Meet the Trainers

Guiding Philosophies

We specialize on helping dogs and their people build lasting skills - especially when fear, anxiety, or big emotions are part of the picture. Our work focuses on behavior modification, emotional regulation, and real-life application.

Our approach is grounded in modern behavior science and ethical, fear free training practices. We prioritize safety, consent, and the dog's emotional experience.

At South Austin Dog Center, we believe that every pet deserves to be happy and healthy. Our vision is to create a world where pets and their owners have strong, positive relationships based on trust and respect.

About Us

Erica Ashkenazi, CBCC-KA, FFCP

Passionate. Patient. Persistent. Pet-lover.

These are just a few of the characteristics that describe me.

I've always been an animal lover and while growing up was the neighborhood dog walker. Then I begged my parents for horseback riding lessons which evolved into a lifelong passion. Soon after I moved to Austin, I decided I was ready for a pup of my own and went down to Austin Animal Center. I found a beautiful, shut-down and depressed recent mama. We fell in love and little did I know what I was getting into.

She started my journey into learning more about canine behavior and helping pup's work through behavior issues. I continued learning through working with dog's with behavior issues at Austin Animal Center and eventually decided to make my passion my day job under Steve DeBono.

I've continued my education by attending conferences and workshops with Suzanne Clothier, Michael Shikashio, Nicole Wilde, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Grisha Stewart, Dr. Tim Lewis, and many more.

I know each animal is different, and I’ll work with you and yours to give them the specific guidance they need. Whether you’re thinking about getting an animal, have a new pet, or already own a pet with behavioral problems, I am here to help.

Lynnette Chaivre, CBCC-KA, FFCP, AKC CGC Evaluator

The best way to know me is to ask my dogs.

According to them, I'm:

an expert ball and disc thrower
a little stingy on the snacks
an awesome communicator
a fantastic masseuse
a good cuddler
a paparazzi
their personal chauffeur
and the fun-est mom ever (even if I do make them get baths and have their nails done).

Of course, I have opposable thumbs and can open both the door and the treat jar, so they may be a little biased.

As for what I do, I relieve people's stress and improve their lives. Dogs are not born knowing the rules, and the problem is exasperated by interspecies communication barriers. I act as an interpreter between guardians and their dogs so they can all live a peaceful, rich and fulfilling life together.

My passion is working with dogs with fears, anxieties, and general confidence issues. I bridge the gap these dogs have with functioning in the world and then give owners the skills they need to maintain and manage that bridge.

The best part about my job as a canine behavior consultant is seeing the transformation in my students, both two-legged and four. When they let go of fear and frustration to find that inner calm and peace, they begin to enjoy the important aspects of life together.

Adjunct Trainer: Steven Tallas, CDTK, CBCC-KA, Dip. CBST, FFCP, Certified Canine Behavior and Fitness Specialist

Bringing together the worlds of behavior science and physical fitness has been a passion of mine for many years. My dog training journey began at 18, when I invited a local trainer out for coffee to talk about dogs. That conversation led to my first mentor, and after months of shadowing her at Barc Animal Shelter in Houston, I committed to formal schooling to become a certified dog trainer.

From there, my curiosity deepened. I wanted to understand what truly drives dogs — the “why” behind complex behavior cases like reactivity. This pursuit led me to advanced education, including a rigorous diploma program in canine behavior through the Companion Animal Science Institute (CASI), where I specialized in aggression cases under James O’Heare, and later graduated from Michael Shikashio’s renowned Aggression in Dogs Master Course.

At the same time, my passion for personal fitness and my own dog’s struggles with mobility inspired me to explore canine fitness. I quickly fell in love with the field, earning certification through NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and continuing my studies at Colorado State University Pueblo. Today, canine strength and conditioning is not just my profession — it’s my way of life.

With the help of South Austin Dog Center and my own company at Venture Dog Training, I decided to bring two specific specialties together to give dogs of different ages, breeds, and temperaments a beneficial way to learn and thrive in the world today.

Assistant Trainer: Mac Savage

Mac Savage is a positive reinforcement dog trainer focused on helping dogs and their families build stronger, happier connections. With a background in behavioral modification and a passion for animals, Mac offers a compassionate, well-rounded approach to training.

Mac's experience includes working with livestock, domestic, and exotic animals on a farm, as well as supporting dogs with behavioral challenges in shelters. It was during shelter work and through adopting dogs with complex needs that Mac decided to pursue professional training. They trained at South Austin Dog Center (SADC), where mentors Lynnette Chaivre and Erica Ashkenazi continue to shape their methods.

Mac is also active in the Austin rescue community, volunteering with local organizations. At home, Mac shares life with four dogs, three of whom came with behavioral challenges! One, Mama, was adopted from the shelter Mac worked at, and after training with SADC, her behaviors have positively changed in so many ways.

Rooted in patience, compassion, and fear-free, science-based methods, Mac’s training focuses on building trust, confidence, and long-lasting results for dogs and their owners!

our Helper Dogs

Atlas

Atlas is a very special boy turned staff member early on. He started out as our foster pup with some special behavior needs, but quickly became part of the pack before we knew what was happening! He had the very best canine etiquette teachers a pup could ask for in the form of senior pack members, Roxie and Maverick.

At the end of 2019, we made the adoption official.

Atlas can be particular with his canine friends, but he shines as a Distraction Dog for many of the pups enrolled in our Day School Programs. He's often out and about with us at various cafes and patios showing other dogs how it's done. Graceful, loving, and full of life, we're lucky he chose us to be his people!

Atlas loves sunbathing, hiking, and playing the big brother to Essie.

Essie

Shy herself in the beginning, Essie quickly showed a fun-loving, sweet and sometimes sassy personality. While her teenage phase kept us on our toes and gave Atlas a run for his money, it also revealed something special: Her social timing is impeccable.

She has a remarkable talent for reading subtle canine body language and adjusting her responses in real time. It helps that she has had very good teachers, both at home and at Howl N Woof Dog Day Care. As she matured into one of our go-to Helper Dogs, this ability has become a superpower.

Essie excels at modeling appropriate play, respectful disengagement, and balanced social boundaries - skills that are far easier for dogs to learn from another dog than from a human.

In her downtime, Essie enjoys sunbathing, soaking up attention from her friends (that's literally everyone), lounging in in the middle of "her" Queen-sized bed, and patrolling the yard with her brothers.

Nothing gets by her... especially not midnight snacks.

Knox

At 14 years old, Knox the Border Collie is our honorary, semi-retired staff member.

Level-headed, mild-mannered, possessing an innate calmness and equipped with social skills that are impossible for humans to teach, he is invaluable in helping shy and anxious dogs come out of their shells and find their confidence.

In his spare time, Knox enjoys swimming, kayaking and camping trips, chasing a ball, herding sheep, and cuddling at home...
or cuddling anywhere with anyone for that matter.