MEET THE TEAM

MEET THE LEAD TRAINER

Tala Castro

A colorful, rainbow gradient infinity symbol with the letters 'Q' and 'O' intertwined in the center.

Atlas-CT, CPDT-KA, FDM, FFCP 

A woman hugging a black service dog with a red plaid bandana in front of a colorful holiday display at an amusement park.
A girl in front of Heidelburg Castle looking toward the camera. She has her service dog in Germany with her also looking at the camera

Born with a natural talent for working with animals, Tala developed her childhood passion for dog training with time, research, and practice. Her experience includes apprenticeships from mentors with over 50 years of experience in: obedience, scent work, service and therapy dogs. Tala received accreditation from a well-known, commercial dog training school. There she learned to develop training plans for a variety of clientele and gained valuable hands-on experience with dogs. Tala has worked with a variety breeds and ages. She continues her passion in her free time by volunteering at her local AKC Obedience Club, volunteering at a local non-profit ADI Service Dog Organization, as well as working with her own animals at home.

As a disabled, service dog handler, Tala understands first-hand the need for accessible, inclusive, and ethical dog training.

She hopes to use her skills to help both pet owners and aspiring service dog handlers alike.

Logo of ATLAS Assistance Dogs Certified Trainer with a stylized blue dog head and the company name in orange and gray text.
Logo with a dog's face outline and the text 'Debby Kay's Super Sniffer Program'.
Logo for Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Fear Free Certified Professional badge
Logo for AKC Trick Dog Evaluator showing a running dog inside a circular border with green and blue colors and a yellow ribbon
Logo for AKC Fit Dog Level 1, featuring a blue silhouette of a dog with a yellow frisbee and a green circle background with instructor text.
Four logos for AKC dog training programs: Canine Good Citizen, S.T.A.R. Puppy, Community Canine, and Urban CGC, each with yellow and blue color schemes and labels.
Logo for Family Dog Mediation with a stylized 'F' and 'D' in blue and orange, and the tagline 'understanding changes everything...'
A logo with an atomic model background, a pink heart with a crown, and text that reads 'Progressive Reinforcement Trainer' with additional text 'Founded in Science Ruled by Ethics'.
Certificate of attendance for Tala Castro Atlas-CT, CPDT-KA, FDM, FFCP, for attending the online conference 'Conference Unleashed' from July 11 to 14, 2024, with an illustration of a dog and a rainbow.

Interested in Joining Our Team?

Helping Howls is not currently looking to hire, but we are happy to receive applications. We are happy to offer career development on a case by case basis. Questions? Feel free to reach out!

Learn more
 

“She is great with my puppy, Pearl, and has helped us learn many new things & good behavior skills. Tala is calm and patient with Pearl, and surely wouldn't be the same dog without Tala's training”

— Kristi & Pearl