About Kim Moeller

Kim Moeller with her dog Mocha.

A professional dog trainer and a certified specialist in dog-dog aggression, Kim Moeller's skill in reading and working with dogs is well known and respected among her peers. Her leadership in the training field is reflected in her committed efforts toward improving the quality of life for dogs and building stronger bonds between dogs and their owners. A longtime trainer at the San Francisco SPCA and a professional dog walker for the Bay Area, Kim's expertise in successfully working with dogs of all types reflects her love of animals and a passion for what she does.

Kim's excitement for training started eleven years ago when she decided to enroll her new dog Mocha in a puppy class. In that class, she fell in love with training and decided to switch careers. She started working at the San Francisco SPCA in 1998 and graduated from the renowned SF/SPCA Dog Training Academy in 1999. As a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor, her talent for working with dogs, especially those who are aggressive toward other dogs, was noticed. Kim enthusiastically took on these challenging cases and was awarded special certification for dog-dog aggression in 2002 by Jean Donaldson, head of the SF/SPCA Dog Training Academy. Now a recognized expert in dog reactivity, Kim has written articles for various publications and given lectures on leash reactivity and dog park etiquette in the bay area.

Photo of trainer, Kim Moeller instruction the growly dog class.

Kim instructing the "growly dog class".

An excellent instructor, Kim has taught basic and advanced public classes at the San Francisco SPCA for over 5 years. Through her involvement teaching in the community, she has seen the need for new programs. Kim personally developed the successful "growly dog class" for dogs who are reactive to other dogs on leash. She has taught this much needed class for the last three years.

While classes are a great tool for training, Kim realizes that many dogs need help in specific areas that can't be addressed properly in a class setting. Often, dogs need extra attention to work on a particular issue that a class structure can't provide. Some dogs are also too overwhelmed in a group, making it hard for them to pay attention and learn. In addition, many people have a hard time fitting classes into their busy schedules. Kim has been offering private consults and training sessions for the last 3 years, providing dogs and owners with personalized attention and tailored training.

In addition to dog training, Kim has also been actively involved as a professional dog walker in the San Francisco community for over seven years. Seeing regular exercise as a healthy part of a dog's life and the difficulty of many owners to provide this much needed activity, Kim started offering to walk the dogs of her friends and clients along with her own dog Mocha. Before she knew it, Kim had a regular pack that she took to popular dog parks in the bay area.

Photo of dog walker, Kim Moeller with her pack at Fort Funston Beach

Kim walking dogs at Fort Funston.

Her expertise in managing dog-dog interactions has given Kim a unique perspective toward the dog walking profession. As dog walking has become more and more popular, there is a need for recognized professional standards. A dog walker isn't necessarily a trainer and yet all walkers need to know how to competently deal with the inevitable confrontations with other dogs and people in our public spaces. Recognizing this need, Kim co-founded the Dog Walking Institute in 2003 to give dog walkers the necessary training to control their packs and maintain a safe environment in our public parks.

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