Where it all began

As a young girl I found comfort and friendship in a horse named Chiquita, who eventually had a foal named Jamocha. We spent countless hours riding in the foothills of Mt. Diablo in California. Riding horses eventually morphed into running sled dogs in the mountains of Northeast Washington. In fact, the original name of my business – Northern Tails Dog Training – is a nod to that part of my journey and the curly tails of my dog team, which I saw a lot of from the back of my sled.

Time on the trail with my animal friends was usually done solo. Just me, my horse or dogs, and nature. At these times I was deeply connected with my animals and developed an intuitive ability to understand what they were thinking and feeling.

A teacher at heart, I love helping people and their pets truly understand one another and live life together with effortless ease. When there is conflict or frustration, it is usually a communication problem. We speak human. They speak dog, or cat, or horse. There are many ways to solve this dilemma. That is what I am here for.

I share my home with two dogs and two cats:

Quinn, a Shiloh Shepherd who is grounded, calm, protective and kind. I call him my big battery of love energy. He is a master teacher of puppies, which is invaluable in my Boarding School program. Quinn has been nudging me to include more of an emphasis on intuitive communication and loves being part of the teaching process.

Jemma, a Belgian Tervuren, who is sweet and spicey. Where Quinn is grounded, Jemma is up in the air like a faery. When she runs and runs and runs, her feet barely touch the ground. She is always happy and determined that I will be happy too. She is exquisite with other animals, putting them at ease and helping them to feel safe – indispensable in socialization groups.

Dillan, my kitty is all boy. He and his sister have enabled me to have flower beds and gardens, keeping rodents at bay, for which I am grateful!

Inez is magical and talkative. And very persistent about me staying on track and present. She also excels at working with boarding school puppies to help them learn good manners.

SPECIAL MENTION to Dharma, my Belgian Sheepdog who earned her wings and is flying with the Angels. Dharma was with me when I taught my first class in my new facility. She was with me when I taught at the prison. She traveled with me across state lines to attend workshops and seminars. She is the angel who prompted me to quit my corporate job and do something where I could spend more time with her. She weathered relationships and erratic schedules. She helped countless insecure dogs feel safe and taught many, many puppies to respect boundaries. Always at my side, I am sure she is watching over me still. She will be missed until I take my last breath.

A few highlights of my Training Career

Completed Canine Massage Training Levels 1 and 2 with Patricia Whalen-Shaw, Integrated Touch Therapy, Circleville, OH

Completed a Beginning Instructors Training Course with Dr. Ian Dunbar, founder of Dog Star Daily

Completed an Advanced Instructors Training Course with Pia Silvani, Vice President of Training & Behavior at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ

Certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. 2004 – 2019

Trainer and Behavior Specialist at SCRAPS (Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Services. 2005 – 2015) Here I implemented the first program used in any of the shelters in Eastern Washington for temperament testing dogs prior to adoption.

Training Director for F.I.D.O. Prison Dog Training Program at Geiger Correctional Facility in Spokane. I was responsible for developing the teaching and training curriculum and establishing selection criteria for the dogs. Unfortunately, the program came to an abrupt end after 18 months, for reasons beyond our control. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/feb/01/dogs-get-second-chance-in-prison/

Self-published a book called, “Recipe for a Calm Dog” and gave a reading at Auntie’s Bookstore. (The book is currently out of print) https://www.auntiesbooks.com/event/lisa-lucas

Mentored with Animal Communicator, Kathy VanGuilder. https://kathyvanguilder.com

Animal Communication with Penelope Smith, 6 months certification course. https://www.animaltalk.net/ 

Completed a canine energetics course with Rita Hogan, clinical herbalist.

Participated in dozens of in-person workshops taught by experts in the field of Positive Reinforcement Dog Training, Behavior Modification and Animal Communication.

Given presentations on various dog behavior topics to:

• Washington Animal Control Association
• Inland Empire Veterinary Medical Association
• Intermountain Search Dogs
• Various Veterinary Clinics
• The Community at Large

In the past 20 years, I have worked with thousands of dogs and their humans in the classroom, in their homes, in shelters and in a board and train environment. With all of my education and experience, the most important thing I’ve learned is this:

The animals we share our lives with have more intelligence and wisdom and awareness than we have been taught. Most humans have been asleep to the true nature of our beloved pets. As an intuitive communicator I can help you understand your animals as the wise individuals they are, so you don’t need to rely on generalizations about what they might be feeling and thinking. As an experienced trainer, I can give you practical tools and strategies to help bring things into balance.