Who is this trainer who works wonders for your dog? Learn more about Zoe and about her business!
How Happy Tails Dog Training Came To Be
My love of dog training started in 2010 when I got my first dog, Lucy. After learning how to train through various means, I started training other people’s dogs at the young age of 11.
I quickly learned I needed patience to train these rambunctious animals. My mom helped me with that! Soon, any time I came in contact with a dog, I couldn’t resist attempting to train them.
In 2013, my family picked up and moved from Texas to Kentucky. In 2019, my sweet Lucy passed away. I felt lost for a long time and didn’t know what to do without a dog in my life!
Well, that didn’t last long.
The very next year, my parents got me Gracie—a lovable Australian Shepherd. She keeps me on my toes with her energy, and I’m always thinking of creative ways to help her manage it.
After training her, I thought to myself, “I’ve always been good at dog training, so I’m gonna start a business”. And so Happy Tails was officially born!
I have trained 26 dogs so far. All of them have been successful, thanks to both the clients and the dogs!
Why do people love Happy Tails?
I believe trust is the foundation for each client’s relationship. Over time, my work speaks for itself, as dogs return to their owners more obedient than they arrive. I help reactive dogs become responsive on and off the leash, and timid dogs to be social companions.
I love working with people and their dogs. My clients feel challenged but encouraged, as they work with me. According to one, I transformed their dog! I want your dog to be an enjoyment, not a hassle.
I love being a pivotal point in someone’s relationship with their dog.
How do my clients describe me? Patient, informative, understanding, and top-notch.
They have also said that I am great with their dogs, and they can enjoy their dog instead of them being a hassle. This encompasses who I hope to be as a trainer!
As a dog trainer, I aim for a resulting calm and collected dog – and handler! I assess each pup and family and move my training methods accordingly. I strive for the best results and help you and your family truly enjoy your dog.
Happy Tails Dog Training helps you find the family member in your pup!
Meet the One and Only Zoe!
Hey ya’ll! My name is Zoe Payne, and I am the trainer and owner here at Happy Tails Dog Training!
I grew up in a home that was – and still is! – surrounded by dogs. I got my first dog, Lucy—a Golden Retriever – in 2010. When my parent’s goldens had puppies, Lucy was the first of the litter. I woke up one morning and there she sat at the foot of my bed. It was love at first sight!
Always active, I knew I wanted to try new things with my new pup. So, I took her to our first obedience. This is where I first found interest in dog training. Once Lucy and I had exhausted all the obedience classes we could take, we moved on to agility. Lucy and I loved every minute of it. At just the age of 12, my agility instructor felt strongly that I had potential in the dog training field.
My home was surrounded not only by dogs but all kinds of animals! Growing up around farm animals of all sorts, as well as dogs, I was provided with many opportunities to experiment and develop my training skills.
Loving animals is a family affair. As the middle child, I’ve always been surrounded by my older sister and my younger brother. We were homeschooled and have always been close friends. My parents instilled in us a sense of responsibility, work ethic, and an appreciation of the natural world.
Throughout the years we’ve had a variety of animals on our farm, including horses, goats, chickens, cattle, geese, Guinea fowl, rabbits, fish, cats, and of course—dogs! For a time, my family even bred Golden Retrievers, including my first dog, Lucy.
When it came to training, I didn’t just learn to train dogs on the farm. I read lots of books, watched lots of videos, and took all of that information and made it my own.
Dog trainer Brandon McMillan was also a big inspiration to me as I learned to train. He was the host of “Lucky Dog”, a CBS show where he adopted dogs out of kill shelters for the purpose of training and rehoming them. He also trained service dogs for military veterans. Watching his show taught me some of the training methods that I soon implemented into my training style.
Nowadays, I love spending time with my family, including Gracie, my Australian Shepherd. I’m always trying new things with her. God is the center of my life and spending time at church is a highlight of my week.
I’m a social butterfly, so socializing with my friends and other outdoorsy animal lovers is one of my favorite things to do. The two biggest appointments on my personal calendar are taking care of my animals and getting outside with my friends.
I love trying new things, especially when it comes to training. It is not uncommon for me to train many animals in some way shape or form that I come across. I’ve even trained fish! I actually train horses too, just not for a career. In the Fall of 2021, I had the opportunity to purchase and train a wild BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Mustang! I’ve enjoyed every second of training her. I also own a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross named Obi! I have owned him for many years, and I am always learning new things as I work with him in the pasture!
In everything I do, personally and professionally, I give my best effort to keep Christ as my focus. I love working with all animals, and I think God that I get to enjoy every day with the creation we call “man’s best friend”.
Dog training is my biggest passion, and I’d love for you to be part of the Happy Tails’ family. Discover my training opportunities [link to services].
Who is this trainer who works wonders for your dog? Learn more about Zoe and about her business!
