About Us
Who We Are
We are a husband and wife team that shares a love for dogs and a drive to help others integrate their canine companions into their lives.
For years, our dogs were more of a liability than anything. Bringing them anywhere with us was a major source of anxiety and that affected our relationship with them. We knew we wanted them to be with us, but it was just too hard to manage.
Eventually, we decided to start enrolling our dogs in training. This is when we finally started experiencing breakthroughs in our relationships with them. After we worked with several trainers, we started adapting our own training methods and philosophies.
We started helping friends and family with their dogs, and one day we finally admitted, we really love helping people develop their bond with their dogs! That’s when it all came together, and we started Great Northern K9.
As perpetual students, we foster and maintain relationships with other trainers throughout the United States. This keeps our methods up-to-date and challenges us to grow.
Marisa Smith - Lead Trainer
Marisa is a professional dog trainer and teacher. She is a certified NePoPo® Silver and Gold School graduate. She is committed to furthering her own education through consistently enrolling in classes and seminars as well as networking and learning from other trainers around the nation. GNK9 is also a certified affiliate of Work Your Pack in Missoula, MT.
Marisa has 2 dogs, Boom and Thor. She is an active member of Protection Sports Association and Dirty Bandana Working Dogs where she trains and competes in the working dog sports. She also volunteers her time helping teach local 4-H kids how to work with their dogs, along with her 2 kids. Marisa has a passion for seeing dogs and their owners thrive and learn together.
