About Kristina Carmody, Owner and Training Director

Most would say I'm a dog trainer, but really I'm a motivational coach who gives hope and relief to stressed out dog owners. I work with families struggling with their dog's challenges through a proven method that reconnects your relationship with your canine companion. I have been professionally training dogs and coaching their owners in the DC area for 20 years and have worked in the professional dog boarding industry for 27 years. Over the course of my career, I have taken on many clients who have not had much success with previous trainers and are looking for a last hope. I believe that with a committed owner willing to put in their end of the work, every single dog can be helped. I understand that each dog and owner team learns differently and the key to any successful dog training is about finding the most effective program for both human and canine. 
Education
- Certified Training Without Conflict Trainer by Ivan Balabanov - 2022 
- Bachelor of Science, Psychology – 2003 - Virginia Tech 
- Canine Behavior & Training Specialist – 2004 - Starmark (Triple Crown) Academy
- Multiple Working Dog Seminars including Ivan Balabanov, Debbie Zappia, Mia Skogster,
John Soares, Butch Henderson, and Jogi Zank.
- Multiple Pet Dog Seminars including Tyler Muto, Nelson Hodges, Martin Deeley, Marc Goldberg,
​Jason Vasconi, Heather Beck, Mark McCabe, Cesar Millan, and Chad Mackin.
Member
- International Association of Canine Professionals
- American Working Malinois Association
Accomplishments
- Top Graduate of Triple Crown Academy School for Dog Trainers (Now Starmark Academy)
- Featured in the The Wall Street Journal, Washingtonian Magazine, Washington Post, and Angie’s List Magazine
- Represented the United States at the 2009 FMBB IPO World Championship in Roudnice nad Labem, Czech Republic and selected to participate in the 2010 DVG Championship in Germany
- 2009 DVG KG North Regional Champion 
- Ranked as the #1 trainer/dog team in the USA through DVG America – Fall, 2009 
- Owned, Trained, and Handled her malinois Wyatt Earp de mon Coeur, SchH3 on a national level

Mike Costello, General Manager

     Mike has been a part of the Indigo Dog Training team since 2015. As your first point of contact, Mike will answer any questions you may have, help pick out a program that best suits you and your dog's needs, and finalize all the logistics.
​     Before joining our team, Mike was the Regional Operations Manager for a major fitness company and is a proud Veteran of the U.S. Army. ​

Anthony F, Pet Caretaker and Dog Play Master

     When the dogs see T arrive, they get REALLY excited because they know that means they are about to go on a hike or have some fun PM playtime! T has been our evening pet caretaker since 2020 and is a huge reason why our facility is as clean and maintained as it is.
​     If there is ever a dog that is slow to come out of their shell, T always seems to find a way to tap into their fun side and get them to play and let them know that they are here to enjoy themselves.