ABOUT CHRISSY

Chrissy Messick, MS, CTC, CPDT-KA

• Passionate & Fun
• Award Winning & Certified
• Trusted & Effective  
• Transparent & Ethical
• Humane Trainer

Hello there!  My passion is to help you and your animal companion(s) live your best lives together.  Whether it's through force free, positive reinforcement training or intuitive interspecies communication, I got you covered!  

I created The Nature of Animals in 2017 and continue to grow and evolve along with the animals and humans I work with.  I received my education and certifications for dog training through The Academy of Dog Trainers as well as the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.  I also received my education and certifications in intuitive interspecies communication through Psychic Horizons in Boulder, CO and Animal Energy Certification Training by Lynn McKenzie, and many other trainings.

I enjoy working with animals and their humans on many different levels ranging from puppy training to teaching basic to advanced behaviors, and behavior modification (fear/anxiety, reactivity, and aggression).  I enjoy working with people who truly want to understand their dogs as well as develop their own awareness of how they contribute to the relationship.  It's not always just about "fixing the dog."  It's about growing and learning together.  But what I do goes way beyond dog training.  It takes so much more than training to create a partnership with your animal companion.  Struggling with behaviors issues is hard! I create a space where everyone has their needs met on a physical, mental, emotional, and soul level.  If you are living with another species, it makes sense to understand the needs of that specific species!  This can be life-changing for all of you.  

I got into dog training because two special dogs entered our lives.  Bill and Zoe taught us about how to raise our kids without using pain, fear, and intimidation and this crosses over to our dogs.  I wanted to have a relationship based on trust, communication, and understanding.  Now we have another pup, Ginger, who continues to teach us more lessons!  This is what  fuels my passion to help others develop healthy, long-lasting relationships with their animal companions and beyond.

I received my Masters of Science from Indiana University in Kinesiology with a major in Athletic Training, and my Bachelors of Science in Physical Education with a major in Athletic Training from Washington State University. For 15 years I provided medical care for the athletes at the University of Washington. During that time, I was also on the USA medical staff and traveled with many USA teams, including the USA Women's Soccer team for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and the USA Women's Basketball team for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. 

When I'm not helping to create amazing relationships between humans and their animal companions, I love spending time with my husband, two girls, and rescue pup, Ginger.