Meet our Trainers

Meet our Trainers

Brian Gibbs, CPDT-KA

Dog Training Instructor

Brian@paws4ever.org

Brian became interested in working with dogs after his dog Sonny passed away. Knowing the time was not right to get another dog, he began volunteering at Saving Grace Animals for Adoption. There, he spent many hours playing and working with a wide variety of dogs.

Brian is interested in learning and teaching about the canine world and about how dogs interact with each other and with people. Brian received his CPDT-KA certification in 2023.

Heather Daniel

Dog Training Instructor

heather@paws4ever.org

Heather has always loved having dogs in her family ever since she was a child. After a long career in Digital Marketing, she decided it was time to take a chance and pursue her passion for helping owners build a strong bond and trust with their pets. Heather started volunteering at Paws4ever in April 2022 and was thrilled to be asked to join the team shortly after. She is now working to obtain her CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed) and hopes to assist many, many families in the near future.

The biggest joy Heather gets from training is seeing the confidence a dog gains as soon as they’ve learned a new behavior. There is a moment a light bulb goes off and they truly understand what is being asked of them. She believes that when working with a dog it is a team effort and not one party demanding something from the other.

Heather lives in Mebane with her dog Hornsby, husband Phil, and 3 chickens.

Eike Marten, CTC

Dog Training Instructor

eike@paws4ever.org

Eike grew up in rural northern Germany, where animals were always around and central in her life. While attending grad school in Hamburg, she didn’t get to spend much time with animals and it became apparent that a canine friend was desperately needed, one who would make sure she’d have enough exercise and playtime to keep her grounded. In 2011, she adopted a young rambunctious Husky named Tessa, who made certain that there wasn’t a dull moment in Eike’s life ever again! With the help of an amazing force-free trainer, Eike trained Tessa to be a civil city-dweller and learned how to meet the needs of a high-energy powerhouse of a dog. During this process, she discovered her passion for understanding training, behavior, and the resonances between teaching humans and animals. 

Eike has since worked as a dog walker, volunteered at numerous dog rescues, and joined AnimalSense Canine Training and Behavior in Chicago as a Junior Trainer in 2021. She practices empathy and positive reinforcement-based force-free training and coaching methods for both canine and human learners. Eike values education as a tool for empowering clients and dogs to live life to their fullest. She reads many books about dog training and behavior and has completed training courses through organizations such as KPA, Fetchfind, and Wild at Heart. Eike graduated with honors from the 2-year Certificate Program in Training and Counseling (CTC) at The Academy for Dog Trainers in 2023.

Eike lives in Durham with her dog Cricket, her cat Daria, and her husband Dave.

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