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 About Our Training Center
 It's
PAWSible! Dog Training Center is a custom designed building
located on Route 66 just over the
Northampton/ Westhampton line in Westhampton, MA. Unlike many
other training centers, our building was constructed from the
ground up with dog training in mind. The state of the art
floor is one inch thick rubber installed over two feet of
tamped gravel, which makes it extremely comfortable and safe
for the dog's joints, and much easier on humans, too. The
building is well insulated for comfortable temperatures year
round, and has 34! 4-foot by 7-foot windows and high-casting
ceiling fixtures that provide terrific lighting for both
daytime and evening classes.
In 1999 we added our Day Camp area to
the building constructions. This consists of two 25 x 25 play
areas surrounded by six foot fencing. This area is attached to
our building and covered by a substantial roof. The roof
allows the dogs to be outdoors yet, there is shelter from rain
or snow. The area is also heated in the winter. It's day camp
that cannot be matched! Read more about our
Day
Camp.
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About the Owners
 Beth
Ostrowski Parks
The Founder and President of It's PAWSible! I am a
Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a member of the
Association of Pet Dog Trainers. I have been involved in
dog training for the since 1993. I specialize in training
groups of people with puppies or adult dogs. My clients
are looking to build a special bond with their best
friend. I also do one -on-one consultations with people
and their dogs who are having trouble with aggression,
fear, separation anxiety or other behavior problems. My
passion is helping people train their "shelter" dogs who
were adopted from shelters or other homes where they were
neglected or abused. I am an advocate of rescuing animals
and did my own Greyhound rescue for several years.
I also regularly volunteer my
time at the Thomas J. O'Connor Adoption Center. I enjoy
assisting Barbara, the Director of TJO, temperament test
dogs for placement in their adoption center. I also help
out whenever I can at Dakin Animal Shelter and Pioneer
Valley Humane Society. There is a lot to learn from all
the dogs out there looking for homes.
I am always striving to learn
more about dogs and consistently study new ways to teach
gentle, but effective dog training to my clients. I just
love what I do!
With any extra time I have, I
compete in agility with my two Dobermans, Makana and
Treasure, and my Australian Shepherd, Phlip. However, what
I love most about my dogs is to go hiking with them as
often as possible. I learn a lot from watching them and
being with them.
What I love most about my work is
to watch an owner of a "problem" dog, learn how to
communicate effectively with the dog. They can then learn
to work together to form a common bond. I've seen great
things happen here at It's PAWSible!
Please take the time to
meet my dogs, Makana, Treasure
and Phlip.
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 Wayne
Parks
Wayne got involved with dogs when Beth did. At the
time it was simply by default, but he has grown to love
the business and is big participant in lots of behind the
scenes work at It's PAWSible!. Frequently he is in the
office answering the phone, making appointments or signing
up people for classes. He also manages the day camp
employees and the day camp area. He is the chief engineer
of our training facility and the day camp area and he is
in charge of maintaining the details, big and small of our
place. He is a very busy man! In his rare spare time he
enjoys powerlifting and martial arts. In 2004 he earned
his Black Belt in Uechi Ryu Karate.
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About Our Instructors
 Ann Peereboom
General Manger/Trainer
Ann Peereboom has been interested in dog training since the tender age of 6 when she "taught" her first dog, a beagle named Lucky, how to find cut up hot dogs in the sandbox. Then, she started to work with Missy, who her family obtained from a local shelter. She taught Missy to jump rope -- much to her mother's delight. Thanks to those first bonds she developed with her own dogs, and her mother's love and support, Ann has always had a special place for dogs in her heart.
In 1998 Ann purchased a Boxer puppy and she wanted to start Trixie off right with formal training in the hope that she could someday do agility with her. She joined a puppy class right away. She was so impressed by Trixie's progress and the progress of the other puppies that she inquired about apprenticeship. Soon after, she started apprenticing at It's Pawsible three to four nights per week.
Ann is an excellent dog trainer who has learned dog and people training skills from Beth. She attended apprentice meetings, traveled to seminars and read everything she could get her hands on. In the meantime, of course, she got plenty of practice with Trixie and with other dogs in classes. After a year and a half of apprenticing, Beth hired Ann as her teaching assistant and a year after that she was hired as a full trainer. Ann enjoys teaching classes here evenings and weekends.
Ann ended up successfully competing in agility with Trixie. When Trixie retired from agility at the age of 8, she was competing in the Excellent level in AKC. Now, Ann has a Portuguese Water Dog named Fisher. On weekends you can find Ann competing in agility events in the New England area with Fisher. They are doing very well in all venues.
In July of 2007 she was hired by Beth and Wayne to be their General Manager of Operations at It's PAWSible! DTC, Inc., which was the realization of a lifelong dream for Ann!
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 Erika Sautman
When finally in a place where Erika could own a dog, she chose to adopt Reece, a two year old Rottweiler. At the time she and her husband Steve were living in Alabama where obedience classes were hard to find, so she used books to help her train. Reece learned all the basics and a few tricks! Erika soon began to volunteer her time at an animal shelter. It was a rewarding experience that taught her about caring for and managing homeless dogs.
After Erika and Steve relocated to Massachusetts, Erika missed her work at the shelter and looked for a way to help. She started volunteering for North East Rottweiler Rescue (NERR), and decided to try fostering. Enter—Kayse! Erika thought this cute young Rottweiler wouldn't be in the foster program for long.
Erika quickly realized she was in for a big challenge with Kayse. She started working on the basics, but quickly realized she needed professional help! She also discovered a lump on Kayse's ribcage. Sadly, she was diagnosed with cancer and was no longer able to be adopted. Erika decided to keep Kayse as her own dog. She also decided to try a class at It's PAWSible!
Walking into the It's PAWSible! Training Center, Erika knew she came to the right place! Not only was the center state of the art, but the trainer's were excellent as well. Then she saw Beth's Doberman, Treasure. He blew her mind. He was so calm and well behaved. Treasure demonstrated the finished product of what was being taught and helped motivate the class to work hard. Erika saw what was possible with patience and practice.
A few months later Beth was looking for apprentices to learn how to teach dog training classes. Erika saw a wonderful opportunity to develop her own skills and a way to help people develop relationships with their pets.
Erika spent a year as an Apprentice Trainer. Attending several classes a week she developed her skills in teaching the basics to others. She also worked in the It's PAWSible! Dog Day Camp where she encountered dogs of all sizes and personalities. She continued to work with Kayse, too. Amazingly, Kayse's cancer was gone, and her gusto for life was making it necessary for Erika to keep taking classes!
Erika became a Trainer in 2005. She loves teaching classes, and watching people move from puppy class to the advanced classes. She finds it exciting to see the bond between the dog and their owner develop. Kayse has also developed so much! She can be seen demonstrating the finished product of many behaviors taught in Basic Obedience Class.
It's PAWSible! Has greatly enjoyed watching Erika blossom into a wonderful trainer that the clients absolutely love!
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 Erin Donahue
Erin has enjoyed having a dog since she was 12 years old. Erin assumed and continued with nearly all housebreaking and training responsibilities for her first dog, Tabitha, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Erin and Tabitha had a special bond, but since she was aging and ailing, Erin couldn’t have Tabitha come live with her after she graduated from college in 2003. Tabitha passed on in early 2004 after a long, happy life.
In late 2004, when Erin was again living in a pet-friendly environment, she decided it was time for another puppy. After considering her active lifestyle and her partner, Nellie, settled on a Labrador Retriever. They did lots of reading, contacted a breeder, visited the Mom and the young litter and settled on a sleepy, calm male puppy who they named Brody. Erin and Brody heard about It’s Pawsible! from several friends with very well-behaved dogs, and they started with Basic Obedience. From there, they tried Variety, Recall, Obedience II, Rally O and have started training Beginner Agility! Brody also eagerly attended day-camp sometimes when Erin and Nellie had long busy days at work.
When Beth put out a call for apprentices, Erin was eager to join the It’s Pawsible! team. She wanted to help other owners raise and train dogs who were fun to live with. Erin has become an Assistant Trainer and is excited about teaching classes on her own. She also helps out with day-camp.
Erin and Brody continue to participate in classes at It’s Pawsible! and they look forward to many years of hikes, camping trips and maybe even canoeing together. Someday, Erin and Nellie will bring home another puppy. Brody will be overjoyed.
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 Abby Dockendorf
Abby has always had a special place in her heart for dogs. She was three when she got her first dog Sadie, and since then she has always had a dog in her life. Abby now shares her home and her heart with two Italian Greyhounds, Bailey and Tucker. When Abby took Bailey to It’s PAWSible! for puppy class she was hooked on training. She loved the bond that grew between she and Bailey as a result of their training together at It’s PAWSible! When the call went out from Beth for students interested in apprenticing opportunities Abby answered. After several months of training, Abby is now an assistant trainer. Abby is also teaching her own class now entitled Basic Obedience for Small Dogs Only. She looks forward to helping our students strengthen their bonds between themselves and their dogs.
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