About Our Dog Trainer

Hi, I’m Skyler and I own Redemption Dog Training in Aztec, New Mexico.

I started dog training in 2011 after adopting Coconut, my first dog as an adult (if you can consider 19 an adult). I had always trained my family Border Collies in their basic obedience and fun tricks, but when Coconut started biting people three days into our journey together, I knew I was out of my league.

Several people and many trainers at the time told me I needed to just put her down. They didn’t see the side that I got to see, the goofy, sweet, incredibly smart dog who had been born in New Mexico, transferred to a shelter in Colorado, and spent the first year of her life in a kennel. I was determined to help her.

I got my certification in pet dog training from Animal Behavior College and started working with a mentor in Saint Louis to get my wild dog under control. At that time, obedience was the way you managed a dog like Coconut and that’s what we did.

During and after the Army I trained shelter dogs and did part time training from 2012-2020, I also adopted 2 puppies at the same time, a pitty and a husky mix(Lilith and D’artagnan) and they taught me a ton about different personalities in dogs and what they require to succeed.

I got a Master Dog Trainer Certification from Highland Canine in 2021 where I learned about specialty training. I helped train service dogs, detection dogs, and police K9’s and found new ways to help pet dogs and their owners. I found new passions in Detection and Service Dog training.

After Highland’s 6 month, in person course, I decided I was ready to train dogs full time and started Redemption Dog Training, LLC in Denver in 2021. I also got my first ethically bred dog, a German Shepherd I named Lucifer aka “Furry”.

I realized that a lot of dog owners need help and while obedience training can be a really good management technique, it often isn’t sustainable for people who have busy lives. So, I created a different kind of business.

Redemption focuses on: Relationship, Body Language, Emotion, and Clear Communication.

In 2024 I moved Redemption to Aztec, NM. I wanted space and bought some property with a dream of building a place I could help even more dogs like Coconut. She was thrilled, finally a place that was designed for a dog like her.

So far, I’ve built a Doggie Condo for Board and Trains and Boarding and the dream is just expanding.

I work with dogs from Durango to Farmington and beyond whose families were at their wits end, who have worked with other trainers without success, and who just needed someone to show them a different way.

I have been to countless seminars and taken many different continuing education courses. I’ve worked with and learned from some of the best trainers in the world and will continue to do so.

I am also a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and was interviewed in Shout Out Colorado

In March of 2026 I felt like I got a second chance with a dog like Coconut and adopted a heeler mix puppy, Ghost, who I decided to foster at 3 weeks old with 2 of his siblings. He’s what I imagine she’d have been like if she had better socialization during her puppy stage.

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My goal at Redemption is to: listen to dog owners, help them come up with a training plan, and support them throughout the process of living a more manageable and happy life with their dogs.

There is no such thing as a cookie cutter program, I work with owners and their dogs to create a customized program that works. I specialize in behavior modification that teaches the dog exactly what we want them to do using a variety of methods based on human and canine abilities. By using both “yes” and “no” in our training programs, the dogs learn to make better decisions on their own and form a more understanding and trusting relationship with their humans.

Whether it’s with aggression, fear, obedience, or just boredom, I am here to help you.

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