About Me

I’m Alexa founder and trainer behind Wild Roots Pets.

My connection to animals didn’t start with certifications or formal training. It started in my family. My grandmother and my mom shared a deep respect for animals the kind that shows up as curiosity, patience, and the willingness to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. That quiet legacy of compassion shaped how I see animals and, honestly, how I move through the world.

Growing up, our family dog, Gunner, played a huge role in shaping the trainer I would eventually become. He was a reactive mixed-breed a Chow × Lab  and at the time, we didn’t have the knowledge or support that exists today. I heard all the comments back then: “Oh no, the purple tongue dogs,” the assumptions about temperament, the idea that dogs like him were just difficult, untrustworthy, or poorly trained. Even in veterinary settings, those labels were common.

Gunner wasn’t bad. He was overwhelmed, misunderstood, and trying to communicate the only way he knew how.

If I knew then what I know now, I could have helped him in ways I didn’t understand were possible at the time. Gunner passed away in 2017, but to this day, I think of him in almost every training situation. He’s the reason I have such a deep respect for the dogs who are written off too quickly the ones who need clarity, structure, and someone willing to really listen.

I eventually began my professional path in veterinary medicine, earning my Veterinary Health Care Assistant diploma and working hands-on in clinical care. That experience gave me a strong foundation in animal health, safety, and welfare but it also made something very clear: my passion lived in behaviour. In communication. In helping animals and humans understand each other again.

Since then, I’ve accumulated well over a thousand hours of real-world behaviour work across both canine and feline species, combining full-time experience in a behaviour-focused program with ongoing private practice. Today, I specialize in reactivity and aggression, working with dogs often labeled “too much,” “too risky,” or “unfixable.”

I don’t see bad dogs. I see dogs in distress whose communication has gone misunderstood. Real progress doesn’t come from quick fixes or labels it comes from clarity, timing, environmental management, and responsible handler coaching.

Wild Roots Pets was built for those misunderstood dogs who need both structure and understanding and for the people willing to meet them with patience, honesty, and commitment. My goal isn’t perfection. It’s safety, trust, and a better quality of life for everyone involved.

Training & Education

My work is grounded in both science and experience, including:

• Veterinary Health Care Assistant Diploma

• Manitoba Kennel Training Certification

• Certified Professional Dog Trainer 

• Advanced coursework in reactivity, aggression, and behaviour modification

• Cross-species behaviour studies (canine + feline)

• Emergency handling & safety protocol training  

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Continuing Growth & Sport Dog Work

In recent years, my work has expanded into the sport-dog world.

I’m actively training alongside experienced sport-dog handlers and learning from multiple trainers across different disciplines and training styles. This includes working dogs at various stages from foundations and engagement, to handling skills, environmental exposure, and clarity under pressure.

Being in these spaces has deepened my understanding of structure, drive, and communication, and has sharpened how I coach pet owners as well. Sport work demands precision, timing, and accountability  and those lessons translate directly into better behaviour outcomes for everyday dogs.

I’m not interested in staying static or boxed into one approach. I’m committed to continued learning, collaboration, and pushing my skill set so I can show up better for the dogs and people I work with whether they’re navigating reactivity in daily life or building something bigger together.