Nebraska Dog Trainers
Lesley – Owner and Founder
Nebraska Dog Trainers is owned by founder Lesley Thompson. Lesley is excited to bring her wealth of knowledge and experience to the area. She is very experienced in training dogs for basic and advanced obedience, therapy dog certification, as well as dealing with behavioral modification. Lesley loves dogs and has always had them in her life. She has been fostering, grooming and training dogs on a volunteer basis since 2002. In 2015, Lesley decided to make the big leap to professional dog training by opening the doors to “Nebraska Dog Trainers”. She has finally figured out how not to work another day in her life because of her passion for what she does. When you love what you do as much as she does, it can not be work. She currently has a Standard Poodle named Margaux. Lesley’s philosophy is a dog should enhance your life not inhibit it!
Michele – Owner & Lead Trainer NDT Lincoln, Partner Omaha
Michele is the owner and lead trainer of our Lincoln location and has been training for Nebraska Dog Trainers since December 2015. She has a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a Companion Animal Focus from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has worked with many different species of animals over the years through her internships at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo and the Capital Humane Society. Michele has also worked in vet clinics and a doggy daycare during college. Michele and her husband have a Vizsla (Royal), a Dutch Shepherd/Belgian Malinois/GSD mix (KC), and two cats (Billie and Binx). Michele’s favorite part about being a dog trainer is being able to help owners have well-behaved dogs that become a special part of their families. It can be such a blessing to have your dog as a companion joining in all of life’s adventures!
Shyra - NDT Trainer & Partner Omaha
Shyra has lived in Nebraska since September 2014 and grew up in New Hampshire. She attended Unity College in Maine and graduated with a captive wildlife care and education degree. Shyra has worked at different dog daycare/boarding/grooming places and has interned at two different zoos. Shyra and her husband have three dogs, two black Long-Haired German Shepherds (Raeyna & Aria) and a Chocolate Lab (Beretta). Her favorite thing about being a dog trainer is knowing the difference she made in, not only the dog’s life, but the owners as well. When you have a well-mannered dog that you can take with you everywhere you go, both of your lives are greatly improved.
Best of Omaha award 4 years in a row!
Meet our amazing team of dog trainers!
Roberta - NDT Trainer Omaha, South Dakota
Originally from South Dakota, Roberta has been madly in love with dogs her entire life. Always having dogs as family pets, Roberta has decades of experience with dogs. She has an art education degree and has spent over fifteen years in the education field helping students embrace and express their creativity. Taking from her education training, Roberta now applies these skills to helping pet owners and their dog’s bond over obedience. Roberta and her family have three rescue dogs of their own; Bebe, a Doberman Pinscher, Luca, a Retriever and Poodle mix, and Ruby, a Pit Bull and Labrador mix.
Liz - Lead Trainer NDT Lincoln
Liz is definitely a dog person! She is a Lincoln native, and after a year in Seattle, she has returned home to the good life. At age three, her dad brought home a yellow Labrador, and Liz has been obsessed with working dogs ever since. By the start of high school, she was responsible for three dogs, two birds, and a horse (and all of them ended up well behaved, except maybe the birds!) She graduated from UNL with a bachelors in Psychology and Sociology, giving her insight into animal and human behavior that help her educate dogs and owners alike. After graduation, Liz was eager to expand her knowledge of the dog world, and trained in a variety of dog sports including agility, flyball, treibball, barn hunt, nose work, tricks, rally obedience, and weight pull. Her current best friend is The Bear Dog, who has dabbled in a variety of sports, and earned his CGC, Community Canine Award, and various trick titles. She also is training her rescue lab, Tucker, towards therapy dog work.
Jessica - Trainer NDT Lincoln
Jessica has worked in a couple different fields in the last 15 years, but the one constant has been her work with dogs. For years she has fostered, boarded, and dog walked around her full time career. Jessica was training her foster dogs obedience and making sure they had the utmost confidence before finding their forever home. It was just a matter of time before she followed her passion that led her to Nebraska Dog Trainers! Jessica has a 10 year old Maltese mix (Noah); he is her favorite little being on this planet! It's Jessica's love and goal to help others feel confident with their dogs and any adventure they decide to go on!
Collin - Trainer NDT Omaha
Born in Omaha, Collin has been in love with dogs since the beginning, and has always had a dog by his side. Growing up, he has taken care of all the family pets, which built his passion for working with and caring for animals. Since graduating, Collin has worked at multiple dog daycare and boarding facilities, as well as pet stores. Collin has a 2 year old Shar-pei named Sappho and a 1.5 year old German Shepherd named Pepper. He found his passion for dog training when he adopted his German Shepherd. She was a chaotic and destructive dog that had been rehomed multiple times due to her reactivity and aggression issues. Collin was determined to train her and give her the best life she can live. Now, after lots of hard work, practice, and patience, he can peacefully take her anywhere in public. She has even earned her off-leash freedom! Collin is excited for the opportunity to help other dog owners to achieve the freedom and peace of mind that they deserve.
Mikaela - Trainer NDT Omaha
Mikaela was born and raised in Lincoln, NE. She got her Bachelor’s from Nebraska Wesleyan University and Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University. She spent several years as a volunteer puppy raiser for Domesti-Pups, training the pups in basic obedience before sending them on for their advanced training. She loves animals and children, filling her home and family with both! She has three dogs, Griffin a 12-year-old rescue, Juno a 2-year-old Aussiedoodle, and Harper a 2-year-old Golden Retriever. She also has 5 chickens and previously had a lamb, guinea pigs, cockatiels, hamsters, and hatched ducks and chickens. She and her husband are breeders as well and enjoy all things dogs. Mikaela’s favorite part of being a dog trainer is watching how quickly the dogs are able to learn and sending them home to their family with good manners – which makes life more fun for everyone!
Jaci - Trainer NDT Lincoln
From her earliest memories, Jaci’s heart was captivated by her childhood pup, a chocolate Lab, which inspired her lifelong love for dogs. Jaci was raised in Lincoln and graduated from UNL with a bachelor's degree in applied science and a minor in psychology. She spent a few years in Wisconsin where she volunteered as a puppy raiser/trainer for WAGS (Wisconsin Academy of Graduate Service Dogs) and it was during this time that she first learned how to teach basic and advanced obedience, such as having the pups open refrigerator doors and fetching. This experience sparked her interest in dog training, and she has pursued opportunities to learn much more about dog training! Throughout her career, Jaci has worked in various vet clinics, and has always enjoyed working with animals. Now back in Nebraska, she finds joy in the company of her two Golden Retrievers, Mini Goldendoodle, two kittens, four ducks, and two geese. Her childhood love for dogs has blossomed into a fulfilling career!
Customized and reliable dog training — with results that last a lifetime!
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