OUR STORY…

dog looking backIn years past her home had a German shepherd they took to obedience school. Gina paid attention to all of the details about obedience and your relationship with your dog. The family’s shepherd was a bully and was a very dominant dog – not good with kids. One day Gretchen, the German shepherd, bit her and her younger sister. At 12 years of age, Gina called the dog trainer and asked her what was happening and how it could be fixed. Enlightened, Gina realized that Gretchen was not aggressive, as her parents thought, but rather needed her role in the “pack” changed.  Gina knew then, dogs were something very unique and deserved to be understood and have a strong leader.

Since the age of 14, Gina wanted to pursue a career with canines. Unsure of how to do this or where to start, she read every article and book she could find. Fueling the desire to work with dogs, she watched 4-H dog shows and decided she wanted a border collie. At age 16 she learned that one of her 4-H instructors was a border collie breeder. For her birthday her parents surprised her with her dog, Skye.

When Gina got Skye, she was 17. She applied everything she learned from the trainer and all of those books and articles. Training Skye in basic obedience, grew Skye to be a reliable recall dog, a dog who is completely off a leash in a normal environment and a few tricks. Needless to say Gina loved the process and the evidence of success. She wanted more!

After an 18 month internship with the woman who originally started Gina’s desire to be a dog trainer, her business began. During the internship, Gina began walking dogs, pet sitting dogs, and getting herself into the entrepreneur world. Slowly she has started building a business and watching it grow. Late in 2018, broke off from the trainer and built Alpha Omega Dog Service.

Skye is the reason for all of this. She is almost 8 now and the trainer gave Gina the internship because she had trained a dog to be off a leash!

GINA & SKYE’S TEAM

Gina Mattei-Swank – Owner, Dog Trainer

Currently studying under Fayette Area Dog Training, 2022 – present
Studied under Cathy L. Peters, Hickory Grove Kennels,  April 2017 – October 2018

Gina Mattei Swank
canine good citizen evaluator

S.T.A.R. Puppy Evaluator

IACP Certificate
Bridget - pet walker

BRIDGET – Dog Walker

Bridget graduated from Norwin in 1978 then attended the Art Institute in Pittsburgh. She is a life long resident of North Huntington. Bridget has always had dogs and cats and currently has three senior rescues. Retired from UPS, she wants to give her retired time to dogs. Currently, she is employed at Petland Norwin and with Gina at Alpha Omega Dog Service happily walking dogs!
Brooke Dog Walker

BROOKE – Dog Walker

Brooke is a stay-at-home step-mom to 5 children. She has 2 golden retrievers of her own Lucy and Bruno. She loves to help people and has a passion for animals.
Bob Perkins

Bob – Dog Walker

Lisa’s husband and dog walker in the New Stanton area.
My name is Savannah, I graduated Mt Pleasant Area high school in 2021 and I am now commuting  to Penn State for veterinary and biomedical sciences. Not only do I love working with and training dogs, but I also show and breed poultry. I show in OH, PA, NY, and even KY! I love all dogs, but especially Australian Cattle Dogs. My dog, Paisley, and I love to hang out in the outdoors and on the boat. 

SAVANNAH – Pet Sitter

Savannah dog sitter & walker
Let me introduce myself to you all. My name is Lisa. I recently retired from the medical profession and wanted to do something with dogs. I grew up with dogs in my home and have had a few rescues. I currently have an Alaskan Malamute and a Plott Hound mix.  I’m looking forward to this new chapter in my life. 
Lisa will be helping in the new Stanton territory along with her husband, Bob. They both are amazing assets to Gina’s team and offer a love for dogs. Bob and Lisa are available to fit into your crazy schedules.

Lisa – Dog Walker

Lisa Perkins
Jim Dog Trainer

JIM – Dog Trainer, Dog Walker, Special Event Handler

Jim is a retired Pennsylvania State Police officer who currently is working as a local police officer.

He developed a passion for training dogs after he got his dogs, Lexie and Luna.

Jim’s son is a k9 officer and helped his dad train his two dogs. During this time he fell in love with the profession and took online courses as well. Jim recalls a lot of the training information he learned from taking his son to dog training classes when he was a little boy with their family dogs.

“I’m confident that I could have both of my dogs heel in the perfect position on command, but as I tell people all the time, it’s what you want”

Dog Walker Lisa

STEPHANIE – Dog Walker

Stephanie lives in Jeannette, PA and not only graduated from Kiski Area High School but attended Bradford Business School as well. Having one son named Matthew, Stephanie says she loves, loves, loves dogs. She feels that she has the best job in the world working for Alpha Omega Dog Services.
dog in water