THIELS SONJA

Meet Sonja Thiels
Ever since Sonja was a child, she was playing and working with somebodies’ dog or horse. Endless time spend at the barn, just observing horses, gave her great insight to how they co-exist, interact, and work within their family unit. Anybody that had a dog that was willing to lend her that dog would get an exercised, behaved, happily spent dog returned to them.
Sonja is the founder of Paws At Play Dog Boarding and Training. Paws At Play is a singular concept in-home boarding and/or training experience in that it offers a set limit of no more than 20 dogs under 40’ish pounds.
Her passion in dog (people) training stems from her desire to teach people how to communicate with their dogs in a positive and compassionate manner. Working with dogs and horses for near 45 years has given Sonja great understanding and knowledge on why dogs behave the way they do and how to make the relationship between dog and owner a happy and truly bonded one, leading to years of love and loyalty.
Working with traumatized, those lacking social skills, abused, and those that have been abandoned has instilled in Sonja tremendous skill in rehabilitating dogs that were thought not to be able to co-exist in our society. Fostering countless dogs and finding them perfect homes to fit their personality gives her immense joy and gratification.
Sonja lives with her animal family: Maggie Rose the Border Collie, Emily, Thea, Leopold, and Iva the Rat Terries, Maple the Miniature Pincher followed by Stevie Nix, Sadie, and Sandie the resident kitties.