Meet the girl behind the dogs…

My original training service, Gotta Love Dog Training, was started by a very ambitious 16-year-old who planned to become a veterinarian. She never knew she’d find her true passion along the way. My name is Katie Beth Dean, but I am often known as "The Dog Girl" from Pineville. I’ve been showing dogs since middle school. I own four dogs: my 15-year-old retired Shih Tzu, Sophie Belle; my current sports dogs, EmmyLou, a Springer Spaniel, and Creek, a rescued 3-year-old Springer-doodle puppy; and my newest addition, Timber, an 8-month-old Tri-Liver Springer Spaniel.

I have always loved dogs and have been fascinated with the human-dog relationship. It was no surprise that at a young age I wanted to pursue a career centered on animals, and I was initially bound for vet school. I attended Lincoln Memorial University, earning degrees in Veterinary Health Science and taking as many behavior classes as I could. During these classes, I discovered my preference for animal behavior over animal medicine. After much soul searching, I decided not to continue on the path to vet school after graduate school and instead chose to focus on building my "part time" job of dog training into something more. Today, I am happy to offer a wide range of services, including training, boarding, and grooming, full-time to anyone in the Southeast Kentucky/Cumberland Gap Region.

I have accumulated nine years of valuable experience providing private training lessons, backed by my extensive academic background in animal science. My studies included in-depth courses on animal behavior, handling, health, anatomy, and nutrition, and I furthered my education by attending various training seminars.

During an 18-month research internship, I had the privilege of working with wolves and conducting observational research for my senior thesis. This experience allowed me to explore the trainability of wolves and wolf-dog hybrids, contributing to my deep understanding of animal behavior.

This journey led me to identify the need for additional services in my area, inspiring the creation of Creekside Canine. What began as a simple dog training venture has now expanded to include training, including group classes, board and trains, puppy preschool, day training, private lessons, a boarding kennel pet resort, grooming and bathing services, and even a therapy dog program. I hope to be adding an interactive, training based and behaviorist backed daycare program in Fall of 2024.

I pursued and obtained my MBA at LMU, with the intention of further growing my business and making a positive impact on my community. Furthermore, I am an avid participant in dog sports, excelling in competition rally obedience, dock diving, and competing in other disciplines such as fastCAT, barn hunt, competition obedience and scentwork. My passion for dogs has taken me to various locations for competitions, from Houston, TX to Louisville, KY to Macon, GA, making each journey a memorable dog-related adventure.

When I'm not immersed in the world of dogs, I enjoy spending time with friends, relaxing on a boat, or indulging in artistic pursuits. My loyal service dog, Emmylou, is always by my side, adding joy and support to every endeavor.