Meet The Team

Kate – Owner, Musher and Head Trainer

KateStarHow She Got Started

Kate started her professional career with dogs in 2008. She traveled to Alaska looking for “working dogs.” She fell in love with dog sledding and came home to New York to train her own dog sled team. She sprint raced as far north as Quebec and as far south as Maryland. While the dog team grew, Kate worked for two years as a veterinary technician and for one year in a dog day care managing structured dog walks and group play. Since the founding of Run By Dogs in 2014, Kate has been a full-time practicioner of the dog life; providing behavorial dog training and education to others and traveling to schools, community programs and winter carnivals with the dog team.

Kate’s Focus

Her focus in dog training is to create a working team between people and their dogs. She strives to unify dogs/owners in a balanced relationship of respect, affection, physical exercise, mental stimulation and confidence. Working together with your dog(s) doesn’t always mean mushing a team of sled dogs down a trail. It’s existing in the real world, around other dogs, people, children, food, etc. The true reward for the dog is inclusion in our lives. They want to be with us, and us with them. Kate’s job is to make that happen.

Half of dog training is learning to hold yourself and your dog accountable for actions. The other half is learning to listen to energy; your dog’s and your own. Also, to have your dog listen and respond to your energy. This kind of training gains the respect and confidence of your dog- and then a working relationship is started.

Kate’s Childrens’ Book

The Trail: A Sled Dog Celebration of the First Frost: Walrath, Kate: 9798356064845: Amazon.com: Books

Wren – Trainer in Training

Wren is learning how to be a top notch handler for working dogs and family pets. She has been a regular in the training center since she was just a little one. Her favorite sled dog is Goosey… err Ducky… err Hurricane, Polar… heck she loves them all! She will be sure to be respectful of your dog too.

Sunshine – Feline Trainer

Every dog training center needs a cat like Sunshine. She is dedicated to her craft, knowing just when and how to push her boundaries.