Happy Tails Trainers

Happy Tails K9 Training Center
Where classes are a learning and an enjoyable teaching experience for you and your dog!
Owners and Head Trainers: Gale [Mills] Waas and Mark Waas
with over 30 years experience

Gale [Mills] Waas: Founder and Head Trainer

An experienced professional dog trainer, certified service dog trainer, and canine competition judge, in 2002, Gale founded the Happy Tails K9 Training Center.

Although the majority of her time is spent teaching classes in canine socialization, puppy head start, and obedience training, Gale still finds time to work with many local organizations—the Oswego County Animal Welfare League, the local Human Societies, Search and Rescue groups, and Seeing Eyes for the Blind—among others.

With over thirty-four year's dog training experience, Gale has taught thousands of dogs, and their humans, that learning to behave is an enjoyable teaching experience for all involved. Within the "dog community" of Upstate New York, Gale is known as... the East Coast Dog Whisperer.

Mark Waas: Co-Owner and Head Trainer

Mark is co-owner of Happy Tails K9 Training Center and one of the center's Head Trainers. Although he does not have as many years experience as his wife, Gale, he does have an intrinsic connection with both dogs and their owners.

With the ability to calm, even the most guy-shy dog, Mark is an invaluable asset to the training team, especially when working with dogs in the Socialization Classes. His gentle manner and calm demure, coupled with a never-ending amount of patience, makes Mark one of the up-an-coming canine trainers in Upstate New York.

Lucy Crymer: Assistant Trainer

Lucy has been schooled under the guidance of Gale and Mark, since joining the Happy Tails K9 Training Center team, as an Assistant Trainer, in 2004. She primarily works with all levels of obedience training classes, and delights in the experience.

Lucy derives great pleasure in graduation day, as she watches the smiles on the owners and the wagging tails of their well-behaved canines. Lucy is an animal lover, especially of dogs, and is personally "owned" by a houseful of Dachshunds.