Lead Professional Dog Trainer- Leanne Illes, CPDT-KA, B.A., B.S., CGC Evaluator

Leanne grew up in Valparaiso, IN, where, at just 15, she was introduced to positive reinforcement dog training, after taking a class at a local training facility alongside her spunky cattle dog mix. Upon completion of the class, she volunteered at that same training facility throughout high school, where her passion for dog training and behavior was sparked.

Leanne attended Indiana University, Bloomington from August 2016 through December 2019. While there she received an Animal Behavior B.S. and a Psychology B.A. Additionally, she volunteered for a service dog training organization where her volunteer work included fostering dogs and practicing behaviors in public to get them more comfortable in different environments. She also spread awareness about service dogs and persons with disabilities to fellow students and the Bloomington population. Following graduation, Leanne worked for a service dog training non-profit organization for a year, where she trained dogs to assist individuals with disabilities in their day-to-day lives.

Leanne began working at PetSuites Fishers in the summer of 2021 and became the Lead Trainer in 2022. In the fall of 2021 she got her Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification, as well as her American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator Status as a continuation of her education about dogs and training.

Her favorite things about working at PetSuites are helping dogs realize their full potential and helping their humans build a relationship of trust and communication with them. In her free time, Leanne enjoys spending time with her husband and her two dogs: Kodi, a cattle dog mix and Porter, a chocolate lab.