nexus trails
Training Service Dogs and Search Dogs
Recover what has been lost. From independence to loved ones who elope, let's find them together with the help of a dog.
About Nexus Trails
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Professional Dog Training Services
Nexus Trails is a small , woman-owned business that trains and places service dogs with children and adults with disabilities. We place fully trained program dogs with their partners and train pets to become service dogs in our board & train and owner training programs.
We specialize in search service dogs who are trained to find neurodivergent individuals who elope (run away) or wander from their caregivers when it is unsafe. In addition, we train for psychiatric support, mobility assistance, and medical alert tasks.
In addition to service dogs, we train for Lost Pet Recovery and offer pet dog training.
Meet Our Trainers
Mikelle - Owner and Lead Trainer
Mikelle is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who has been training dogs since 2008, and training service dogs since 2018. She has completed advanced education through the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers where she earned her certification, and Top Tier K9. She worked as a service dog trainer at a large non-profit service dog organization for 4.5 years before founding Nexus Trails Service Dogs. With extensive experience, she has worked with hundreds of dogs and their humans. She has placed 60 service dogs and counting, covering a wide range of tasks in tracking/trailing, mobility assistance, psychiatric support, and medical alert.
Mikelle's passion lies in training and placing Search and Rescue Service Dogs in homes with neurodivergent children who elope from their caregivers. She has handled over 68 dogs who were specially trained in this skill. She is a member of the American Mantrailing Police and Working Dog Association (AMPWDA) and a she and her SAR K9 partners, Mala and Oakley, volunteer with Buckeye Search and Rescue Dogs (BSARD). She has been involved in Search and Rescue dogs since 2019.
Her work is deeply rooted in her personal connection to neurodivergent communities, inspired by her upbringing alongside four siblings with Down syndrome and autism. Mikelle understands first-hand within her own family and how it feels to have family members disappear from home and how a service dog can change lives
With a strong background in training service dogs for essential daily tasks and SAR dogs to locate individuals, Mikelle brings an unmatched combination of expertise and dedication to her work.
Steven - Junior Trainer
Steven began working with dogs in 2015 as an assistant trainer and caregiver. In 2019, he began working with service dogs as a volunteer trainer for a non-profit service dog organization and has continued working with service dogs in training since. He has worked with dozens of dogs (pets and SDiT's) and counting. Steven volunteers with Buckeye Search and Rescue Dogs (BSARD) and will soon be a K9 handler for SAR K9 Mala.
At Nexus Trails, Steven has many roles and he keeps our training operations running smoothly. In addition to foundation training and socializing, he does most of our dog care such as pottying, exercising, feeding, and bathing.
Steven is also our track layer, meaning he's the subject our SAR dogs in training search for and find. He walks the trails that the dogs in training follow and he waits at the end with treats, toys, and a big party. It's a big and important job to always bring the energy to give a big reward, and he is the one for the job!
Genevieve - Training Intern
As an intern with Nexus Trails, Genevieve helps keeps our training operations running smoothly. She helps with our daily dog care such as pottying, exercising, feeding, and bathing.
Genevieve is one of our track layers, meaning she's a subject our SAR dogs in training search for and find. She walks the trails that the dogs in training follow and he waits at the end with treats, toys, and a big party!
Our Partners
