Profile

Join date: Nov 13, 2023

About

Shel Graves (she/her) has seven years of shelter and rescue experience working with traumatized animals and working to strengthen the human-animal bond. Her credentials include: University of Washington's Applied Animal Behavior certificate and two years of study to earn the Academy for Dog Trainers, Certificate in Training and Counseling. She is also an Animal Hospice Advocate, IAAHPC and Ordained Animal Chaplain through the Compassion Consortium (an interfaith, interspiritual, and interspecies center).

Posts (62)

Nov 26, 2025 ∙ 2 min

Gratitude, Change, and Homeward Pet Adoption Center!

Please consider Homeward Pet Adoption Center for Giving Tuesday. Starting in December, I am joining the team at Homeward Pet Adoption Center in Woodinville on their mission... "to transform the lives of cats and dogs in need through compassionate medical care, positive behavior training, and successful adoption while building a more humane community." I will be their Behavior Program Manager. I am excited to do this work! This does mean I am no longer able to offer in-home private day...

Oct 31, 2025 ∙ 3 min

Ask the Trainer: Four Tips to Solve Any Dog or Cat Behavior Challenge

Recently I did an Ask the Trainer event for Snohomish County’s wellness week. Fun! County employees brought their training and behavior questions. There were the usual suspects: dogs who jump up on guests and bark loudly at everything and cats soiling outside the litter box and walking all over the counters. Yes, there are things you can teach animals to do instead of these behaviors and common ways to address these issues. However, I did offer a few important caveats: All Animals are...

Aug 22, 2025 ∙ 3 min

Time and Dog Training Works: Puppy Mill Rescues Turned Adventure Dogs!

Tish and Lily: Finally ready for adventures! Relaxed on their first canoe ride. “What well-behaved dogs!” someone exclaimed as my pups...