Licensed FDM-Behavior & Training, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CBATI, PMCT2, CGC Evaluator

FOUNDER/TRAINER, BEHAVIOR CONSULTANT & COACH

Viviane has been training dogs and conducting behavior consultations since 2005. She is your guide in all things having to do with dogs, whether you are an animal professional or a family guardian.

Viviane is a networker and values collaborating with other animal professionals in order to best serve her clients and colleagues. If she doesn’t have a resource you need, she will use her ever expanding network to find it for you.

Coaching humans has always been Viviane’s strength and joy. In recent years she has increased her focus on the human side of dog training and behavior. She offers coaching and guidance in an atmosphere of acceptance and safety. Her clients include a range of other professionals needing resources or a sounding board for finding new or tried & true ideas for puzzling or difficult cases.

Viviane is a resource for pet parents who are struggling with difficult decisions, or not sure they are on the right track with their dogs. She is available for a full range of conversations including case review, referral to other professionals, all the way to discussion of quality of life for humans and canines living together. This includes discussion of humane euthanasia due to age, illness or behavioral concerns. She still sees dogs and their families for the full range of needs from puppyhood to old age on a case by case basis.

Viviane has been educated by thousands of clients and their dogs, and she learns something new every day!

She wants to give special mention to her personal passed dogs, Taki, Shadow, Toby, Pasha, and Greta.  Her current dogs are 12 year old Willow, a Staffy, Shiba Inu, Basenji mix and 5 year old Mimi a Lagotto Ramagnolo.   Willow is pictured above.

CDBC, CPDT-KA, Family Dog Mediator

LEAD TRAINER

Kizz Robinson became a lead trainer at PumpkinPups Dog Training in 2015. She teaches all levels of classes from Puppy Essentials through Manners 3 both in-person and on virtual platforms. Kizz works with all kinds of dogs and has a special place in her heart for small dogs with reactive behavior, teaching families with children, tricks training and complex behavioral cases.

Kizz was certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) in 2016. In 2020 the IAABC awarded her the title of Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC).

2B Dog Training, Kizz’s personal business was formed in 2014. She is based in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn and serves many areas of Brooklyn with sessions in client homes and out in the streets and parks of the city. She offers virtual sessions to families in other areas of NYC, across the country, and around the world. Kizz has also volunteered with the NYC Department of Corrections for their Rikers Rovers Program.

Kizz shares her home with Legs, a multicolored domestic shorthair cat, and Watson, a mixed breed dog who just might resemble a Zamboni.

CSAT, CPDT-KA, CGC Evaluator, Family Dog Mediator

LEAD TRAINER

Alison loves working closely with private clients around Brooklyn and teaching group classes in Basic Manners and Puppy Essentials with her colleagues through PumpkinPups Dog Training. She holds two certifications showing both broad and deep knowledge on the most current techniques in training and is committed to using the most ethical force-free means to train. The CSAT certification is a specialty designation that comes through the world’s most recognized expert in separation training, Malena DeMartini, and is held by only a couple hundred trainers in the world. 

Alison feels grateful to have studied under many amazing trainers while she was learning. She has worked as a per Diem Behavior Counselor for the ASPCA, and in 2015 she gave her time to a program on Rikers Island, teaching the residents there about positive reinforcement dog training. Her previous work experience includes being a dog groomer, veterinary technician, kennel and daycare employee, dog walker and pet sitter.

Her fascination with dog and animal behavior was inspired by her first greyhound rescue, Bella. Having learned through that guardianship, she now has both personal and professional knowledge on separation and isolation training. She brings that knowledge, compassion and warmth to her training style.

Alison strives to continue learning and teaching how we can best reside and thrive with these amazing and devoted friends. She loves seeing people understand and bond with their dogs. She lives in Brooklyn with her Galgo rescue, River and also runs her own training business, Dharma Dog NYC.

CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified, CGC Evaluator, Family Dog Mediator

LEAD TRAINER

Julie is committed to training with positive reinforcement and force-free methods. She strives to help people understand their dogs better and continues to seek out ways she can learn more about these amazing furry companions. Julie’s passion for animals started when she worked as a volunteer and trail guide at horse stables. Julie has previous experience working as a dog walker before becoming a certified dog trainer.

Julie loves working with private clients in-person and virtually through her own dog training business, Pawsome Pupstars in Brooklyn and Queens and teaching classes with her colleagues through PumpkinPups Dog Training. She is one of the head instructors for Puppy Essentials, Manners 1, and the Cooperative Care class.

Julie was certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) in 2019 and then went on to receive her Fear Free certification in 2021. Julie now specializes in at-home cooperative care training and finding ways to reduce the stress around vet visits for both humans and dogs.

As part of her education journey Julie has passed Pat Miller’s Level 1 Training Academy in 2018 and Level 2 Behavior Modification Academy in 2022. She’s also completed Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs master course and Kim Brophey’s L.E.G.S. Family Dog Mediator course. For fun Julie enjoys playing dungeons and dragons with friends and computer games like Final Fantasy 14.

CPDT-KA

TRAINER

Jess Kelley-Madera is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer living in the Hudson Valley of New York.

She trains dogs locally and online (yes, it can be done!) through her business, Good Dogs Unleashed. She has a special interest in working with fearful dogs, dogs with aggressive behaviors, and dogs in shelter environments.

She recently completed Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs Master Course, and has completed multiple courses in training and behavior modification by world-renowned dog trainer Pat Miller. She is passionate about sharing what she’s learned and she provides free, evidence-based training information through her Instagram account, @gooddogsunleashed.

She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Christian, her two cats, Purrthurnax and Pumpkin, and her two dogs, Sammie and Cannoli. And yes, all of them are clicker trained (except the husband!).

ADMINISTRATOR

Susan has been part of the PumpkinPups family since October 2017 when she and her husband brought their pup, Lua, to classes for the first time! When the opportunity to join the team arose, she jumped at the chance and excitedly joined as the Administrator in February 2019. Having been a client, she truly understands the genuine attention and care the trainers give to all humans and pups. Susan thoroughly enjoys being a part of the training journeys, while helping to keep the school communication running joyfully and efficiently.

Susan is also a former professional modern dancer and is currently a yoga instructor. She has a private teaching practice working therapeutically with individuals one-on-one by creating custom designed sessions to fit specific needs of the individual.  Visit her website (alegria-yoga.com) for more information.

CPDT-KA, Family Dog Mediator, CGC Evaluator

TRAINER/WEBMASTER

Jean joined the PumpkinPups team in the fall of 2021. She studied Architecture at Pratt Institute and has a background in visual and graphic arts, however she has always had an interest in animals and science. Learning about animal behavior became essential when she started working as a dog walker and pet sitter in 2005 in Brooklyn, NY. Jean naturally worked very well with dogs that were reactive or fearful and took a special interest in being able to understand them better.

Jean started learning about dog training in 2010 with the late Gary Gross who created Dog Trainers of NYC with Victoria Stillwell. She also helped with a pet project of his photographing senior dogs for a book and used her various skills from her art and design background to assist in photo editing for Gary. In 2011, Jean apprenticed and worked as a dog groomer while continuing to provide dog walking and pet care services. In 2012 Jean studied dog training with Rikke Brogaard and Jenny Chun with the New York Positive Dog Trainers Academy, then additionally with Viviane Arzoumanian in 2015 for the New York Force Free Dog Behavior Consultants Academy. In August of 2022, Jean became a certified Family Dog Mediator (FDM), and in Spring of 2023 she became certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA).

Jean currently assists with PumpkinPups group classes, she maintains our website and wears a few other hats. Jean lives and works with her partner Mike Preis seeing private clients in Brooklyn and Queens with their own business, Mike Preis Dog Training. They specialize in working with highly sensitive dogs in urban environments.

Jean’s interests in animal behavior are not limited to dogs however, she has worked with cats and other small animals over the years. This includes her own cat L.C., a rescue from Rockaway, who loves clicker training and giving high-fives.