It is with great sadness that I share with you all that Lead Trainer Dana O’Lone Long’s last day with us was 31 October. Dana has been a Valor K9 Academy trainer since September 2015. She was the first trainer to join our team and the first trainer to enroll in our Trainer Course. She has given us over six amazing years and while we are excited for her next chapter in life, we are certainly sad to see her go. In all her years with us, and with the hundreds of clients she has worked with, Dana has always been nothing short of EXEMPLARY.
Dana let us know more than a year ago that she was planning to leave the team to move to the coast. She was kind enough to extend her contract not once but TWICE to allow us time to find and train excellent trainers to take her place. In true Dana fashion, she has been kind, courteous and professional every step of the way in exiting our company.
Dana will be moving to Charleston, SC, to fulfill her dream of living at the ocean. It’s been an honor training, coaching and mentoring Dana over the years and I am proud to share that Dana will be starting her own company. Charleston is getting a gem of a trainer!!!
As a small business owner and the only trainer for Valor, I had more clients than I could keep up with and Dana was the biggest blessing I could’ve hoped for. At a time when I had my doubts as to whether someone could step in and train dogs and teach owners with the same level of passion and commitment I felt for my clients, Dana showed me that it was not only possible but also a win-win for everyone.
For over six years, she has gone above and beyond for every client. She does things without expecting to be acknowledged, thanked or even compensated for it – she does the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. That’s just the kind of person she is. Hard working. Intelligent. And Extremely Talented – Dana has been such a gift. And while I’m so happy for her to pursue her passions and dreams, I am of course so sad to see her go (and don’t think I didn’t try my best to keep her on the team!) Ultimately this is what Dana wants and I fully support her. And she has an open invitation to come back anytime if she ever wants to and re-join the team!
Dana, we wish you the BEST of LUCK in Charleston!