Northern DE/Pa

  • Claire F. Cario is a Delaware native who moved to NYC in 1996. She has been working within the animal welfare and veterinary medicine fields since 2001. She received her MA in the Advanced Psychology of Animal Behavior and Conservation in 2008. The most rewarding aspect of her work is strengthening the human-animal bond and seeing her clients achieve a deeper understanding of their dog’s communication, motivations and behaviors.

    Claire started her own business in 2009 and since then, has supervised, managed, and trained animal behavior staff across all sectors of the animal behavior world, developed curriculum for training programs for training schools, municipal shelters, and therapy dog programs, given webinars on canine behavior topics, built behavior assessment systems, and developed individualized behavior training plans for dogs displaying a wide variety of behavior concerns. She is certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and a Fear Free Certified Professional. Currently Claire is a Behavior Consultant for Behavior Vets of NYC and an instructor at CATCH Academy. Prior to this, she spent three years as the Private Trainer Manager at School For the Dogs in NYC, four years as the Behavior and Enrichment Assistant Manager at Animal Care Centers of NYC, three years as a behavior consultant on the ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team, six years as the executive trainer and coordinator for The Good Dog Foundation.

    Claire currently has availability for virtual services weeknights, and in-person Friday-Sunday.

claire@blackdogbt.com

  • Zack has been working in the animal welfare field for ten years, with a diverse skillset in private training, shelter/rescue work, and animal law enforcement. His breadth of knowledge, compassion, and commitment to his community are the driving forces of his work. Zack welcomes all ages and behavior needs, and is especially adept at multi-animal management, reactivity, and post-adoption support. He also brings a specialized skillset in advanced basic obedience and dog sports through his work with his own personal dog, Phantom.

    When not working with clients or at one of BlackDog’s shelter/rescue partners, Zack enjoys spending time with his family, and hiking with his dogs Phantom, Matcha, Zuko, Patches, and Taz.

    Zack has availability for all puppies, basics, and behavior modfication cases, Mondays and Thursdays.

zack@blackdogbt.com

  • Ets has been interested in joining the animal behavior field for years, and after receiving her degrees in Health Sciences and Psychology, she finally decided to take the leap! As a former client of BlackDog, Ets has personal experience working with fearful, reactive, and high drive dogs. Her journey with her shepherd mix Zazu inspired her to learn more, introduced her to the world of positive reinforcement training, and inspired her to pursue her passion for canine behavior. She has completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course, and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

    Ets currently has availability for puppies, adolescent & adult basics, and dog-dog reactivity, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

etsuko@blackdogbt.com

  • Elsie has worked with dogs since 2017, starting in daycares where her passion for canine behavior took root. With nearly a decade of dog experience, her empathetic approach shines through. Elsie is a certified professional dog trainer, knowledge assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

    Her background as a classically trained ballerina adds grace, timing, and body awareness that enhance her ability to read dogs effectively. When she's not working with animals, you can find her hunting for thrifted treasure or in an open ballet class.

    Elsie currently has availability for puppies, adolescent and adult basics, and dog-to-dog reactivity, with availability for private clients on Sundays and Wednesdays.

elsie@blackdogbt.com

  • Sabrina comes to the team from a background rooted in animal shelter work, where she gained hands-on experience working with dogs of all temperaments and behavioral challenges. She believes that every dog is an individual, and approaches each case with patience, compassion, and respect for both the dog and their human family. Her training philosophy is completely force-free, focusing on building trust, communication, and lasting behavior change through positive reinforcement. She is currently pursuing the Karen Pryor Academy Canine Behavior Consultant certification to continue expanding her knowledge and providing the highest standard of care to the dogs and clients she works with.

    Sabrina is currently supporting our onsite daycation and board and train programs in Wilmington, with private client availability to be opened in September!

sabrina@blackdogbt.com

  • Owner and lead trainer Becca Stern is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, a Shelter Behavior Affiliate (SBA) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and a Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP) through Fear Free Pets. In 2014, She began her career working on the frontlines of animal welfare at a shelter in Dublin, Ireland, and from there quickly became a leader in the field. Her experience includes work as Director of Adoptions for an open-admissions shelter in Washington, D.C. averaging 5000 adoptions a year, followed by her role as Director of Operations for the. Brandywine Valley SPCA,, and finally overseeing adoptions, foster, intake, and rescue programs at ACCT Philly. During her work, she balanced her time between hands-on work with the animals and spearheading program initiatives. As a fierce advocate for animals and the people who care for them, she placed particular focus on open adoption philosophies, in-shelter behavior modification and enrichment, and post-adoption support programs.

    Merging her behavior certification with her extensive animal welfare background, she continues helping individuals and animals in her community through shelter consulting and training support for owned/adopted dogs. Services range from basic manners to more complex behavior needs, with a focus on reactivity, fear, anxiety, and select aggression cases. She has a special place in her heart for shelter dogs, and welcomes clients of all breeds, ages, and sizes!

    She currently not taking new clients, to focus on continued BlackDog growth and program development, supporting her staff, and to reserve availability for current/returning clients! Email becca@backdogbt.com with questions.

becca@blackdogbt.com

Sussex county, de

  • Marisa Yacubovich has always had a passion for teaching, learning, and helping others. Her journey as an instructor began in high school and college as a figure skating coach. That passion for helping others led her to her work as a volunteer firefighter, and has since blossomed into supporting dogs & their owners. She is currently pursuing credentials through the Victoria Stilwell Academy and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, and believes a good trainer should never stop being a student. 

    Her experiences with her own fearful, reactive dog has continued to fuel her drive for helping dog owners work through challenges together. She is a firm believer that dogs deserve opportunities to think, problem-solve, explore, learn, play, and experience new things. Whether that means hiking, swimming, scent work, training games, confidence-building exercises, or simply learning how to calmly navigate everyday life, she loves opening up a world where dogs can truly thrive.

    She has years of experience under her belt working with private clients for puppies & basics at all ages, and is currently accepting clients in our Sussex County service area.

marisa@blackdogbt.com

  • Rachel has been working with animals professionally for 15 years and has been training dogs for over a decade. Her career spans across many different aspects of animal welfare including daycare, boarding, veterinary care, and shelter/rescue work. Rachel is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and Fear Free Certified Professional through Fear Free Pets. 

    Rachel loves all aspects of dog training but has a special place in her heart for scared, fearful, and reactive dogs. Her goal as a dog trainer is to strengthen the trust and bond between dogs and those who love and care for them. One of her other favorite training subjects to work on is cooperative care, a training approach where dogs become willing, active participants in their own grooming and medical care. 

    Rachel is currently pursuing a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and loves spending her free time with her 2 cats, Samheim and Pilgrim, and her dog, Scooby. She loves making art and watching any kind of documentary she can find. 

rachel@blackdogbt.com

Virtual - SEPARATION ANXIETY

  • Yasmin Baylor, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, CSAT, is a certified professional dog trainer with a deep commitment to helping people and their dogs thrive together. She is a graduate of the internationally esteemed Karen Pryor Academy, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) under Malena DeMartini’s renowned program.

    Yasmin currently serves as a board member at large and training consultant for Paws Humane Society, where she supports both adopters and shelter dogs through individualized behavior plans. Her training style is calm, grounded, and encouraging—a reflection of her belief that long-lasting behavior change is rooted in understanding, trust, and clear communication.

    Dedicated to lifelong learning, Yasmin regularly enrolls in continuing education courses and keeps up with the latest in behavior science through books, research, and podcasts. She finds great joy in helping dogs and their families build stronger, more harmonious relationships.

    At home in Rockford, Illinois, Yasmin shares her life with her spirited young daughter Claire, her sweet and silly Stabyhoun, Fenna, her beloved senior cat Pangea, and her endlessly supportive husband, Josh.

    Yasmin currently has availability for separation anxiety cases Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

yasmin@blackdogbt.com