Meet the Trainers
Meet Head Trainer & Owner, Lindsey
Lindsey Kooistra Berg, is a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant, providing training to dogs and people in West Michigan and beyond. She has been working and volunteering with dogs for over 25 years and is committed to providing clients with the most effective training solutions, aimed at deepening the relationship between dog and human. She graduated from the University of Michigan with bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Communications and, after working in management and IT consulting for 8 years, decided to fully dedicate her career to helping people and dogs live happier lives together.
Lindsey completed a dog training apprenticeship with Michael Jayko, the Dog Guru of Chicago’s North Shore, building a large network of happy client references and specializing in anxiety, aggression, and reactivity. She was certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT-KA) in 2020 and has been an American Kennel Club certified evaluator since 2018.
Over the years, Lindsey has volunteered at shelters across the country, including on the behavior teams at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) and Austin Pets Alive. She currently volunteers with Pound Buddies in Muskegon, offering staff trainings and behavior workshops. Lindsey is dedicated to the lifelong study of canine behavior and stays current on the latest published research. She also regularly attends hands-on workshops, educational conferences, and collaborates with other trainers and animal behavior professionals.
Meet Trainer, Violet
With four years of hands-on experience working in an animal shelter and a year of training experience with Locdogs, Violet Kemperman is passionate about helping dogs and owners build stronger, more rewarding relationships. She works with dogs of all breeds, ages, and behavioral challenges, specializing in aggression and reactivity. She started her reactivity journey with her beloved rescue dog, Odie, which is how she found Lindsey. Violet has also saved a revolving door of foster dogs, and helped hundreds more in her work at Pound Buddies in Muskegon. Violet offers Pound Buddies adopters a 25% discount on her training services.
Her training philosophy centers on the belief that every dog deserves daily fulfillment, clear structure, and guidance that sets them up for success. She strives to make training engaging and enjoyable for both the dog and the human, creating lasting results through practical, relationship-based methods.
She is completing the final year of her undergraduate degree at Michigan Technological University, where she studies Wildlife Conservation with a focus on Animal Behavior. She is committed to continually expanding her knowledge to provide the best possible support for every dog and family she works with.
Violet is currently offering virtual training sessions remotely from the Upper Peninsula, and will begin offering in-person training sessions and day trains in Grand Haven again after she graduates in May!
To schedule with Violet, contact 616-201-6291
Instagram @kemperman.violet
Former Trainer, Kayli
Kayli Sneller initially hired Lindsey to help work through leash reactivity with her Australian Shepherd, Archie, and quickly developed a passion for helping dogs work through tough behaviors as well as helping owners’ help their dogs. She was hired as Locdogs first full-time employee in 2021, and she quickly grew into a Senior Trainer and one of the most skilled handlers Lindsey has ever seen.
Kayli believes there are no bad dogs, just experiences that shape behaviors. She has achieved incredible results with Archie and a long list of clients during her 4 years of working at Locdogs. Beyond establishing her career as a gifted dog trainer, Kayli evolved Locdogs training techniques and philosophy to achieve better results and improve life for dogs.
She is now training with PacklifeLA in Los Angeles, and returns to Michigan every summer for training workshops. Kayli and Archie will always be founding members of the Locdogs pack!
Instagram @kayli.frompacklifela