About Us
Mindful Canine was founded in 2021 by two friends and colleagues who wanted to make an impact in the lives of dogs and their people. After working years in the retail pet industry, Emmah and Brandi wanted to do more for pet owners without the limitations of mass corporate retail constraints, including offering unbiased information backed with years of education and making effective dog training less mysterious and costly for everyday owners. Emmah and Brandi share values in building genuine community relationships, volunteer work, personal and professional integrity, animal welfare, and continuing education and professional development. Through these values and a desire to do more in the world, Mindful Canine was born. Mindful Canine strives to deliver excellent customer service, measurable training results, stress-free and trustworthy pet sitting, and other services to make life with your pet easier such as dog-walking. Mindful Canine is about helping dog owners everywhere enjoy life with their dog to the fullest extent, bringing together all lifestyle factors in harmony. We believe in the sentience of dogs and their potential to become mindful, responsible decision-makers…. And the same goes for their owners!
Brandi Kern
Co-Founder
Brandi has always had a deep love for animals, caring for pets ranging from dogs and cats to reptiles, birds, and even insects. While her passion for animals remained constant, she pursued a BA in English Creative Writing at SUU. After graduating, she took a job at a pet store, where her love for animals was reignited. Starting as a part-time sales associate, Brandi quickly moved into the role of General Store Manager, spending five years immersed in pet care disciplines such as training, husbandry, and nutrition. Her time there gave her valuable insights into the needs of both pets and their owners. She also partnered with local rescues and served on the board of the local non-profit FFCK9s.
Brandi’s commitment to animal welfare deepened when she adopted Boo, a Pitbull/Australian Cattle Dog mix with behavioral challenges. This experience gave her a fresh appreciation for the impact of dog training, shaping her decision to leave retail and focus more directly on helping pets and their owners. Now, Brandi is dedicated to making dog training accessible and practical, using motivational techniques and enrichment.
Emmah Ort
Co-Founder
Emmah Ort has been interested in both pet and livestock animals since childhood, and started her training journey teaching her pet dogs to do tricks. It was not long before Emmah experimented with “clicker training” horses and cats, and went on to train a stud to barrel race and broke three colts. Emmah has earned a portfolio of achievements and ribbons with the Color Country Equestrian Club and now has more than 16 years of equestrian experience. Because of Emmah’s love for animals, she entered the workforce in pet retail and worked for two major retailers over the course of five years, where she promoted quickly to a management position as well as launched a successful dog training department at one of the retailers. Emmah became one of the top trainers in that company and devoted three years of research and expertise to the program. Emmah’s passion and experience exploded when she adopted a mixed breed dog, Oscar, with special needs from the local animal shelter. Emmah is passionate about straightforward communication between dog and owner instead of just teaching tricks, and is competent in a variety of approaches with an emphasis in play ranging from positive reinforcement to more balanced and direct methods. Emmah left the pet retail industry to pursue a more meaningful and involved experience with pet owners. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology in 2022 to reach her full potential as a career animal behaviorist.
