Our Treasure Coast / Port St. Lucie Dog Trainers

Shelley Walker

Owner / Trainer

Shelley has a passion for dogs and fostering healthy, happy and rewarding relationships with them. She has been a proud and loving dog owner for 45+ years having owned varying breeds of dogs, from large to small where she has developed her dog training experiences and abilities.

Shelley Walker is a tenured entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience in owning and operating many different ventures in marketplace segments such as: franchise development (health and wellness), IT and technology, NFP fundraising, real estate, and sole proprietorship person-to-person retailing. Through these endeavors, Shelley has gained significant experience and expertise in marketplace evaluation, business systems development, sales and marketing, HR, management and leadership, accounting, public speaking and public relations.

Graham Walker

Owner/Trainer

Graham’s passion is coaching and teaching dog owners how to have rewarding and deeply connected relationships to their furry companions. With an extensive background in communication, sales and training; Graham has a unique ability to help dog owners truly understand their dogs and how their dogs think and react in any situation.

“I love to see an owner and their dog come together as a fun-loving and trusting team. The depth of the bond we get to help people create with their dogs is incredibly rewarding to me”.

Kristin Julian

Administration

Kristin is a valuable part of our team, she answers the phone, sets appointments and answers any questions you have, if she doesn’t know the answer, she will find it for you.

Kristin started calling Port Saint Lucie her home when she moved here 9 years ago from Germany. She was a part-time stay-at-home mom and worked 5 months out of the year full-time for Germany's biggest airline as a Customer Service Agent for the past 13 years until she joined Dog Training Elite.

Kristin was about 7 years old when her family got their first dog, an airedale terrier named Kati, Kati was her best friend and always there for her, especially through the loss of her dad. That’s why to her dogs are family members. Last year Kristin fulfilled herself a dream and welcomed now 1-year-old Mia (a mini golden doodle) into her family.

When not working, Kristin loves to travel, cook and bake, go on walks with Mia, head to the beach with her husband and 9 year old son, explore the treasure coast or chat with her friends over a coffee.

Coral Sotomayor

Assistant Trainer
Spanish Speaking

Coral was born in Miami and raised in Jupiter, Florida. At a young age, Coral has trained the family dog and later her sister's dog. Having been inspired by her mom who had a German Shepherd in her 20's, Coral decided to adopt Milo, a German/Australian Shepherd Mix. After having gone through some behavioral issues, Coral decided to look into professional training which is when she discovered Dog Training Elite. Upon meeting Graham during the assessment, Coral instantly felt this was the right choice. And thus, Coral and Milo began their journey. Soon after, Shelley and Graham saw my determination and invited me to be part of the DTE pack. While struggling to find my life's passion, I discovered that it was literally laying right beside me. I just hadn't noticed it until DTE. I look forward to expanding my knowledge in Dog Training and helping build and/or rebuild the relationship between a dog and their owner.

Jessica Tyson

Assistant Trainer

Hello, my name is Jessica Tyson. I’m a local from Fort Pierce born and raised who has a passion for animals and reptiles alike! At a very young age I knew I would work with animals. I started volunteering at Dogs and Cats Forever at the age of 11. That inspired me to work with mostly dogs and cats. With my continued volunteering I have gained experience in learning the behaviors of dogs. I am eager to apply this knowledge of different behaviors from dogs my new career of training dogs.

It's very rewarding to watch the amazing transformation in a dog’s and person’s life through this incredible training process. I am looking forward to the amazing training opportunities I’ll receive to advance my career as a professional dog trainer.

I graduated from Westwood Highschool in 2016. I am also a Certified Vet Assistant.

In my free time I love to free dive our local coral reefs, cold springs and other beautiful locations that this amazing State has to offer!

Isabel Lowe

Assistant Trainer

Isabel, affectionately known as Izzy, was born in Fort Lauderdale and raised in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Her love for dogs began at age 5 during visits to her grandparents' home in Kingston, Jamaica. At 15, driven by her passion, she created a PowerPoint presentation to convince her mother of the importance of having a service dog.

After extensive research and numerous visits to shelters and a dog ranch, Isabel discovered Dog Training Elite (DTE) while searching online for service dog programs. She connected with Kristin, who introduced her to Tina and her litter of English Labs. Isabel was instantly captivated and knew she had to visit DTE to see the puppies.

Isabel shared her excitement about DTE, Tina, and the dogs with her mother and grandmother, and they all decided to visit the puppies together. Upon arrival, Isabel immediately felt a connection with Falcon, also known as Bruno, and knew he was meant to be hers.

Committed to the training requirements for Bruno to become her service dog, Isabel visited daily. Her dedication and enthusiasm for training caught the attention of Shelley, who welcomed her to join the DTE Pack. In her first job, Isabel has had an incredible experience. She has been praised for her skill with puppies and overall dog training at the facility. Graham has commended her neutral temperament during training sessions, a crucial trait for effective dog training.

Krystal Berntsen

Assistant Admin

Krystal is a native Floridian born and raised in South Florida. Krystal moved with her husband and son to Port Saint Lucie in 2015. 

She has a vast experience with dealing with animals and is currently mom to two dogs, crumpet and bones. 

Krystal brings a strong background in customer relations. Krystal is eager to work with your fur babies in creating healthy relationships with the dogs and their parents. 

Megan Knox

Social Media/Marketing Assistant

Megan has a love for all animals! She enjoys working with her Belgian Malinois, Coral, and taking care of her farm’s animals. She also has a passion for the sea. She collects shark’s teeth and seashells that she makes crafts in her free time. Freediving for lobster in the keys with her husband and swimming with all the sea life is also something that brings her joy! 

Before coming onboard with DTE and helping her husband with their woodworking business, Megan was in various corporate sales roles. Learning a variety of skills from those roles has lead her to be able to support these family businesses that are very rewarding and special to her! She looks forward to meeting all your sweet dogs and helping in any way she can! 

Sam Hailey

Trainer

My oldest and most fond memories are with a dog. I just can't imagine a life without my best furry friend. Throughout my life, I have owned and worked with many different breeds. It all really began at just 10 years old! Alongside my father in Kentucky, we bred and raised German shorthaired pointers. We raised them to be great family pets and great hunting dogs. I have had several wonderful mentors in my life who helped me learn how to train dogs. I enjoy a challenging dog because I see the potential in their eyes. And I'm constantly learning more. Every dog is full of great potential you just need to unlock it. I look forward to continuing my journey working with owners and their wonderful dogs. Training dogs is my passion and my life.