Aneesa’s lifelong love of animals truly began to bloom when she welcomed her first dog, Chloe into her heart. Through Chloe’s companionship, Aneesa discovered the profound bond between people and dogs — and wanted to help others build the same bond.

In high school and university, Aneesa dedicated her time to volunteering at local animal shelters, building hands-on experience with dog behavior, training, and first aid. After graduation, she deepened her impact by working with dog rescues, where she found her passion in fostering street dogs and helping them transition from being fearful and reactive into getting ready for family life.

While currently balancing her career as a CPA, Aneesa is a certified dog walker and is pursuing her professional dog trainer certification through Good Dog Academy.

She has recently passed her final exam with honors and is expected to graduate in fall 2025.

She regularly assists in teaching puppy and adolescent classes and is committed to growing her knowledge through continuous education.

With over 15 years of experience across dog walking, doggy daycare, dog sitting, dog rescue and shelter work, and now training, Aneesa’s approach is rooted in kindness, patience, and respect for each dog’s individuality.

She is the proud owner of Leia, her spirited young pup and her greatest inspiration for launching her own training services.

Aneesa is passionate about supporting dog owners in building joyful, lasting bonds with their pets — one step, one wag, and one breakthrough at a time.

At Leia’s Barkside Training, we believe training is about more than just teaching commands — it’s about building a lifelong bond based on trust, respect, and joy. Aneesa's passion for dogs, shaped by her personal journey and professional training, fuels everything Leia’s Barkside Training does.

“Building trust one paw at a time ”

Certifications and education

• Certified Dog Walker – Good Dog Academy

• Professional Pet Dog Trainer Certification – Good Dog Academy (pending graduation - expected Fall 2025)

• Scent Work Exercises - UK Sniffers

• Ethological Contributions to Behavior Problems – Kim Brophey

• Separation Anxiety: Mission Possible – Malena DeMartini

• Working with Families and Dogs – Melissa Wood

• Understanding and Managing Aggression – Michael Shikashio

• Noise Phobias in Dogs Master Class – Dr. Else Verbeek

• Building Confidence in Your Dog – Victoria Stilwell Academy (in progress)

• Nose Work Instructor Course – Good Dog Academy (in progress)

Aneesa is committed to lifelong learning to better serve dogs and their people.