About

Helping your dogs be the angels they are meant to be.

Proudly serving Novato, San Rafael, and San Anselmo since 2017.

About The Trainers

Mary Dormody, Owner
KPA CTP

Mary grew up training dogs, and her experience shows in her natural communication with dogs and their owners.

Mary became a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner in May 2018. The Karen Pryor Academy is a rigorous 6 month course that includes instruction in the science of learning as well as hands-on experience teaching people and multiple species of animals.

From February 2015 to August 2017, Mary worked as a Receptionist and Veterinary Assistant at a veterinary hospital in San Anselmo. There, she learned about animal behavior as it pertains to health and safety, and gained invaluable experience.

Mary earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Biology from the University of California, Davis, in 2014. While at Davis, she interned with the late Dr. Sophia Yin, a pioneer in animal behavior and training. Mary credits Dr. Yin as the mentor who changed her focus from veterinary medicine to dog training and helped her realize her talent.

From the ages of 12 to 18, Mary volunteered at Marin Humane as a Dog Training Assistant, among various other positions. She has always had a passion for helping animals in need, and is thrilled to put that passion to use in her work.

Heidi, Trainer
ABCDT

Heidi has been working with dogs for over 20 years and has always been fascinated by how they learn new things so quickly and almost seem to have a 6th sense for reading both our body language and moods.

Heidi became certified through Animal Behavior College in 2021, where she studied positive reinforcement training techniques and the science behind how dogs learn.

Through her experience working with dogs and training her own, Heidi saw a strong need for training methods grounded in the science of animal behavior.

Heidi loves that dogs and humans have been partners for thousands of years, and she chose this career path to help strengthen and preserve that special bond.

Melissa, Training Assistant

Melissa’s passion for dog training began at 14 with her energetic Labrador who needed a productive outlet. Starting with agility training, she quickly fell in love with the process of teaching and communicating with dogs. Wanting to learn as much as she could, Melissa began working under a professional trainer at a puppy day school, where she gained hands-on experience and continued developing her training skills.

She has a particular interest in sport and working dogs and enjoys training driven, high-energy dogs.

Melissa continues to build her experience working with a variety of dogs while developing her skills as a trainer. She enjoys learning and is committed to continuing her education as she works toward becoming a professional dog trainer.

Testimonials

Lynn from San Rafael
Mary is an outstanding trainer. She is incredibly knowledgeable—not only about dogs, but about all kinds of animals. She is professional, patient, and consistent, and it is clear that she brings years of experience to her work.
Her love for animals and genuine passion for what she does are apparent from the moment you meet her. Most importantly, Scout absolutely loves her! I feel very fortunate to have found someone I trust so completely with him. I highly recommend Mary to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, caring, and experienced trainer.

Aaseby Family
We had an absolutely amazing experience at Mary's Angels Training Facility! We brought our 10-week-old puppy, Celly, in for a puppy play session, and from the moment we arrived, we felt completely at ease.
Mary and her two assistants were incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and kind. They created such a safe, welcoming environment and truly made our puppy feel seen, supported, and comfortable. It was clear they understand puppy behavior and know exactly how to help little ones build confidence.
The space was thoughtfully set up with toys, agility equipment, and plenty of room for supervised play. What we appreciated most was how hands-on and educational the experience was for us as owners. Mary walked us through how to properly introduce Celly to the other bigger puppy that was there — allowing her to be off leash while staying close enough to step in if needed. It gave us so much confidence and peace of mind.
If you're looking for a positive, structured, and caring environment for your puppy to socialize and learn, we cannot recommend Mary’s Angels enough. We’re so grateful for such a wonderful first training experience.

Jen from Novato
Mary is literally amazing. Our Boston came to us without socialization with humans and seems to be scared of basically everything. Mary has taught our little Reese to interact with us and she just keeps blossoming after each session we have. Thank you so much for helping us to see our puppy for who she is and to help her excel. Thank you!! We are looking forward to the future and are thrilled to know Reese is happy and thriving with your continued assistance.

Jean from San Anselmo
We couldn't be more pleased! Mary literally made it possible for us to keep Chinook, a rescue dog that had been in 5 homes in 6 weeks. She saved his life.