Alyssa is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in canine care and training. She became a member of The Happy Retriever team in August 2020, starting as a front-office administrator. Her exceptional dedication and enthusiasm for the role quickly propelled her to the position of general manager. Alyssa's deep passion for her work and her genuine love for dogs is evident in everything she does.

As a certified AKC evaluator, Alyssa thrives on collaborating with dog owners to craft personalized training plans that cater to each dog's unique needs and challenges. She takes immense joy in guiding families toward successful training outcomes, fostering stronger bonds between owners and their furry companions. Looking ahead, Alyssa is excited to expand her impact in the pet care industry, helping more families create unforgettable memories with their cherished dogs, one thoughtfully designed training plan at a time.

Outside of work, she loves to spend time outdoors with her two dogs, read, and enjoy quality moments with family and friends.

Hannah is the Head Trainer here at The Happy Retriever. She started in 2016 as an Administrative Assistant while in high school and transitioned to Bump Up Trainer in 2018, working at the center in between attending Unity College. After graduating with a degree in Wildlife Biology and working for Denver Zoo and Blank Park Zoo.

Hannah returned as our Head Program Trainer in 2023, introducing training tools with a positive mindset. She believes that building a strong relationship with your dog is the key to successful training. With practice and consistency, every dog has the potential to be an amazing companion for their family!

Hannah is also an AKC Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen, Urban Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine, S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, and Trick Dog. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Zailey, a Border Collie Mix.

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Alexa is a dedicated professional with a background in pre-veterinary medicine. She began her career in the veterinary field but soon discovered her passion for dog training. In 2021, she joined The Happy Retriever as a front desk receptionist and quickly demonstrated exceptional skills and work ethic, leading to her promotion to the position of office manager. Alexa thrives in an environment that allows her to work closely with dogs and their owners. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her pup, Romeo, or curling up at home with a good book. Her blend of expertise and love for animals makes her a valuable asset to the team.

Jana is an avid animal lover of all kinds! She joined the THR pack in the spring of 2022 as a Bump Up day trainer, working with all different types of dogs to keep their skills sharp. Her hard work and dedication paid off as she moved up the ranks and is now the primary trainer for teaching Doggie Boot Camps. Helping dog and owner navigate through the process of jumping from food-based training to balanced training. She loves teaching dogs new tricks and hopes to start running trick training classes soon.

When not at work, Jana loves to hike with her dog Sophie or curl up on the couch with a good book. Being a lover of good eats, she is just as food-motivated as the dogs!

Rhiannon is our head food-based trainer and has been part of The Happy Retriever team since October 2022. She has been training dogs for nearly four years and is dedicated to enhancing the bond between dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement training. Currently, she runs our Puppy Package and Puppy Resident programs, and she also works with some of our new or nervous puppies.

Rhiannon has two amazing dogs: Claude, a Chihuahua, and Daisy, a Rough Collie, who inspire her daily and demonstrate just how rewarding and fun training can be. She is passionate about her work and loves using what she has learned from them to help other dogs, and their owners build strong, happy bonds.

Jocelyn is a Balanced and Food-Based trainer who has worked for The Happy Retriever since 2017. Her favorite part of dog training is working with the shy and nervous dogs, helping them build the confidence to come out of their shells. She often gets help from her dog partner in crime, Mina, who the THR staff has crowned as the ‘therapy dog for dogs’. Jocelyn teaches several classes, including Puppy 101 and Canine Good Citizen Prep. She is also a certified AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and CGC exams evaluator. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, playing video games, taking trail walks, and taking Mina on adventures.

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Megan has always had a passion for dogs. She began her career working with animals in 2009 as a veterinary assistant at a local animal hospital. From there, she worked her way up to manager at the attached boarding facility. Later, she took a position at another local boarding facility as an enrichment coordinator, where she taught staff how to run safe and successful playgroups.

It was during this time that she realized she wanted to train dogs and help owners better understand their dog's behaviors. She then worked at a training facility, gaining valuable experience in training dogs and teaching owners basic obedience.

Megan strives to build strong bonds with all the dogs she works with and is very happy to be a part of The Happy Retriever family!

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Eric is a lifelong dog and cat lover; he has two dogs Bonney and Banshee and two kittens Shar and Selune. His passion for animals stems from growing up watching Westminster shows with his grandmother, and helping his grandfather train his Golden Retrievers. After a career in sales & customer service Eric now works on the office side of The Happy Retriever manning the front desk and assisting wherever he can. He happily fills the role of the fun uncle to all of our students and has lost count of how many ‘favorites’ he has. A homebody at heart when Eric isn’t at work, he is likely curled up on his couch with his animals watching something nerdy or playing a game.

Tracy’s lifelong love for animals began in her childhood, fueled by a deep passion for horses. This early connection grew into a commitment to animal care that has persisted throughout her life. Among her beloved companions is Blossom, her sweet pit bull terrier. Her love for animals brought Tracy to our center, where she serves as a dedicated grounds caretaker. Her responsibilities range from meticulous cleaning and maintenance to ensuring the comfort of our canine residents with nighttime potty breaks. Tracy's unwavering willingness to lend a helping hand and her consistently positive attitude make her an invaluable member of our team. When she's not at work, Tracy enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, especially her two wonderful children, Samantha and Gavin.