Need expert help with your dog’s behavior?
You’ve found it.
If your dog’s behavior is frustrating or challenging you, we can help. Our team of formally educated professional trainers has years of experience turning naughty behavior to nice.
We can handle it all – from getting your puppy started out on the right paw to dealing with serious behavior issues like aggression. And we do it with humane, reward-based training for the most effective results.
We know you are busy, stressed, and ready to see a change.
So let’s get started, and we’ll introduce you to Fido 2.0.
experience the difference a professional can make
Dog Training Services
Group Classes
Learn the basics and more in a welcoming, beginner-friendly group setting with an industry-leading 1:3 instructor to dog ratio.
Private Training
Does your naughty dog need individual attention? We’ll work with you and your dog together and help you meet your goals.
Latchkey Training
Don’t have time to train? We’ll work with your dog while you’re away, then transfer the learned skills over to you in a follow-up session.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
hands full dog training is committed to the well-being of your dog.
- We will never use pain, force, or fear to train your dog
- We will train your dog using rewards like treats, toys, and praise
- We use only humane and ethical behavior change strategies
- Our goal is for owners and dogs to enjoy the training process
the hands full crew
educated. professional. experienced. and… we love your dog.
Vanessa has over 16 years of training experience including 4-H obedience, conformation training and handling, and doggy daycare supervision. She is also a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy and the Academy for Dog Trainers. With an analytical mind tuned by her Master’s in experimental psychology, Vanessa specializes in solving tricky behavior issues, manners lessons, and service dog training.
Vanessa’s two dogs, Lanna (a Treeing Walker Coonhound) and River (a Plott Hound/Beagle) train with her for AKC Trick Dog, Rally, Obedience and Nosework.
Rusty has a constellation of professional experience with dogs that has inspired his current work. After three years teaching group and private manners classes, Rusty dove into specialized education in canine aggression and now focuses on dogs who need help coping with trauma, fear and anxiety. He particularly enjoys watching his human clients become confident and empowered to guide their dogs through the process of recovery as they see real changes happen day after day.
Rusty’s Sheltie, Terra, is a Hands Full graduate, and remains thrilled that Rusty’s ongoing practice lands her an extra daily ration of treats.
Since a young age, Allison’s passion for dogs has driven her to help dogs live their best lives. After two years as an assistant trainer, Allison fell in love with helping her spectacular training clientele and has now moved to full time behavior work, leaving behind her job as a doggy daycare manager.
Diesel and Kaylee, her own two dogs, help her practice all of her skills as a trainer in order to evolve and grow her techniques to better help future dogs.
Kathrine founded Hands Full Dog Training in 2015 and has nurtured its growth to be one of the top dog training schools in Wichita. Despite a move to Texas in 2020, Kathrine remains actively involved.
As a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC, she continues to oversee all curricula and behavior programs and serve as a mentor for her Kansas trainers. Through Hands Full, Kathrine also directs the training operations of Midwest Battle Buddies, a Wichita organization that helps veterans self-train their own service dogs.
Kristina is a 2020 graduate of the Animal Behavior College and our newest assistant trainer. When not in the classroom, you can find Kristina fostering dogs for local rescues to help get them off on the right paw with their adoptive families. Her goal is to one day be able to help reactive and fearful dogs.
With a background in customer service, a big dose of empathy toward struggling pup parents, and a can-do attitude, Kristina is a welcome addition to our busy class schedule.
Every dog business needs a people person. We are lucky to have Vancouver native Lindsay as ours. She also represents the Average Dog Owner in business meetings.
Responsible for both business development and administration, Lindsay handles networking partnerships, spearheads marketing efforts, and stays on top of client inquiries and scheduling to ensure our service is responsive and friendly.
Piper is Kathrine’s sidekick in competitive obedience. She pens the sizzling Ask Piper column for the quarterly Tail Waggers newsletter.
Piper kindly elects to work for mozzarella cheese instead of being on payroll. Hands Full Flying Piper CD BN RA CGC
Ever tried to juggle spaghetti? Robin does it on the daily. Deftly handling the administration for over 100 weekly training sessions is her jam.
A long-time Wichita resident, she enjoys quilting, puzzles, and collecting books to read someday. She and her husband, a teacher, prefer to do things in pairs, and have two teenagers, two cats, and two guinea pigs.
Our amazing clients
meet some of our happy alumni of classes and private training!
Dixie LOVED the training sessions and will miss Kathrine. The progress Dixie has made is remarkable. The training far exceeded my expectations and was more than worth the time and money. Thank you Kathrine!!! You were awesome!
My dog Buster and I loved training with Hands Full! They were very knowledgeable and helpful. Meeting with Kathrine before we even got our puppy was extremely helpful! I read the materials and book she provided and it helped set us up for success having our first dog! Having 3 kiddos at home, one being a baby, I wanted to make sure my dog had proper training and socialization. I would recommend Hands Full to everyone! I love all the staff and am looking forward to doing more training in the future.
Fantastic trainers! When we got a rescue pup that was a border collie mix (high energy) instead of a beagle (couch potato), we were in need of major help! Kathrine immediately came over to work with our Ruby and she’s graduated from several group classes also! I highly recommend calling for training today!
Raella was a mess and we honestly felt hopeless when it came to training her. We had been attempting to train her for several weeks prior and just getting no where. The classes were very helpful with guiding us in the right direction as far as training goes. Day one Raella didn’t know any commands, by the last class we had taught her Sit, Lay, Up (To sit back up from a laying position), Down (not to jump on us), Leave it, and a hand shake. Overall the classes were very informative and fun and worth every penny.
Kathrine has been great in getting our two Mastiffs to peacefully coexist with our newborn son. Kathrine is very professional, knowledgeable, and provides clear detailed instructions and documentation.
Hands Full Dog Training is great. My 9-month-old Weimaraner, Jasper, was is a rambunctious pup who needed help and we didn’t know how to get him under control. I came across Hands Full and thought it was really good but was very worried he wouldn’t learn much in 8 sessions of latchkey. To my surprise, Jasper did super well and learned very quickly. After his sessions, he learned a lot of commands. We keep practicing with him not to jump on people, and leash walking like he was taught during the sessions. I can’t thank Kathrine enough for the wonderful training she did with Jasper!! Would definitely recommend!!
Thank you guys for all of your help! Walks with Jet are pretty enjoyable now and we are working on down stay while I’m cooking or we are eating…little rough but we just started! You are an amazing dog trainer and so patient. You have such a vast knowledge of dogs, psychology and behaviors. And you were so easy going about my chaotic life. Thanks for being so flexible.
We started with the puppy class and followed it up immediately with the family dog class. The transition was flawless. Each class was a stepping stone for the next. Kathrine made each class full yet relaxed. There was plenty of time to get the verbal information, a demonstration and then for each owner/dog to use the new information. Kathrine was able to give instant feedback on your technique or give an alternate idea to work specifically for your dog. The classes actually felt tailor made for me. Kathrine made herself available after class to answer any questions that I had. I would highly recommend any dog/puppy owner to take these classes.
Kathrine is an excellent trainer. We were very impressed with how she worked with Max & Molly to reinforce good behavior and correct bad behavior. She was quick to gain Max’s trust and he enjoyed Kathrine’s sessions. Finally, I feel like we can take a walk and not be “that dog” in the neighborhood. She is very friendly and oh so patient with us humans as well…Thank you Kathrine… you are the best!!!! You really do have a gift for working with dogs.
What a wonderful trainer! Kathrine at Hands Full Dog Training has really helped us out with our 11 month old German Shepherd Buddy. She posts pictures and video of her progress. She comes to our home so Buddy is at ease.
Vanessa is so knowledgeable about dog behavior and management. She answers any question we have and usually has research based examples to back up her answers. The girls love “the lady with the treats” and work really hard during our sessions.
This was a great class. Not only did we learn the basics for training our three month puppy, but we also got the opportunity to have her interact and learn how to play nicely with other people and puppies. Loved the individual attention Kathrine gives to each puppy during class.
I cannot express how much I love Kathrine and the Hands Full Dog Training program. I worked with Kathrine at my home for 4 weeks with my black lab puppy and he learned an amazing amount of commands and actions!!! I cannot recommend this place high enough!!!!