Your Trainers
Sal Rabie
In 2012, Sal joined a dog obedience club with their new puppy Fawn, a spitfire Australian Cattle Dog. There they competed in obedience at county and state fairs throughout the next four years. They also worked on Fawn’s fear aggression with strangers.
In 2016, Sal joined another positive dog training school in Seattle, Washington. There they worked alongside trainers specializing in Agility, Scent Work, AKC Obedience, Obedience Rally, and Behavior Modification. They observed a wealth of knowledge and techniques, as well as working hands on with dogs having all manner of behavioral issues.
In 2018, they started a new training journey with a second Australian Cattle Dog puppy, Karuna. Around the same time Sal joined a balance training team and found their true passion working with extreme behavioral cases, and training multiple service dogs, before striking it out on their own in early 2021.
In that time, Karuna has also grown into a full time service dog, sport prospect, and training assistant. Fawn’s favorite activity is still practicing her competition obedience, and tricks, but is retired from competing.
Kimberlee Tolentino
Kimberlee’s journey as a dog trainer began in the same place she finds most of her clients: overwhelmed with an out-of-control dog. After adopting Grimm in 2017 and quickly feeling beaten down by his aggressive and unruly behaviors, she hit rock bottom and decided to take charge. Determined to fix her dog’s behavior to save his life, Kimberlee went through all the popular training methods until finally finding balanced training and, at last, getting real results.
Kimberlee has worked with dogs since high school, starting as a foster volunteer at her local animal shelter. She attended CATCH Canine Trainers Academy where she learned the science behind behavior modification, and has completed various supplemental forms of education from dog behavior internships to courses to training seminars. She has been a rescue partner, a shelter volunteer, and a long-time foster for rescue dogs. She has worked as a pet care professional for upwards of 7 years, swiftly moving from a dog walker and sitter into dog training and behavior modification.
Today, Kimberlee provides both hands-on modern balanced training and social media development to Dedication Dog Training. With an additional background in exercise science, Kimberlee always endeavors to leave client dogs happier, healthier, and more rounded inside and out.
Desk manager,
Perdis Hawkins
Perdis is our desk work extraordinaire, handling everything the trainers don’t do! When they’re not taking calls and scheduling out lessons, you can find them working with the local nonprofit Youthspeaks Seattle, bringing spoken word poetry to the youth of Seattle.