- 6 years of professional dog handling and training experience, lifetime pet owner
- Fun fact: my dog is trained with Swedish commands
- Pet mom to Stella (Lab/ Great Dane mix) and Pipperoni (Orange Cat)

Hi! my name is Renée Altland, and I’m 24 years old. Working with animals has been a lifelong passion of mine! I have a lifetime of experience caring for a wide range of animals. Growing up, my home was filled with dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, bunnies, hedgehogs, and horses—I’ve always been comfortable around animals of all shapes and sizes!

Both of my current pets are rescues. My dog, Stella, is a Great Dane/Lab mix that I rescued from a puppy mill. She’s an incredible dog with a big personality and an even bigger heart! I also have an orange tabby cat named Pip—though he mostly answers to Pipperoni. He was found under a shed, and the moment I saw him, it was love at first sight!

My experience is strongest with dogs and horses. I previously worked as a kennel attendant and assistant trainer, where I gained valuable knowledge of animal behavior and training methods. I’ve handled working K9s and assisted in training everything from basic leash skills to cadaver and narcotics detection.

Beyond dogs, I have an extensive background working with horses. My sister and I grew up caring for an off-the-track Thoroughbred named The Polition (Polition or Lish for short), who was also a retired police horse. He taught us responsibility, hard work, and patience from a young age. My sister now works in Wellington, Florida, training some of the world’s most elite horses. Under her guidance, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Olympians and their horses, further expanding my experience in the equestrian world.

In my personal life, I’m still surrounded by animals. I love spending weekends riding horses with my best friend, taking my dog on walks and hikes, and cozying up with my cat and a good book.