The people, animals, and professional passion behind Fur and Feather Works
The Fur and Feather Works Philosophy
Professional animal training
We’re honored that most of our clients come from client or veterinary referrals. However you found us, we’ll take the best possible care of you and your animal.
Commitment to education
In an unregulated industry where anyone can declare themselves a dog, cat, or bird trainer, our credentials and dedication to ongoing professional development set us apart.
Science-based, force-free animal training
We stay up-to-date on the latest in training science, and use only positive reinforcement training techniques for real results, your animal’s well being, and your peace of mind.
Real customer service
Sadly, our industry has a reputation for unreliable service. We believe taking great care of our human clients is just as important as taking great care of our furred and feathered ones.
Real-life results
We know how busy our clients are with careers, family, or the freedom of retirement. That’s why our convenient services seek results you can count on in the bustle of everyday life.
The Fur and Feather Works Team (2-legged members)
Joanna Moritz, BA, CPDT-KA, CNWI
Owner, Lead Trainer
Joanna combines a background in human teaching with 20 years of animal training experience to bring Reno dog, cat, and bird lovers the best possible training results.
A lifelong learning junkie, Joanna holds a degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno, is certified as Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, is a Certified Nose Work Instructor, and can be seen attending training conferences and seminars whenever the opportunity strikes. Joanna is a charter member of the Pet Professional Guild.
Joanna shares her Reno home with a mostly-rescued menagerie of two Amazon parrots, a disabled cockatiel, a Dutch bunny, an Australian Cattle Dog, and two cats.
Beverly Lassiter, BA, CPDT-KA
Trainer
Like everyone on the team, Beverly can’t pass up a good continuing education opportunity, so she’s a regular face at positive reinforcement conferences and seminars around the country. In between, you’ll often find her nose tucked into the most recent scientific literature on training, canine learning, and the human-canine bond.
Beverly adds all that to a psychology degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and certification as Knowledge Assessed from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Beverly is also a Barn Hunt Association Level A Judge, an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and a member of the Pet Professional Guild.
When not helping dog lovers enjoy the best possible behavior from and relationships with their dogs, Beverly spends time working on Barn Hunt and Nose Work titles with her canine partner-in-crime Olive, a Miniature Schnauzer.
Jane Detweiler, Ph.D.
Trainer
Jane brings her dog training and college teaching backgrounds together to support both sides of the learning equation—human and canine. Much of dog training is about clear communication between species, and under Jane’s guidance Fur and Feather Works students marvel at how much more responsive their dogs become. Jane earned her Ph.D. from the University of Louisville. She is a licensed AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and AKC Scent Work Judge, as well as a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.
When not teaching human-canine communication, Jane and her training partner Tango, a Standard Schnauzer, work on adding to their titles in AKC CGCA, AKC Scent Work, Rally Obedience, Barn Hunt, and K9 Nose Work.
Brigitte Moritz, MBA
Office Manager
Our awesome office manager Brigitte is most likely the first person you’ll meet on our Fur and Feather Works team, as she’s the one who will answer your call, return your email, or confirm your class registration. She makes it her personal mission to get all questions answered, make everyone feel welcomed, and set a tone for the top-rate customer service we all strive for and pride ourselves on. We’d list all the things Brigitte does to make Fur and Feather Works run smoothly, but we’re pretty sure our webmaster would tell us there’s just not enough room.
Brigitte shares her home with an Australian Shepherd and a rescued Chihuahua mix, and her yard with all manner of wild animals and birds who come for the daily handouts.
The Fur and Feather Works Team (4-legged members)
If your dog is uncomfortable around, fearful of, or aggressive toward other dogs, chances are you’ll get to know one or more of our hardworking stimulus dogs.
These pooches have been carefully chosen and trained for the work of convincing fellow canines that making dog friends is actually pretty cool. They’ve helped countless Fur and Feather Works clients and their dogs feel more comfortable walking in public, and have been a first friend to many of our clients’ dogs.
Our four-legged team members have uniquely suited temperaments for actively enjoying this work, are beloved family members.
Ali, Shiba Inu
Stimulus Dog
Ali loves the work of being a stimulus dog. When not training fellow canines, she enjoys hunting—small critters, large critters, anything that moves is fair game. K9 Nose Work, shopping, and bossing around her human servants are also favorite pastimes. Ali insists on being compensated for all training work with white cheese. Not yellow or orange or any other color. White.
Raven, Australian Shepherd
Stimulus Dog
Outside of convincing fellow dogs that dogs are okay, Raven enjoys fetching her flying squirrel toy, wagging her tailless bum, attending an occasional class, hiking, swimming, visiting her friends at doggy daycare, and playing with her little brother, a Chihuahua mix. Raven’s training payment of choice is chicken. Or steak. Either is acceptable.
Tango, Standard Schnauzer
Stimulus Dog
Tango is a bit of a workaholic. An easy-going, cheerful guy, he spends much of his time pursuing titles in K9 Nose Work, AKC Scent Work, and Rally-O. He of course also has his Canine Good Citizen title. When not earning titles or helping fellow dogs learn to relax, he himself relaxes in odd positions on the furniture. He also enjoys extorting his owners by trading socks for treats, and taking orders from his older sister Olive, a Mini Schnauzer. Tango works for chicken apple sausage.
Olive, Miniature Schnauzer
Stimulus Dog
Talkative (ahem), hard-working, and independent, Olive is a girl who knows what she wants. And what she wants includes stimulus dog work, K9 Nose Work, digging in her personal sandbox, playing fetch, and supervising her younger (and much larger) brother Tango to make sure he doesn’t get more than his fair share. Olive holds K9 Nose Work and Barn Hunt titles in addition to her Canine Good Citizen certificate. Olive demands compensation in steak and broccoli. One should eat a balanced diet, after all.
Ben, dearly departed Wheaten Terrier
Much Missed Stimulus Dog
Ben was Ali’s brother, and he is much missed by us all. When not engaged in stimulus dog work, Ben enjoyed peeing on all the world’s surfaces, licking people, obeying his sister Ali’s commands, and stealthily stealing her treats. He always wanted payment in whatever it was Ali had.
“Thank you again to everyone…”
“Minnie has made so much progress, she’s a completely different dog. I would recommend Fur and Feather Works to anyone who wants to give both owners and fur children a better life. Thank you again to everyone there, you have changed my life and Minnie’s for the best!” – Minnie’s dad Ben, condensed from his Facebook review
Click here to read the full review plus many more
Ready for results and relief? Let’s get started!
Call us at (775) 453-5753
Fur and Feather Works offers the best in puppy training classes, dog training classes, private dog training, cat training, and bird training for the Reno area including Sparks, Washoe Valley, Incline Village, Lemmon Valley, Cold Springs, Palomino Valley, Pleasant Valley, Susanville, Carson City, Dayton, Garnerville, Minden, Marleeville, Verdi, Somerset, Spanish Springs, Fernley and Fallon.
