs. After many decades of working in such a fast-paced demanding setting, she decided to focus only on service dog teams and behavioral issues.
She has over four decades of experience training dogs and holds the following certifications and titles.
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Atlas Assistance Dogs Certified Trainer
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Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner #80693
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Fear-Free Certified Elite Trainer
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Licensed Family Dog Mediator-T
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Masters certificate in Aggression in Dogs
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DMWYD Certified Trick Dog Instructor
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DMWYD Certified Canine Conditioning Fitness Coach
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AKC CGC/Trick evaluator
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AKC STAR puppy instructor
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AKC Fit Dog Instructor
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Certificate in Pet Nutrition
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Certificates in Behavior Modification
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Certified Pet Bereavement Counselor
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Doggone Safe Bite Prevention counselor
Meet the Team
HVSD is supported by the following individuals, all play a critical role in our success!
Trainer and Temperament Evaluator
Hanna Gould, KPA-CTP, FDM
Hanna is an AKC evaluator and temperament tester who helps us by determining a dog's compatibility and temperament for service dog training and placement.
Dog transportors, liaison's and extra hands
A HUGE list of volunteers!
We have an amazing team of supporters who help with vet visits, outings, and paperwork when needed. All of which we could NOT live without!
Puppy Development/Placement Coordinator
Danielle Washington
Danielle is responsible for finding service dog puppies (when called for) to raise for clients who cannot train their own personal dog.
She commits to their basic obedience training as well as letting them grow and mature in a home setting before they enter their service dog training.