Meet the Dog Trainer

Leighann Hurley, CPDT-KA

Welcome! I’m Leighann—the doggy problem solver and human behind Koinonia Dogs.

I founded Koinonia Dogs in 2014 and became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer in 2019.

I love creating conflict-free communication between dogs and their people so both ends of the leash can enjoy an easier, more cooperative life together.

Read more about my Training Philosophy here.

Tap to watch my work

Serving dog and puppy owners in the Austin, TX area since 2014

From dog-lover to Certified Professional Dog Trainer and beyond.

2003

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The dog-sitting my sister and I had done for neighbors turned into boarding I did out of our home

2009

2014

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Koinoina Training and Boarding was born and I moved from hobbyist to professional.

Fostering Rocky for a service dog organization launched me into the positive-reinforcement dog training world.

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2016

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I suspended Boarding after 16 years to make room for Board and Train.

After four years as a surgery technician at a spay/neuter clinic, I bid a bittersweet farewell to my friends there to pursue Koinonia full-time.

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2017

Fostering Eclair gave me a big taste of puppy raising and taught me an important lesson about the nature vs. nurture question.

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10 years after my journey started, I earned my Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification.

2019

2019

2020

My Fear Free Certification reflects a commitment to prioritizing emotional well-being for dogs in all parts of their life.

2023

Koinonia Training and Boarding became Koinonia Dogs.