“I dedicated my career to animal care and training for over a decade,” shares Heather Crane, owner of Sea Dog Animal Training, LLC. “My background includes a Master’s degree in Wildlife Science with a focus on ethology, as well as 12 years of hands-on experience in accredited zoos and aquariums.” Heather is your neighbor, a mother, and a proud small business owner who values compassion, community, and resilience. Additionally, Heather has published works in the field as has had the privilege of working with both domestic pets and exotic animals. With a passion for strengthening the human-animal bond, she wants to help families create lasting, positive relationships with their pets. Needless to say, when you bring your pet to Sea Dog Animal Training, Heather Crane is going to get the job done.

Sea Dog Animal Training began with a mission to keep pets with their families by addressing behavioral challenges that often lead to surrender or abandonment. “Inspired by both my professional experience and personal passion for animal welfare, I opened SDAT to create a space where positive reinforcement training and science-based methods could be accessible to families in our community,” Heather shares. “Over the years, we’ve expanded services from in-home services only to offering services with a 16,000 sq. ft. training facility.” Recently, they celebrated becoming an entirely woman-owned business, and remain committed to setting high standards for animal care and training.

Put simply, Sea Dog Animal Training saves lives. They are deeply committed to the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, which guide all aspects of their care. Their focus is not on convenience, but on behavior solutions that prevent rehoming or shelter surrender. Every program they design is tailored to the individual pet, supported by science, and delivered by a team that is passionate about helping animals thrive. Their combination of professional expertise, personalized service, and community-driven values truly set them apart. Additionally, they take pets that have been “kicked out” of other training or day care programs due to behavior issues. Unlike many trainers, they are insured for the work they do. All of their programs are also Veterinary Supervised by their on-site consulting veterinarian and co-manager, Dr. Grace Brannon.

In the community, Sea Dog Animal Training partners with reputable 501(c)(3) animal welfare organizations, collaborate with local veterinarians, and provide resources for pet parents who may otherwise struggle with training challenges. They also engage in community outreach through education initiatives, social media campaigns on responsible pet ownership, and support during times of crisis, such as providing hurricane preparation protocols and care plans, or large scale adoption events. Their vision for the future is expectant; they’re looking forward to expanding their luxury Airstream overnight stays, launching a crowdfunding campaign to improve their facilities, and rolling out new training programs designed for both puppies and advanced learners. Long-term, they aim to position as a community hub for animal behavior education and to scale their training resources so more families can benefit. Through maintaining an emphasis on helping families create lasting, positive relationships with their pets, Sea Dog Animal Training doesn’t just train your bet; they bring the entire family, both human and animal, closer together.