Main Stage
Entertainment, Speakers, Professionals, and more!
See the schedule for speakers and presenters at the 2023 Mid Michigan Pet Expo
Presenter Schedule
Mika & Katie
Einstein Dog Training
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Mika & Katie are expert dog trainers from Einstein Dog Training.
On Saturday and Sunday, they will be hosting AKC Canine Good Citizen testing!
Sign up is required for this event, which will be available onsite or as pre-registration. It is not required to pre-register, but its recommended as testing is likely to fill.
Pre-registration is available by clicking here!
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Mika & Katie are both certified AKC CGC evaluators.
Both trainers have years of experience training with Einstein Dog Training, and are experts in all things dogs! From basic puppy training, to advanced behavior modification, these trainers are both overflowing with knowledge.
In addition to representing Einstein Dog Training, both trainers will be participating in the dock diving and flyball competitions taking place all weekend,
Make sure to stop by the Einstein Dog Training and Einstein Dock Diving booth to sign up, or chat with them about how they can help your dog be well behaved!
Rachel Zipsie
Advanced Performance Solutions
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Rachel will be speaking on the body work needs of the canine athlete.
More than just the canine athlete, but how massage and bodywork are important from puppyhood through senior years.
She will also discuss why and how performance and quality of life can be improved with massage, and what you can do at home. She will provide a proactive approach to treatment and prevention.
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Rachel Zipsie is the founder of Advanced Performance Solutions
Rachel, as a 30-year professional, has spent her career developing real-world solutions for individuals and businesses to grow and achieve results beyond their expectation. This depth of experience created the Pause, Commit, Rise optimization process, which has successfully enabled individuals and business owners alike to exceed their personal and professional goals. Rachel is Creator and Founder of Advanced Performance Solutions, LLC a software and B2C marketplace, and is the Founder and Board President for The Odin’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization that serves caregivers of rare genetic diseases.
While developing the Pause Commit Rise process, Rachel enjoyed and excelled in athletics, coached various team sports, provided mentoring and training to athletes and continued education in soft tissue studies associated with improving performance. She is ISSA Sports Nutrition Certified and completed personal training certifications throughout college with emphasis on taping and supportive therapies, and from 2013 through 2018, Rachel used this experience and combined it with a coaching and strategy to help prepare her for one of her ultimate physical sporting challenges, becoming a World Champion Powerlifter and amassing seven world records in the WPC Master divisions during her career.
In 2018, Bailey, a chocolate Labrador Retriever came into Rachel’s life. Together they jumped into the world of canine athletic sports. Early in their journey, Bailey competed at a dock diving event and seemed to favor one of her rear legs. A canine massage therapist onsite aided in helping Bailey that day and encouraged Rachel to learn more. Shortly after, Rachel completed her canine massage certification with Holistic Animal Studies and continued her education in KT taping, cranial sacral release, and animal neuro-myofascial release techniques, and supplies a holistic bodywork approach to care.
In March of 2023, Rachel will be launching Advanced Performance Canine, a community resource for canine athletic sports and continues supplying massage and soft tissue services at many canine sporting events and local, regional, and national championships.
Emma Tinklenberg
Canada Corners Pet Grooming
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Emma will be speaking on handling skills with your pet, to make grooming at home much easier and safer. She will be discussing cooperative care as it relates to grooming.
She will also cover topics such as how to make nail trims more comfortable, how to help a dog recover from past grooming trauma, how to teach and condition a dog to being restrained, and different ways the handler can can comfortably hold their pet.
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Emma Tinklenberg is a certified master groomer through the National Dog Groomers Association, certified Fear Free professional, certified in pet safety, first aid, and CPR/CPCR, and is an aspiring pet aesthetician through Iv San Bernard USA.
She has been grooming professionally since 2015 and works to encourage pet owners to groom their own pets through private lessons, educational seminars, and workshops. Special focus is put on cooperative grooming and handling where the dog is an eager and happy participant.
She actively trains and has competed with her own dogs in many dog sports including agility, herding, rally, obedience, and conformation.
Samantha, Kari, Angelynn
Paws-Up Outreach
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There will be several speakers from Paws Up, discussing the many important things and Outreach Program does, supplies needed for their work, and the importance of spaying and neutering.
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Paws Up has been operating for 8 years.
Several Speakers
Josh’s Frogs
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Anthony - Tree Frogs and Toads with a focus on Captive Bred Animals
Maxwell - Microfauna with a focus on Isopods
Brandon - Reptiles focusing on promoting new husbandry standards
Jayzun - Arachnids with a focus on Tarantula keeping and how many people who love them once feared them!
Colin - Dart Frogs with a focus on species variations and conservation.
Zach - (pending) How bioactive husbandry works and why it's the wave of the future!
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Josh's Frogs, LLC was founded in 2004 by Joshua Willard, a poison dart frog hobbyist and vivarium enthusiast. Josh originally operated the business out of his basement and garage, but his dedication to customer service and quality supplies quickly caused the business to grow.
In 2008, Josh's Frogs moved to Owosso, Michigan. In 2013, we moved into a new building in Owosso that allowed us to continue to expand. This is where Josh's Frogs became the largest producer of captive-bred poison dart frogs in the United States, and probably the world! We also work with other varieties of frogs and toads from all over the world, and even reptiles and aquatic critters.
2017 was the year we moved some members of our Plant Team into our greenhouse in Grand Ledge, Michigan - this provided so much more space for us to propagate and offer a wider variety of more rare species.
2020 brought a lot of changes for everyone - for Josh's Frogs, it meant TREMENDOUS GROWTH! This was the year we officially outgrew our Owosso location and purchased the connecting building for an easy expansion. But the growth didn't stop there!
In 2021, we obtained a warehouse in Durand, Michigan for our Shipping, Receiving, and Production teams. This is where the majority of our packages ship from.
Genesee Co Parks
For-Mar Nature Preserve
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A staff representative from Genesee County Parks will share information about Michigan’s largest county park system. With handouts available, this brief talk will inform pet owners and nature enthusiasts alike about recreation, and natural resources that are here for you and yours to Get Away, Right Away.
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For 51 years, the 383 picturesque acres of FOr-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum have been wowing visitors, protecting wildlife, and nurturing the environment.
Scattered throughout the grounds are meadows, ponds, and plenty of trees. Hikers enjoy numerous miles of trails and our collection of gardens.
Our expansive 116 acre Arboretum contains over 1800 woody specimens representing 157 species. Many, but not all are labeled.
Carly Teachout
A Rejoyceful Animal Rescue
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Carly will be speaking on ARAR’s mission, the various ways they have helped the community, their specialty of taking in the special needs and medically compromised cases, and how becoming an animal rescue volunteer has impacted her life and the lives of those they’ve helped through rescue.
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Carly began fostering for ARAR in April of 2021. She’s foster volunteer for ARAR, and a registered nurse.
The photo above is Carly with Axel, a pitbull mix born with spinal bifida. He has since passed away, but he continues to be honored and remember through every animal she rehabilitates.
Erica Zuhlke
Critter Crossing Rehabilitation
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Erica will be speaking on what a wildlife rehabilitator does!
What it’s like to work with our wildlife, how to become involved in wildlife rehab, and the common misconceptions people have. Erika will also discuss when and how to safely secure wildlife.
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Erica Zuhlke is a licensed and certified wildlife rehabilitator, and the founder/executive director of Critter Crossing Rehabilitation (CCR).
After working as a licensed veterinary technician for some time, a call to the wild became evident in 2018 and Critter Crossing subsequently was founded. The organization focuses on rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife with the goal of returning them into nature where they belong!
CCR also highlights an importance on public education, taking time to give lectures and presentations at schools and local nature centers to help prevent human-animal conflict, and encourage the public to coexist with our backyard wildlife.
John Skalski
K9 Hero Guardians
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Join several police officers and their K9 partners from across the Mid Michigan region and beyond as they demonstrate the extensive training Police K9s have.
Their demonstrations will consist of narcotics detection, handler protection, and criminal apprehensions.
The demonstrations will be narrated by Retired Detroit Police K9 Handler & owner of Central Michigan Dog Training, John Skalski.
John will talk about the training involved with these dogs, and give you an inside look into the daily life of a working Police K9. You may even be chosen from the audience to voluntarily participate in one of the demonstrations and get to meet these K9 heroes!
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K9 Hero Guardians provides funding & support for Law Enforcement K9’s. Established in 2010, K9 Hero Guardians has donated several K9’s to agencies in the Mid Michigan region, provided funding for veterinary care, and donated numerous pieces of equipment for training and safety.
In 2019, they raised over $55,000 to fully outfit 4 new K9 vehicles for the Saginaw Police K9 program. For more
information on K9 Hero Guardians and the officers they support, visit www.MiK9Cop.com.