Erika Fontana
Erika has lived in Florida since 1994 and animals have always been a big part of her life. Despite getting a degree in psychology, Erika knew she wanted to work with dogs and cats in some way. Her career started by working in shelters for many years because of her passion for animal welfare.
About Erika
Who is Erika Fontana?
Eventually she decided to work towards being a veterinary nurse and when she finally got the opportunity, she enjoyed learning as much as possible for 5 years. In the back of her mind she knew she wanted to put her love of dogs and fascination with human behavior together somehow. Being a dog trainer seemed like the perfect career, but she had no idea how to get there.
Fortunately for her, a few years ago she adopted a teenage Australian shepherd that changed her life. They say sometimes you get the dog you need and not the dog you want, and that is exactly what happened. Nova’s behavioral issues and anxiety pushed Erika to finally take steps to learning dog behavior and training.
She hired Sit Happens to teach her how to help Nova so they could have a better life. After gaining that knowledge and several years of studying training techniques and dog behavior from as many trainers as possible, Erika started helping other people with their dogs. One day she saw that Sit Happens was hiring trainers in her area and she decided to take the leap and train dogs full time like she’d always dreamed of.
The Team
Meet more trainers
Meet St. Augustine’s expert dog trainers. Certified professionals with 10+ years experience. Specializing in puppies, obedience, behavior modification.
James Rutland
James, a Jacksonville native, joined the Army at 19 and served for 12 years before retiring from his service. His life took a meaningful turn when he received a service dog, which not only improved his quality of life but also sparked a new sense of purpose.
Ken Wille
Ken’s love for dogs started before he could even walk, and it’s been his calling ever since. Born and raised in Chicagoland, he moved to St. Augustine after marrying his best friend in 2011.
Kendra Roop
Kendra has spent the last 5+ years working professionally with dogs and their owners, and it shows in her energetic and passionate approach to training.