Meet Amber Riley | Dog Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Riley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, what matters most to you?
Community, honesty, and trust are some of my main principles. Humans are social creatures and very inter-dependent on one another. There is a lot you can get done as an individual. However that is nothing compared to the kind of feats you can get done with the support of other individuals you trust around you. Regardless of what part the other person plays, you need them. The more we learn to lean on and support others, the stronger we will be as a society; and the only way to do that is through honesty and trust. Trust is what builds confidence in one another, the absence of it causes turmoil, trust is the foundation of relationships. Trust is built through honesty. People are smart, if you’re lying to them they are going to feel that over time. Even though the truth about something might be harder to say, its important to still say it. People respect and appreciate the truth, even if it is hard to swallow at first.

Of course this is something I learned the hard way, for a majority of my life I was very hyper-independent and definitely never trusted deeply, and often found myself crashing and burning out. Never would I reach out my hand for help. I, at that point had so many negative experiences in doing, so I refused. Through the many good people that have come into my life since then, and showed me a new perspective, I genuinely believe people are good intentioned, and have felt like I can take on the world with them at my side.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
One thing that sets us apart from other trainers is that we listen, we don’t just bark out commands. While we understand we are the experts in many ways, we also understand that results are dependent on our ability to effectively communicate. Dogs just like people are individuals, and owners have information that we might need. We are dog experts, but will never claim to know your dog like you do. We listen to owners when they feel concerned, and we give owners the ability to have a choice in their training journey. We understand that dogs to some are not just pets, but family.

Right now, I’m excited to lead. I want create a work environment that enables workers to feel productive, needed, and happy. I’m excited to be the one that people go to when they need help, and for them to trust me. I had a boss like this in the past, his name was Robert Walker. I loved coming into work, I felt supported. I always wanted to do better, and I know that shines through in even my work today. I aim to be just as patient and kind as he is.

K9Synergy has been up and running for about 6 months now. We finally got booked out for the month! Which is SUPER exciting. This was definitely a first. We still have a long way to go. The biggest challenge thus far has been financial. When I first went off on my own I had never had a problem with my account going under. I had to borrow money for some events and materials to advertise, and gave up any luxuries that I had. There were definitely times that I felt like I should give up and just get a different job, however I accepted the consequences, gave in, and trusted. Now we are steady. We still aren’t quite busy enough to get into a facility but that is our goal within the next 6 months or so. I know as time goes on and word gets out everything will work out.

The biggest thing about our business is our focus on the people and dogs. We want to keep dogs out of shelters and families together, regardless of income. We are planning to convert half of our business as things grow to a 503c to help facilitate this dream. This would enable us to provide service dogs to those in need, and enable those who might be struggling financially to keep their dog.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d say we’d start off with a delicious meal at the best breakfast places in town, Jen’s Café. Their egg’s benedict is to die for. After being powered up by some food, hiking on one of my favorite trails would be our next stop. That could be around Watson lake, or up wolf creek if we wanted some more greenery. The shops downtown would be my go to to relax and do a little bit of shopping. I’m girly and like hippie wear so Gypsy Vibes would be our first place to hit, as well as some of the crystal shops like Lifeways. To end the night barely hound for sure, we could get a unique meal and feel good about eating it too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a few people who I want to shout-out too, and these are all the people who encouraged me even when I felt a little nervous about going out on my own. Morgan Medley played a huge role in helping me go off on my own, not only did she design my logo, but she directed me in where to go and what to do next. She’s a genius when it comes to people, and advertising. She is truly a genuinely kind hearted person, and I don’t know if there’s one person who doesn’t love her.

Then everyone who encouraged me and were there when I needed some extra support. In my family that was my brother and sister, Shawn roscoe and Jenna roscoe. Never did they say I should do something safe, even when I had to borrow money, instead they hyped me up the entire time. Friends that did the same were Marie Thomason and Barbara Rechiel. Without their support I don’t think I’d have trudged on.

My friend Michael Oyos was probably the person who has kept me sane. Since I’m going to school and opening my own business, I hardly do anything else besides work. He just drags me out sometimes to remind me there’s a little fun to life besides learning and working.

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