Urban Dawgs, LLC dba Red Bank Dog Training is owned and operated by Vyolet and Drayton Michaels. We are committed to providing the resources and support necessary to build lifelong relationships between people and their canine companions. Offering a broad range of educational programs and services, our goal is to help dog owners better understand how their dogs learn and communicate, and how to effectively bridge that communication using proven positive reinforcement training methods.
Vyolet Sciarappa Michaels, CPDT, CTC
Born and raised in Monmouth County (NJ), Vyolet Sciarappa Michaels has worked with dogs professionally for over a decade. She received her certification in dog training and behavior counseling after having graduated valedictorian with honors from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, directed by renowned author and dog expert, Jean Donaldson (The Culture Clash and Dogs Are From Neptune). This intensive program, where a class of only ten students trains with the industry’s best dog trainers, has gained a reputation for being "the Harvard for dog trainers".
Upon graduating from the Academy, Vyolet and her husband Drayton Michaels opened Urban Dawgs, LLC in Seattle and Vyolet was hired as a head dog trainer at the Humane Society for Seattle/King County.
In the Summer of 2004, Vyolet and Drayton opened Seattle's premier dog training center, where Vyolet taught public dog training classes and hosted a seminar for dog trainers by marine mammal trainer/dog expert, Kathy Sdao. In addition to giving feature presentations on Puppy Training and Clicker Training at the 2004 Seattle Pet Expo held at Seattle Center, Vyolet has also made TV appearances on NorthWest Cable News (NWCN) to discuss various dog training and behavior topics. In August 2005, Vyolet and Drayton Michaels returned to Monmouth County to open Urban Dawgs, LLC dba Red Bank Dog Training in central NJ. In March of 2006, Urban Dawgs was featured on the front page of the Asbury Park Press. Most recently Vyolet contributed to an upcoming article on Separation Anxiety in the AKC Gazette Magazine (in publication since 1889).
Vyolet is a twice certified dog trainer (by both the SFSPCA Academy for Dog Trainers and the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers), a Professional Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), an Associate Member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, an evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen program and is certified in Canine First Aid/CPR. She continues to study dog training and behavior independently and attends continuing education seminars throughout the country to keep current with the latest dog training methods and techniques.
Drayton Michaels
NYC native Drayton Michaels has been working with dogs professionally for over 5 years. Drayton has logged countless volunteer hours with numerous shelters and rescue organizations, helping to foster, rehabilitate and train pit bulls (his favorite breed of dog and arguably the most misunderstood breed in the world today). He has begun working on a documentary film that sets out to debunk common myths about the breed and educate the public on basic care and training needs for pit bull type dogs. The film, with the working title "Judging the Innocent", will feature the best and brightest of the professional dog world (including an interview with Jean Donaldson, author of "The Culture Clash"). Recently Drayton Michaels applied and was accepted to attend the Spring 2007 Session of the CTC Program at The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. Drayton continues to study dog training and behavior independently and is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). He has gained a reputation locally as "The Pit Bull Guru" and is making great strides in defending the breed from discrimination and cruelty.
Vyolet and Drayton Michaels live in Red Bank, NJ with their rescued 8-year old American Staffordshire Terrier named Mojo and 5-year old Terrier Mix named Mimi Keysha.
