our training team
Debi Krakar, CPDT
Executive Director/Trainer
Debi Krakar is the Executive Director of Austin Dog Alliance as well as one of the trainers at the facility. She established the Austin Dog Alliance in May 2006 with the vision of making dogs an integral part of the community.
Debi began her involvement in the Austin canine community by volunteering with the Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue in 2004. Besides fostering dogs, Debi organized the program’s events and coordinated the vet care for the organization’s 60 or more dogs. In 2006, she received Delta Society Pet Partner registration at a Complex level with her partner Riley. This accomplishment opened the door to fulfilling her vision of working with children and dogs. The Bow Wow Reading Dog program started in the Fall of 2007 at Cox Elementary. The K9 Kids program also started at this time. After fostering over 500 dogs, instructing many children at K9 Kids Club and volunteering hundreds of hours in schools, libraries and hospitals, Debi realized the key to expanding her vision was training others.
Debi believes that training should be fun for the students and the dogs. She believes all dogs should be trained to be well behaved in the home and in public and that this training can and should start with young puppies. All training is done is a positive manner: positive with the dogs (clickers or verbal markers, praise, food treats, toy rewards) and with the students. She welcomes the entire family in her training classes because she believes that dogs should be part of the family.
Debi has received her Certified Professional Dog Trainer designation, the Delta Society Pet Partner Team Evaluator license, the Delta Society Pet Partner Instructor license, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Canine Life and Social Skills Evaluator and Instructor registration and is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator. She also has a B.S. in Math and Computer Science from the University of Illinois and MAS Degree in Accounting/Information Systems from the University of Illinois. Debi has a long history of working with non-profit organizations. After the birth of her four children, Debi developed Mothers of Preschool Children, an organization sponsored by several local churches to support mothers. She also spent 10 years immersed in the PTA, holding board positions which included room mom, president, vice president, secretary, and events coordinator. Debi also has over 10 years experience in large-scale project management primarily in nonprofit and governmental entities through various consulting firms.
Debi lives with a pack of four dogs, two cats, various rotating foster dogs, four children (ages 12, 15, 17 and 19) and a very supportive husband.
Carolyn Honish, CPDT
Pet Therapy Director/Trainer
Carolyn Honish holds a BA in Anthropology, a BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders/Deafness Studies, and an MA in Communication Sciences and Disorders/Deaf Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She student taught at Texas School for the Deaf and holds Texas teaching certificates in deaf education and elementary education. She worked as a teacher of the deaf in the Austin and Round Rock Independent School Districts for thirteen years.
In 2004, Carolyn got a dachshund puppy and began bringing him to her elementary classroom. Lumpi (pronounced loompee, German for little rascal) was a huge motivator and served as a bridge of communication between hearing and deaf students. It was also apparent that Lumpi felt a sense of purpose in coming to school — it was his job. Carolyn then decided to start training Lumpi to become a therapy dog so that he could continue his work in the classroom. Her students became assistants in Lumpi’s training, and it was through their work with Lumpi that the idea of Paws for Alert (an enrichment program focusing on the socialization of deaf students with their hearing peers while training dogs) was born. In 2005, Carolyn received her dog training certification, began conducting Paws for Alert sessions, and became certified as a Delta Society Pet Partners team with Lumpi.
Carolyn is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a licensed Delta Society Pet Partner evaluator, a licensed Delta Society Pet Partner instructor, and an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator.
Carolyn, her husband, and infant daughter currently live with three dogs, all dachshunds. Her second therapy dog came in April 2008 from Central Texas Dachshund Rescue. Buzz brought along a new perspective to dog training and pet therapy as he is deaf. At 4 months of age, Buzz immediately began coming to school with Carolyn so that her students could assist in his training. He now knows over 40 sign language commands and is a Delta Society Pet Partner.
Elizabeth Smith Dietz, CPDT & CBCC
Trainer
Elizabeth grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Texas to attend graduate school at Rice University. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), a Canine Good Citizen evaluator for the AKC, has been a Delta Society Pet Partner complex level team since 2008, was a lead trainer at a large chain pet store for five years, and is President of The Austin Bulldog Club. Before becoming immersed in all things dog related she was a teacher of bipeds. She sees her teaching background as being integral to her success as a trainer and a foundation to her training. Her approach is positive and reward based and she has found that this leads to students and clients having so much fun that they incorporate her training philosophy and approach in their interactions on a daily basis. She has been deeply influenced through seminars with Karen Pryor, Kathy Sdao, and Kay Laurence while she was living in England.
Elizabeth is an Online Marketing Manager for DogBreedStore.com and writes a daily dog blog featuring training tips, dog news and stories, visit Today’s Woof at http://blog.dogbreedstore.com.
Elizabeth is first and so far the only Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed in the State of Texas.
Tina Harper
Trainer
Tina started dog training almost 5 years ago, and found it to be her passion. She enjoys working with overactive dogs, having experienced ownership of this type of dog herself. Tina’s experience also stems from her previous years as a trainer in a big box store. She has embraced positive reinforcement techniques, and finds great joy in helping people bond with their dogs as well as showing people how much joy having a dog integrated into your life can bring.
She recently took the CPDT exam, and is anxiously awaiting the results.
Susan Windham
Trainer/Youth Association Director
Susan has been volunteering with Austin Dog Alliance for over five years. She has assisted in numerous classes for adults and children and is currently studying to take the CPDT exam. She is also an active foster parent.
Kids have always been Susan’s passion. At her job at the Kids Academy Child Development Center, she has worked with special needs and at-risk children. She feels that dogs can brighten the life of any child and allow for a child to overcome any obstacle in their life. Susan shares her life with two children, ages 2 and 12, and three dogs and a wonderful husband who is often seen volunteering at events.
Judy McCarthy
Trainer/Adoption Program Director
Judy McCarthy is the Adoption Program Director at Austin Dog Alliance. She has worked in rescue for 18 years, therapy dog work through Delta Society, and trained her first Obedience dog in 1976. She has trained in Agility, Flyball, and Rally as well.
With her children almost grown, Judy decided not to return to her previous career as a Research Botanist, but rather to pursue her love of dogs. She opened Happy Dog Pet Sitters, a successful pet sitting and dog walking business serving South Austin. During this time she found herself giving much advice to dog owners frustrated with their dog’s behavior and found a great deal of satisfaction in doing so. This prompted her to consider becoming a trainer and she is now on the road to becoming a Certified Pet Dog Trainer through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Judy has a special love for Lancashire Heelers, a rare breed of British cattle driving dogs. Her dog Daisy was the first Lancashire Heeler Flyball champion in the US to receive a title and Judy is currently serving as the President of The U.S. Lancashire Heeler Club. She shares her home with two teenagers, two cockatiels, varying numbers of foster dogs, and a husband who works hard at keeping his sanity.
