Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Sumrall
Hi Brittany, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve worked in the pet industry for over 14 years now, working a diverse array of jobs allowing me to learn an invaluable skillset. Being a Veterinary Technician not only taught me the basics of pet medical treatment, but also taught me compassion, for both animal and human. Earning the position of Kennel Manager at a boarding facility taught me the business skills I would need to eventually start my own business. Working alongside K9 Units was an absolutely life-changing experience, in that it showed me that I knew I wanted to get involved in the training industry, I just didn’t know how yet. After moving to Houston, I eventually found myself working with some of Houston’s best Positive Reinforcement trainers and I knew this is where I wanted to be.
In October of 2022, my son was born 10 weeks prematurely so his first month was spent in the NICU. His doctors told us he would need surgery at around six months old, so I spent a lot of time thinking about what I thought would be best for me and my family – I decided to take a huge leap of faith – I would leave my current job in Houston to start my own dog training business, closer to home, in my home actually. When I couldn’t do it on my own any longer, I recruited my sister, Heather, to help behind the scenes as my Director of Details. The dogs have spoken so Cultivated Canine continues to grow, and we have now been able to add two other trainers to the team, Kourtenay and Joshua, a husband and wife team!
I wanted to create something built on compassion and a deep understanding of dog behavior, where training isn’t just about obedience but about strengthening the human-dog bond. Since opening, we’ve had the privilege of working with countless people and their dogs, helping them build better relationships through training. Beyond that, rescue has always been a passion of mine. I created Shadow’s Second Chance Foundation out of a pursuit to inspire, educate and support our community, and with the help of Destination Rescue Dogs we’ve saved countless dogs off the streets of Houston, giving them a second chance at life. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful every day to be doing what I love – helping dogs and their humans thrive together.
Along my rescue journey, I met Penny! A friend reached out to see if I was interested in tracking and trailing, or using a dog to find missing pets or even people – I didn’t even hesitate, and said sign me up! Penny is now the newest member of the Cultivated Canine team, and we are working hard to get her Certified. It’s been an incredible experience watching her natural instincts kick in and learning alongside her. I’m excited to add yet another skillset to my playbook, and offer another service to my community!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting this business was one of the hardest—and most rewarding—decisions I’ve ever made. There were nights I’d sit on the phone with my sister, holding back tears (or not holding them back at all), wondering, “Did I make the right choice?” Leaving the security of a job to build something from the ground up was terrifying. And, let’s be real—dogs poop… a lot. They bark, they puke, and they test our patience every single day.
But then, you get that text from a client saying, “We went on a walk today, and he didn’t pull—thank you!!!” or “Grandma came over this weekend, and she didn’t get knocked over!!! The training is working!!!” And in those moments, the happy tears come pouring out.
Starting this business came with its fair share of challenges—long hours, self-doubt, and plenty of messes—but it also gave me the chance to do what I love every day. At Cultivated Canine, our goal isn’t just obedience; it’s building a strong, lasting relationship between dogs and their people. And those happy tears? Yeah, they make every obstacle worth it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Cultivated Canine Dog Training, we teach humans to speak dog and our goal is to help owners build a solid foundation of communication between them and their dog. We believe what gets rewarded, gets repeated so make sure to pack the treats! We offer a wide variety of services, including:
– Private Lessons (In Home, In the Park, Leave the Human at Home)
– Day Camp/Puppy Camp (Drop-In Training)
– Board & Train/Puppy Raising
– Sleepovers (Boarding)
– Bark Club (Daycare)
We also rescue and foster dogs in the Houston area through Shadow’s Second Chance Foundation. We strive to make a positive change in not only our community, but in the eyes of the voiceless. Above all, passion is at the heart and soul of what we do. We aim to make a lasting impact in our local Pearland community, and beyond, by striving to be a catalyst for positive change. We are driven and dedicated to promoting and providing both resources and education; teaching people the value of treating animals with kindness and respect.
To promote these efforts, Cultivated Canine offers all dogs from rescues or shelters 20% off all training services. That’s right! Not just your first service with us either, but all services throughout your training journey with us!
Don’t forget about Penny! She is a track/trail dog, who is able to identify the direction of travel and the area in which a missing pet has been, and can even determine if the missing pet was removed from an area. Penny and I will be heading to Kentucky in April to get her Certified to track not only missing pets, but also missing people!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
While Cultivated Canine is just a baby, and we were not yet in business during the COVID Crisis, some of the dogs that still come to us were definitely affected by social distancing. Puppies have what is known as a socialization period, right around 3 – 14 weeks, and it is vital to their overall development. It’s important during this time that puppies are exposed to a wide variety of people, places, sights, sounds and experiences in a safe and positive way so they become a well-adjusted, confident adult dog. Without being able to properly socialize with humans or other pups, or in some cases even outside in parks or on trails, we find an increased number of dogs needing help with their leash manners, socialization, anxiety, fearfulness, reactivity and even aggression towards humans or animals.
We encourage new puppy parents to start Puppy Camp with us as soon as they have their first round of vaccines, so they can start socializing right away. Need to teach an old dog new tricks? That’s okay too, our Private Lessons and Day Camp are great programs that allow owners to customize what behaviors our trainers work on with you. We’ve also created great tools like our Socialization Scavenger Hunt, so parents can have fun while slowly exposing their dog of any age to the sights and sounds of the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cultivatedcaninepearland.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivatedcanine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivatedcaninepearland
- Other: https://linktr.ee/cultivatedcanine
Image Credits
Magi, Fetching Snapshots
Abigail, AffinityK9s
