Sarah
Hosick, _cpdt-ka

While living in San Diego, Sarah worked alongside her friend Carla of Animal Synergy to implement a kennel enrichment program in the three county shelters. She trained volunteers and shelter staff how to meet the mental and emotional needs of the animals in their care. After the program’s completion, it was clear to Sarah that she needed to take the leap into dog training and began offering her services in 2015 with companies in Toronto and Oakville. With a few years of experience under her belt, Sarah felt ready to sit for her certification exam in 2019 and passed.

It would be another three years before Sarah decided to branch out on her own, making Sweetgrass Dogs a reality in late 2022. Her proudest work accomplishments during that time included training dog walkers on safe and positive handling practices, creating a brand new puppy class curriculum with a focus on socialization, mentoring 5 dog training apprentices, and re-developing and managing a group reactivity program rooted in the theory of BAT 2.0 (Grisha Stewart’s Behaviour Adjustment Training).

Sarah grew up in the GTA, earning her Bachelors Degree in English and Theatre & Film Studies with Honours from McMaster University. She currently shares her life with a Cane Corso mix named Nash, and Boone, a Boston Terrier.

In her free time, you can find Sarah learning and trialing with Boone in Urban Rat Race and nosework, taking both dogs for hikes, digging through old thrift or antique stores and somehow recalling every lyric while singing along to Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC with her nieces.