Welcome to the Jungle Gym.

We don’t judge.

Jumping into dog training can be scary, we get it. Asking for help can feel vulnerable, and asking for help with a loved one takes it to another level.

I’m dedicated to meeting you where you’re at. No matter what your journey is with canine confidence and fitness, I’m here to support you and cheer you on!

Our Story

The Jungle Gym started as a way to keep our reactive dog moving and excited about training. We never intended to have sport dogs but when our first dog, Hiccup, fell in love with FastCAT we knew he deserved to keep shining. There were a few problems though. Hiccup was reactive and we had no idea what might be in his genetic health history.

That left us with multiple things to work on. We needed to help Hiccup become a more confident dog, especially in high energy trial situations. On top of that, we needed to do everything we could to set him up with a healthy lifestyle and prevent sports injuries.

All of this led me to conditioning classes. I started taking courses and quickly became obsessed. Hiccup’s reactivity had made me fall out of love with dog training. Conditioning was a way to work with him and build our relationship without fear of judgement. This had nothing to do with manners, we could train for conditioning for fun in our living room. When we brought our second dog, Watzit, home we started the foundations early.

Hiccup now competes in dock diving, FastCAT and CABT, agility, barn hunt and more. Watzit hit the ground running and competes in FastCAT and CABT, agility, herding, barn hunt, and more. Both dogs play canicross with me during colder months and are working towards titles in other sports like shed hunting. We do a little bit of everything and always make sure their bodies are prepared for all this activity.


  • Trainer

    Mackenzie is a CSCC trainer who has been working with dogs and puppies professionally since 2022. She earned her official certification in 2024 after intensive study, supervised labs, case study completion, and exams.

What is a CSCC?

CSCC is a reputable certification program for dog trainers. The certificate is awarded through North Carolina State University and teaches canine fitness techniques for everything from injury recovery to enrichment. Applicants complete a detailed online class, in-person labs with professional supervisors, multiple case studies overseen by the program staff, and a final exam to test what was studied. Studies include canine anatomy, gait, safe use of equipment, and more.

If the full program is successfully completed, the students earn their Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach certificate. By choosing a trainer with experience and a CSCC certificate, you’re choosing a trainer dedicated to the proper application of functional fitness.

CSCC trainers are required to complete continuing education to maintain their status. This means we are also dedicated to continuing to grow as our understanding of our canine companions grows!