Sue McKinney, MSW, CPDT-KA, CNWi, retired owner/founder of Whole Dog Institute

Sue McKinney has been the owner and lead trainer of the Whole Dog Institute since 2008. Sue’s unique background as a Master in Social Work informs her dog training work: She focuses on teaching the human side of the partnership how to better understand their dogs and so to communicate and train more effectively. 

Through lively, fun exercises and lectures, Sue helps handlers figure out the reasons behind their dogs' behavior. Her goal is to lead to a greater appreciation of the dogs we own. Sue has worked with hundreds of families to integrate their new canine family members into the household. Sue focuses on child safety first and foremost when she is working with expectant parents or clients with newborns, toddlers, and older children.

Sue currently lives with four canine companions: a Tibetan Terrier (9 yrs), a Pudelpointer (3 yrs), a Border-Aussie (2 years), and an English Cocker Spaniel (7 months). When not training the dogs, she can be found in her gardens or her quilt studio where she sews improvisational art quilts.