Katrina Ledwell’s love of animals leads to a new career as a dog trainer
Katrina Ledwell, owner and trainer at Oakley’s Adventures 101, had animals growing up, but her first pet as an adult was a fox. Unfortunately, the fox died at a relatively young age from complications following surgery, but her love for the fox made Katrina want another one. She then decided to get a puppy, Oakley, who is now 4 years old. “When Oakley, half husky, half Labrador, came into our family’s life, I knew she was going to be a big girl, and I wanted her to be able to go on adventures with us,” Katrina said. “I didn’t want her to jump on people or have any other undesirable habits because of her size.”
She began researching dog training and contacted a friend in Canada, Dylan Beckelman, a professional dog trainer and behavior specialist. “I started posting my training videos for Oakley on my own Facebook page and friends started contacting me about training their dogs. At the time, I just wanted to practice and make sure this was something I really wanted to do professionally. I soon quit my job of 10 years to pursue something I really loved,” she said.
Three years ago, Katrina and her family decided to offer another service to the community: dog boarding. “When I went on vacation, I didn’t want to leave Oakley in a place where there was no staff at night, and I wanted to make sure she was let out and played with regularly. We’re happy for Oakley to come with us, but we can’t take her on cruises and similar vacations, even though she would love to come with us.
It was then that the family decided to build a kennel on their property in Kimbolton.
“We are 20 steps away from the kennel and for dog lovers it is reassuring to know that their dog always has people around to take care of his needs,” said Katrina.
Oakley Adventures can be found at the Newcomerstown Now pop-up shop at 132 W. Main Street every Wednesday for the next two months. “I am happy and grateful for the extra attention and opportunity Newcomerstown Now provides to small business owners.”
“This pop-up space allows them to offer personalized dog training sessions in a unique and engaging setting, demonstrate their training techniques and connect with dog owners in a dynamic and interactive environment,” said Jess Moore, property manager for Newcomerstown Now, an organization dedicated to the revitalization of Newcomerstown.
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