Wunderdog: A trusted family dog training business since 1998
Mission
“Relationship Based Training” is nothing new for wunderdog. We have been training dogs this way since 1998. At wunderdog, we seek to strengthen and improve the relationship between dog and owner. Because we are humans, and dogs are canines, there is (naturally) a gap in our communication! With a better understanding of innate dog behavior, clients benefit and so do their furry family members. We strive to teach our clients in a way that everyone can understand.
Wunderdog doesn’t just believe in a client and dog’s education—we believe in continuing our’s too! We are readily attending (and receiving CEU's where available) the latest educational seminars and classes in canine behavior and health, while also maintaining professional-level membership with many accredited canine-based organizations.
We believe in responsible pet ownership, and support many non-profit rescue and canine service/therapy organizations.
Philosophy
Wunderdog is centered around the humane treatment of animals. The wunderdog Way is CALM - CLEAR - CONSISTENT. It is our belief that all animals deserve positivity, fairness, respect, understanding, affection, and of course, lifelong training.
We know that the in order to achieve success and harmony with our beloved dogs, it is most important to recognize their innate behaviors, and help them adapt to our human way of life. We always look at a family’s “whole picture”, and how the dog and the family can experience joy together.
We know that a family’s defined commitment is the first step to a long, healthy life with their dog.
We believe positive reinforcement training, and we use a small array of training tools - as long as they are used in a positive and healthy manner. We research the benefits and/or adverse (physical and mental) effects of the latest training aides, and we assess and advise each owner (and dog) as individuals (not a "one size fits all"). We believe in scientific research. We believe in caring for the whole dog - and teach the benefits of a nutritional diet, regular handling, exposure training, vet visits, and consistent grooming. We understand each family’s possible physical limitations. Our system of goal-setting and meeting objectives successfully is why our clients come back to us time and time again!
Team
Lynn Wunderli
Founder & Owner, Chief Trainer
Lynn has been professionally training dogs for over 25 years. Her knowledge and experience with dogs began as a child (her father was a successful breeder and trainer of English Setters and Pointers for over 55 years in Illinois). This early exposure in dog behavior and training was supplemented by her college education in teaching and psychology, and her interest and experience in dog training never stopped.
Lynn has worked in many settings, volunteering at the University of Illinois Vet School, working at an Animal Emergency Center in Atlanta, GA, and continues to further her education in the field of animal behavior, training and grooming. Working in the Department of Media and Training Services at the CDC from 1989-1992 allowed Lynn to learn more about communicable disease and public health, which has been helpful in her understanding diseases similar in the canine world, and assessing the risks in canine community environments.
Lynn worked closely with Paws New England from 2009-2012, acting as a temperament evaluator — fostering, assessing, and re-training problematic rescue dogs; this resulted in a high success rate in placing these dogs with new owners. Lynn is also a liaison for GSCA (Giant Schnauzer Club of America) Rescue, where she donates her time whenever possible - offering dog and home assessments and training.
Lynn has donated her time to The Vet Center (Madison, WI) in assisting U.S. veterans with behavioral modification and obedience training based on the individual team’s needs/goals/objectives.
Lynn is a certified AKC CGC Evaluator, and is also a mentor and evaluator for The Animal Behavior College.
In addition to helping client teams every day, Lynn makes it her goal to attend as many (continuing education) science-based canine conferences and workshops as possible.
Lynn's philosophy is to understand each client’s needs and lifestyle, and to offer solutions and training based on their goals and objectives. Using “relationship-based training,” Lynn teaches dog owners about innate dog behaviors, signals and cues, and how to best communicate with their dogs (and how to best utilize a dog’s innate drives and tendencies). Using behavioral and obedience training methods, Lynn designs a personal program that will improve a client team’s relationship, which leads to a healthier bond. Lynn takes special joy in starting puppies in a relationship-based training program that starts with basic husbandry, obedience, and safe exposure training. Lynn often uses her “model dog” Evvi (Giant Schnauzer, 2.5 years) to “balance train” both puppies and older dogs, and to offer owners an opportunity to see first hand how they may develop their dog. Lynn is Pet CPR and First Aide Trained.
Lynn’s education and affiliations // Have Lynn speak at your event
Peter Wunderli
Co-Founder
Peter has been one of the foremost reasons wunderdog has been such a great success. He has always encouraged Lynn to follow her dreams in the animal world, and has always supported and nurtured that. He sits on the board of our business as primary member and co-founder.
Peter is a microbial immunologist by education and training, and his post-graduate education includes studies at the UI and UGA Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, with focus on Veterinary Pathobiology and Medical Microbiology. During his position as a visiting researcher at the CDC, in Atlanta, GA, he became involved in rabies vaccine potency testing, and has been an invited speaker at international conferences on rabies and other potency test development topics. When not performing handy-man duties for wunderdog, he leads a team of scientists involved in developing and applying potency test methods to ensure the quality of biopharmaceutical products.
Peter was a driving force in the acquiring of our first Giant Schnauzer, and has fancied the breed ever since. Wunderdog would not exist without Peter Wunderli!
Morgan Johnson
Lead Trainer
Morgan is a lead trainer with wunderdog. From their first meeting, Lynn saw her skill and potential. She has worked as a professional in the dog industry for over 7 years. Her passion for canines started early (childhood), and as soon as she turned 16, she began work at Cherokee Kennels as a pet attendant for dogs and cats who were boarding there.
Her duties included feeding, medicating, exercising, and overall care of these animals, along with evaluative reports regarding their stay with managers and pet parents. Morgan left for Ripon college after completing high school, to major in Business Management with an emphasis on Marketing.
She kept finding her way back to dogs. About a year post-graduation from Ripon, and while working in the corporate world, she started working part time for DogMa. She was responsible for the in-home care of the client pets as well as assisting with canine rescue. It was here that she started to truly understand the value of building a meaningful and trusting relationship with the pets she cared for, and their owners. Morgan felt as though she was missing something. Corporate life was going well, but she had a desire to do more in the dog world…
She interviewed with Blackjack Canine, LLC, where she was offered a position as a training apprentice. This position continued to advance until she was an accredited trainer, and decided to work for Blackjack full time, leaving the corporate world behind her.
Her BlackJack training prepared her to work independently with client pet dogs, service dogs, and competition/protection dogs. Morgan was involved in police dog training, and trained to compete in French Ring. Earlier this year, she competed in her first French Ring with her Malinois “Rookie” and took first place in Breve.
Over time, Morgan knew she wanted to expand her dog training and behavior knowledge further, and recognized the therapeutic benefits of the ever-expanding dog daycare world. She knew that she could learn more by increasing her knowledge in such an environment. It was then that she sought and accepted a position at Zen Dogs Center in Waunakee (co-owned by wunderdog owner, Lynn Wunderli) as a “Rufferee”. Because Morgan is passionate about continued learning and being the best dog advocate and trainer she can be, she inquired about working with wunderdog as well as Zen Dogs! An amazing relationship has been the outcome, as Morgan is now a wunderdog Trainer.
Morgan continues to advance her training by learning the latest dog psychology, training and methods with Lynn. Lynn cannot wait to see her expand her training knowledge the “wunderdog way.”
Outside of the dog world, Morgan & her fiancé Casey live in Waunakee, where they built their forever home. They own two dogs, Chloe (Husky), and Sabre (Belgian Malinois). For recreation, Morgan enjoys spending time with family and friends, outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, snowboarding, volleyball, soccer, golf (just to name a few), and of course, training her dog Sabre!
Lindsay Gallipoli
Senior Trainer
Lindsay Gallipoli holds the position of senior trainer at wunderdog and has been actively engaged in dog training since 2013. A dedicated professional, Lindsay is an AKC CGC evaluator with several years of experience and has worked extensively with a wide variety of dog breeds. Her approach is deeply rooted in understanding the original purposes of different breeds and utilizing this knowledge to tailor training programs to meet the specific needs of her clients.
In addition to her professional commitments, Lindsay shares her life with two dogs: Athena, an American Staffordshire mix approaching her tenth year, and Gunner, a seven-year-old American Pit-bull Terrier/Boxer mix. Furthermore, she cares for a long-haired cat named Cumulonimbus, affectionately known as Nimbus, who is four years old.
Lindsay and her husband, Maurio, recently celebrated the arrival of their first child, Lincoln, born on Leap Day. Notably, Lincoln holds the distinction of being the first Leap Day baby of 2024 at Meriter Hospital. Outside of her professional responsibilities and family life, Lindsay enjoys spending leisure time engaging in nature walks, camping, and visiting relatives in Florida. Additionally, she indulges in the pursuit of horseback riding along natural trails whenever her schedule allows.
Rachael Rood
Trainer
Rachael is an enthusiastic newcomer to the world of dog training, currently pursuing a Dog Obedience Instructor certification from Animal Behavior College. Driven by a lifelong deep love for dogs and a strong desire to help them thrive, Rachael is committed to learning and applying effective training techniques.
Rachael lives with her boyfriend, Evan, their two cats, Pip and Doug, and their Alaskan Klee Kai named Hudson, who is both her inspiration and motivation. Rachael is eager to develop her skills in relationship-based training and is dedicated to laying a solid foundation for a successful career in dog training.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.. but mostly their pets.