Bethany Soxman 

NEW TIMES How did you become partners with Ken Brown?

SOXMAN I had just got done interning with a trainer in Riverside for a couple months. I was looking for someone who I could intern with locally. No one was willing to help me without me willing to pay. When I met Ken, he said he wasn’t looking for someone to intern with him. But I kept asking him and he finally said that he wanted to see me and my dog work together. It was almost like a tryout.

NEW TIMES How long have you been working together?

SOXMAN A little over a year now.

NEW TIMES What kind of training do you offer?

SOXMAN We offer a variety of training from basic to advanced obedience. We do puppy imprinting, as well as private in-home training. We host group classes at WOODS every Saturday at 9 a.m. We also provide consultations and behavioral assessments. We can assist in training for American Kennel Club certification and canine good citizen training, behavior modification, and problem solving.

NEW TIMES When did you two decide to start Bethany and Brown Professional Dog Training?

SOXMAN My internship has evolved into a partnership. Ken used to operate under the name Brown’s Canines, but we have changed the name to reflect our new partnership.

NEW TIMES When did you find out that you wanted to be a trainer?

SOXMAN I’ve always had a lifelong passion for animals, starting when I was pretty young. I used to walk my neighbors’ dogs for money in elementary school. I had three clients. I charged a dollar per walk. Throughout high school, I would pet sit for neighbors when they would go out of town. I became involved in the training aspect when I first acquired my now 6-year-old pit bull/shepherd mix.

NEW TIMES Which trainers have influenced you?

SOXMAN I have accumulated my style by taking bits and pieces from a variety of different trainers. I’ve learned everything from clicker training to remote collar training. I’ve been to a Cesar Millan seminar and have studied seminars from sport dog trainers such as Bart Bellon and Michael Ellis.

NEW TIMES What is the best way to get your training assistance?

SOXMAN To sign up for group classes, contact the WOODS Humane Society. For private lessons or more information, you should call Ken Brown at 474-7337 or call me at 234-7337. We are also starting up a new puppy class geared towards preventing problems as well as laying a solid foundation that will be easier to build upon later in the dog’s life.