Meet Your Instructor

We can't wait to meet you!

Naomi Boyar

Naomi Boyar is a dog sport enthusiast. She has competed in agility, K9 Nose Work, and AKC Barn Hunt. Naomi has been instructing students in dog sports for over 15 years.

Paige Hoelscher has been involved in dog training for over 10 years. Her approach to training is centered around building a connection between dog and handler,while having fun! Paige has been working with the Dog Alliance for a year and brings her Disc Dog, Tricks, and Agility skills and knowledge to our team of trainers.

Paige’s training philosophy is team-oriented; focused more on a good relationship and teamwork rather than the "owner is the alpha to the dog" mentality. Her focus and goal when working with dog and handler teams is that both parties are learning together. Paige’s training style is to create a positive and fun learning experience for both dogs and their owners.

Paige currently has 3 dogs: two Australian Shepherds, Echo (10) and Edge (6), and a Border Collie named Early (1). Edge and Early have won multiple high-level disc events, including qualifying for world finals. They both have many AKC CGC, AKC Trick, Agility, Dock, and Disc titles through various organizations.

Sarah Maloney

Sarah combines her project management experience and legal background with the aim of using her skills to enhance the Dog Alliance and help the community. While she is not a dog trainer, Sarah is a dog lover and enjoys being the “fun treat lady” for the dogs on campus; someone the dogs can love on and just be a dog around after training! Sarah manages daily operations for dog training classes, private lessons, and volunteer opportunities. She also uses her creative problem solving skills to run special projects that elevate the Dog Alliance programs and customer experience.

Sarah volunteers as a Therapy Team with Sky throughout the community visiting schools, hospitals, and corporate offices. Spending time with Sky bringing smiles to members of the community has brought her so much joy!

In her free time, Sarah enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking. She has a 14 year old lab mix named Mack who is the perfect co-pilot, snuggle buddy, and sous chef.

Shawn Cossart

The founder of Heart of Texas Dog Sports, Shawn Cossart, has been training dogs professionally since 1993. She believes that the relationship between the dog and handler is the bond that lays the foundation for all training.

Shawn’s journey in teaching began when she apprenticed with, and worked for, the pioneer of positive-based training, Dr. Ian Dunbar veterinarian, animal behaviorist and founder of APDT. While teaching classes for Dr. Dunbar a coworker invited Shawn to a dog agility class. With her rescue dog in tow, she went to see what this thing called dog agility was all about. That one visit was all it took for Shawn to fall in love with the sport. Shortly after, Shawn adopted her first agility dog, a Jack Russell Terrier named Attila. From that moment on Shawn used her behavior training background to teach agility in a fun and positive way.

Shawn enjoys training and running dogs of all sizes and breeds and, even more, loves coaching teams of all varieties from the super athletic handlers to those who rely on distance and verbals.

Agility has a certain pull, a magic about it. Let Shawn share her top-notch education, training and coaching to help you and your pup achieve your desired goals no matter what those goals may be for you and your pup. Let the magic begin!

Susan Windham

Susan joined The Dog Alliance in 2007. Her passion for children, animals, and teaching has led her to lend her talents to many of the activities the Alliance provides. Susan received her Certified Professional Dog Trainer Accreditation in 2012. Susan and her therapy dog partner Zoe were a registered therapy team from 2011 to 2018. Susan was credentialed by Pet Partners in 2013 as an evaluator.

Susan comes to The Dog Alliance with a background in child care with 18 years of experience. She holds her Child Care Directors license having spent over 11 years as the Director of a child care center. Susan has been able to combine her passion for children and dogs in her role as the Director of The Dog Alliance Summer Camp program. Susan is also the Director of the Hounds for Heroes program.