About Us

There’s nothing quite like standing, walking, and being in balance with another creature. I relish those moments, and the opportunity to help others, canine and human, to live in that space.

Joyful Dog founder and lead trainer Marnie Montgomery is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), Level 4 Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT4), and certified Tellington TTouch practitioner.

Marnie first came to the world of dog training and TTouch while searching for ways to help her own dog with issues of reactivity, impulse control, and an inability to relax. He is now a delightful companion – thanks largely to the bodywork and movement which are foundational to TTouch, and the clarity inherent in clicker training and other rewarding techniques. While helping her own dog, Marnie discovered her true passion – helping dogs and their people build a great partnership based on mutual respect and empowerment.

Marnie received PMCT certification in 2013 by completing Pat Miller’s Academies in Basic Training and Behavior, Behavior Modification, and Canine Aggression. She advanced to Level 2 (2013) and Level 3 (2015) certification by completing Academies in Advanced Behavior Studies and Canine Cognition respectively. She rose to Level 4 after a one-on-one internship with Pat Miller. All of Miller\’s Peaceable Paws Academies combine academic study with the development of hands-on skills, and testing to a high level of proficiency in both arenas. In April 2014 Marnie achieved certification as a Tellington TTouch Practitioner 1– a culmination of six week-long trainings, a multi-year mentorship program, and numerous case studies in the field. Marnie’s training approach draws on more than 20 years as an adult educator, honed through study and experience in TTouch and rewards-based methods of dog training and stress reduction. She regularly participates in continuing education seminars and courses in dog behavior concentrating on such areas as reactivity, control and focus, dog-dog aggression, canine cognition, and behavior modification.

Marnie has volunteered at the Loudoun County Animal Shelter in Virginia, supporting their volunteer training, and enrichment programs for dogs and cats. She also served on the Board of Directors of Your Dog’s Friend in Rockville, MD from 2012 through 2017. Marnie was a trainer for the Foster Dog Alliance, a non-profit organization which provided training for rescue dogs and the people who foster them.

Marnie is a Peaceable Paws Affiliate, a member of the Tellington TTouch Practitioner Guild, a full member of the Pet Professional Guild, a professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a member of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Positive Professional Pet Trainers. She holds degrees from the College of William and Mary, and George Mason University.