Introducing...Serena!
Hi, I’m Serena - founder of Sandy Paws South Bay, a certified dog training and professional pet care company serving the South Bay.
I was raised in the South Bay and graduated from the University of Southern California in 2020, but my path into working with dogs started much earlier. At five years old, I met my childhood dog, Lucky, and that relationship shaped everything that followed.
For 18 years, Lucky taught me more than just how to care for a dog - he taught me about connection, communication, patience, and trust. When he passed in 2020, I knew I wanted to build something meaningful in his honor. Today, his paw is the inspiration behind the Sandy Paws logo and the foundation of everything I do.
What started as a deep personal bond has grown into a professional career dedicated to helping people better understand their dogs. Through Sandy Paws, my goal is to create clarity, structure, and real-life solutions that allow dogs and their owners to build strong, lasting relationships together.
My professional journey began in 2016 during my high school senior project, when I had the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Deborah Robertson of South Bay Mobile Vet. Under her mentorship, I gained hands-on experience in veterinary care and developed a strong foundation in the medical side of animal care, continuing to work as a veterinary assistant over the years.
I’ve also volunteered with organizations including Animal Hospital of South Bay, Wags & Walks, The Amanda Foundation, and local shelters such as Carson Animal Shelter. During college, I was actively involved in USC’s PAWS program, expanding my experience working with animals in a variety of environments.
In 2018, I further immersed myself in the industry through an internship with The Puppy Academy, where I was introduced to dog psychology and early training foundations. That same year, I began working hands-on in the field through platforms like Wag! and Rover, completing hundreds of walks, visits, and sittings, and gaining real-world experience with dogs of all breeds, ages, and temperaments.
Since 2018, I’ve worked with thousands of dogs and completed extensive hands-on services across training and pet care. I’ve built Sandy Paws South Bay into a professional, insured LLC serving the local community. I hold certifications as a CPDT-KA Dog Trainer, ABC-DT Dog Trainer, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and Pet CPR & First Aid Instructor, and I remain committed to ongoing education through seminars, courses, and continued study in dog behavior and training.
This work is more than a career to me - it’s something I’ve built my life around. My goal is not just to train dogs, but to help owners feel confident, capable, and connected to their dogs in a way that lasts.
Professional Resume
VETERINARY ASSISTANT AT
SOUTH BAY MOBILE VET
2016-2017
Part-Time Veterinarian Assistant; assisted veterinarians with blood, urine, and fecal testing and physical assessments of the animals; trained to properly restrain and comfort animals during procedures; practiced with injections; observed euthanasia, small mass removals, anal sacculectomy, dental work; transported deceased animals for aquamation; office support and organization
VOLUNTEER AT
ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF SOUTH BAY
2017
Assisted veterinarians and vet techs with holding and caring for animals; trained to do physical assessment of animals including weight, temperature, and general check-up; trained to chart during anesthetic procedures; cleaned and sanitized surgical equipment; observed spays, neuters, and dental work; cleaned hospital property and restock supplies; prepared supplies for vet techs and veterinarians; trained to care for boarded animals
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AT
WAG! LABS INC & ROVER.COM
2018 - 2021
Independent contractor; dog sitting, dog walking, house visits, in the South Bay
INTERN PUPPY TRAINER AT
THE PUPPY ACADEMY
2018
Participated in 3-month summer internship program; learn about puppy training, dog behavior, and dog psychology; learn how to maintain a clean, safe environment for puppies; assist head trainers with puppy training
STUDENT & GRADUATE OF
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR COLLEGE
2021 - 2022
Pursued a 52 week week long, ABC-DT dog training certification and Pet CPR and First Aid certification. Training program is positive-reinforcement based and aims to teach students how to train humanely and effectively, help owners and their dogs create a lifelong bond, and cultivate a mastery of basic commands and obedience. Online curriculum is 11 stages long, over 950 pages, and includes 18 instructional dog training videos. Following the online portion, students participate in an externship led by an ABC certified, professional dog training mentor.
CANINE GOOD CITIZEN (CGC)
EVALUATOR AT
THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB (AKC)
2022 - Present
Approved by the American Kennel Club (AKC) to administer AKC Family Dog Programs including AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, AKC Community, Urban CGC, AKC Fit Dog, AKC Trick Dog, and Virtual Home Manners.
CERTIFIED BY
CERTIFIED COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINERS
2023
"CPDT-KA® certification recognizes the knowledge and experience of professional dog trainers. Certificants must provide references that attest to their work and pass a rigorous written exam that focuses on the science behind dog behavior and the application of training techniques. CPDT-KA® certification provides an independent, scientifically valid measure of an individual’s understanding of the field of dog training, including instruction skills, learning theory, ethology, equipment, and animal husbandry."
VOLUNTEER TRAINER AT
THE CARSON ANIMAL SHELTER
2024-Present
Focusing primarily on helping dogs develop positive behaviors, basic obedience, and socialization skills to increase their chances of being adopted. Working with animals that may need extra attention, especially those with behavioral challenges. Offering free training to potential adopters of specific dogs to help facilitate a successful integration into the home and family, decreasing the likeliness of returns to the shelter. Helping with feeding, hydrating, and socializing animals, as well as ensuring their living spaces are clean and safe. Assisting with adoption processes by working with potential adopters, facilitating interactions, and promoting pets through photos or videos online through social media.
COMMITMENT TO:
CONTINUING EDUCATION
FDSA BH150 Management For Reactive Dogs 2022
FDSA Dogs with Big Feelings Conference 2022
The Aggression in Dogs Conference 2022
The Association of Professional Dog Trainers Conference 2024
Karen Pryor Clicker Expo 2025
FDSA The Barkey Lungey Dog Conference 2025
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: Evaluating A Detection Dog Candidate In an Animal Shelter 2025
DoggyU Service Dog 101 2026
Building Blocks: Service Dog Foundations 2026
Introducing...
Freddie!
In 2020, I brought home Freddie who is my now 5 year old Sheepdog x Mini Poodle Mix
Freddie accompanies me on many of my daily work adventures.
He's my best buddy and now my paid employee!
(Paid in treats and kisses)
Scroll down for more information about Freddie's training(:
Freddie and I have been training together since he came home with me at 11 weeks old.
At 5 years old, Freddie knows more than 50 different commands.
Freddie has received the following titles from the American Kennel Club (AKC):
Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Community Canine (CGCA), and Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU). In addition, he has received his Trick Novice (TKN), Trick Intermediate (TKI), and Trick Advanced (TKA) titles.
Freddie is also a fully trained Psychiatric Service Dog (SD). He is task trained and has passed his Public Access Test (PAT).
Here I have compiled a video of Freddie at just 6 months old demonstrating only a portion of what we have been able to achieve together.
In raising Freddie, I have become a more experienced and knowledgeable dog trainer (and even dog owner) than I ever could have hoped.
Introducing...Olive!
Olive is my 7-month-old Labrador/Golden Retriever mix.
Purpose-bred from service dog lines, Olive was identified as a strong service dog candidate within her litter following early temperament evaluations at just 7 weeks old.
As a Service Dog in Training (SDIT), Olive is actively working on obedience, foundational task training, and public access skills.
Olive naturally embodies the traits of a working dog. She is focused, driven, emotionally stable, and incredibly sweet, with a strong desire to learn and engage with her handler, along with a natural ability to remain neutral and focused in distracting environments.
Olive plays an important role not only in my life as my future service dog, but also as a demo dog for Sandy Paws South Bay. Despite her age, Olive has already assisted in the training of numerous client dogs across a variety of behavioral and obedience goals.
She truly represents the level of clarity, structure, and partnership we aim to build with every dog at Sandy Paws South Bay!