CASSANDRA
"CASSIE"
KENDALL
Founder, Owner, Trainer
For as long as I can remember, I have found myself in better company in the presence of animals. Growing up, I was always begging to go to a fair or horse show just so I could see the goats, sheep, bunnies, horses, pigs and more. As I aged, my affinity for farm and pet animals only grew larger. I took up horseback riding when I was about eight years old, and still ride competitively today. I worked for horse barns and a rescue farm throughout high school where I learned a wealth of knowledge regarding animal husbandry, medical care, behavior and management. I thought for many years that I would be an equine veterinarian, or somehow work with farm animals. I graduated right here from the Hollis Brookline High School in 2015.
It wasn’t until I came home from my first attempt at college that I decided to try a different path in the animal field. I was fortunate enough to have a connection with our local kennel, Village Sentry Pet Care, and began working as a kennel technician. I instantly fell in love with working with dogs. It was not that I had never been around dogs, obviously, but I had never worked with dogs of all breeds and backgrounds in such a setting. Working in a daycare setting opened my eyes to the behavior of “Man’s Best Friend” in a way I had never thought of before.
I worked for Village Sentry for roughly six years, managing nearly every aspect of the business at one point in time or another, to include launching training sessions during daycare hours. I learned an incredible wealth of knowledge from the owners and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to continue working for their company and growing with them while I figured out life. After I gave college and a military career attempts and found myself home once again, I knew I was here to stay. During this time I also volunteered for the wonderful local Non-Profit organization Operation Delta Dog, which evaluates and trains rescue dogs for veterans in need. When I realized I was more dedicated to watching and reading my favorite trainers and behaviorists more than I was to anything else I had tried, I knew what I wanted to focus on.
Bringing home my personal and now working dog, Reagan, was the final factor for me. I decided in the summer of 2021 that I wanted to commit to this industry and focus on training and behavior specifically. I started this by doing daycare and socialization consulting for a different kennel for a number of months while starting to market myself as an individual. By March of 2022, I was able to work for myself full time. I have connected with so many clients in the Hollis, Brookline, Pepperell and Townsend areas and I cannot begin to express my gratitude toward the continued support in this community.
Since diving into my further education, I have developed an incredibly wholistic approach to dog training where I look at the dog from the inside out. I consider all aspects of your dog during their initial evaluation and training from genetics, upbringing, nutrition, physical conformation and more. I specialize in socialization issues and behavioral issues, noting first that these may be caused by physical ailments or imbalances in your dogs. My program includes an all-inclusive dive to rehabilitating your dogs and putting them on a program that will yield their individual success. I will help guide clients into meeting their dog’s foundational needs well before getting into advanced training practices. I am a firm believer that movement is a dog’s best friend, and understanding the animal you live with is critical. Because of this, my programs are more inclusive than most as I seek equally committed clients to work with. Training with Kendall’s Canines is a whole dog approach and I take pride in knowing that I will go above and beyond for my clients as they are a dedicated group of individuals.
I continue my education through many colleagues involved in the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), NePoPo® programs, and the Canine Human Relationship Institute (CHRI). I attend multiple clinics and workshops a year in an effort to continue learning advanced skill sets and concepts to bring back to my clients, canine and human alike. Spring through fall I am actively competing with my horses with a lot of the same techniques and training concepts of behavior that I apply to the dogs. Working with these animals in a partnership is truly my passion and I am incredibly blessed to be able to call it my career. My education will never be done, but I believe firmly in bringing the most carefully tailored approach to every dog and family I meet. Every dog is different, every family has different needs, and most importantly there are No Bad Dogs.
REAGAN
KENDALL
Assistant, Demo Dog, Good Girl
Cassie’s German Shorthair Pointer, Reagan, is her daily assistant in work. “Janet Jackson” was born to the rock & roll litter at GSH’s GSP’s of Osterville, MA on November 9th, 2020, coincidentally the same day of Cassie’s discharge from the United States Navy. Little did she know until she got home to New Hampshire that a sweet little 8 pound fish-eyed puppy would come home with her on New Years Eve, and she would get renamed “Reagan Winter.”
Reagan has incredible dog sense and often helps socialize dogs who may be nervous or otherwise selective. She is my showcase dog for neutrality in dogs with mild to severe reactivity as she is confident and unbothered by negative behaviors. Reagan is a phenomenal recall trainer for the others dogs as well as e-collar familiarization for clients. Reagan is an excellent and neutral distraction for dogs in training in the Kendall’s Canines program. While Cassie has spent a tremendous amount of time training Reagan to be this way, she credits Reagan for a naturally wonderful demeanor.
In their time off, Reagan and Cassie enjoy hiking, swimming, FastCAT competing, outdoor dog-friendly dining, adventuring in the beautiful White Mountains of NH and spending time with their equine family member, Valor.