MaryKaye Kendrick (she/her)

Behavior Consultant & Family Paws Parent Educator

Pet Harmony Consultant Team Lead

If you’re here, there’s a good chance you’ve been living around your dog’s behavior for a while now — rearranging your home, skipping the walks, dreading the knock at the door. Maybe something happened that lead you to look for us.

I get it. Before I was a behavior consultant, I spent two decades working in human mental health and early childhood education. I understand that the humans in this equation need just as much support as the dogs.

Behavior Insights from MaryKaye

A background built for the hardest cases

My path to animal behavior started with people.

After graduating college, I spent several years as a Case Manager at a local Council on Aging — assessing seniors at risk for mental health and behavioral concerns, and advocating for those who had experienced exploitation or abuse. After that, I taught preschool and kindergarten at Montessori Moppet Centre for 17 years. The academic stuff mattered, but what I loved most was helping kids navigate their social and emotional world.

What I learned in both of those roles is that behavior does not happen in a vacuum. When you can find the why, you can actually help.

Force-free behavior consulting; in-home in Naperville and remote

Since 2011, I’ve worked and volunteered in animal sheltering, training staff and volunteers, supporting new adopters, and providing behavioral assessments and interventions for dogs who needed more than a standard approach. That’s what brought me to Pet Harmony!

I’m passionate about dogs and the humans who love them. And I know that a good training plan has to work for everyone under your roof, including you.

A woman holds her hand out low so a donkey can take a treat from her hand.

A brown goat standing on top of a short plastic platform. A woman is giving the goat snacks.

MaryKaye working with a shelter dog in Naperville. Teaching grey pitbull-type dog a calm behavior.

MaryKaye addressing a crowd at a shelter as she talks about enrichment to calm dogs down.

MaryKaye on the Enrichment for the Real World Podcast

Check out recent episodes of the podcast here!

What MaryKaye's Clients Want You to Know

"Thank you for all your information and support for Sidney. He is doing so well and has very few panic moments and gets along with the visitors that we have. He plays with toys and takes them to his kennel. We are sticking to a regular routine of feeding, medication, and bed time, in fact if we are busy he will put himself to bed. We are definitely learned his trigger items and how to read his behavior and avoid situations. Even his groomer has noticed a great improvement at nail trimming time. So thanks and let the others with this issue know there is definitely hope with love, patience and the right support team it gets better."

“This weekend Hope is a completely different puppy! She is playing independently, finding comfortable places on her own to relax, increased attention and eye contact while on walks and in the house, “kennel up” is her new trick and place is getting easier and easier. I know we have a ways to go, but we are celebrating the small victories. She’s such a smart and sweet girl, all of these steps with build her confidence for years to come. As I am typing this, she is laying in her bed sleeping! Thank you so much for all your amazing support and direction! You have been so much help and we have enjoyed all our time with you!”

"Thank you very much for your kind words concerning Daisy. She absolutely adores you. You are so great with her as well as your calm teaching manner with Ellie and me. We truly appreciate all you are doing to help us. We often tend to dwell on the negative behaviors. I especially admire your constant positivity and showing us there is hope that we can work through our issues. You inspire me to remember to accentuate the POSITIVE. Just hearing you say Daisy makes you smile and she is your favorite blonde- makes my heart happy! I just want you to know how wonderful you are!!!”

“Thank you for everything you have taught us over our sessions. The knowledge and skills we and our pets have gained have just enriched the lives of our dogs, but also made us better pet parents!”

“Thank you so much for the great insight and help with Barkley. We will continue to apply all we have learned. You are so patient and helpful. Thank you!”

Credentials & Certifications

BA in Psychology — Benedictine University (formerly Illinois Benedictine College)
Accredited Dog Trainer (IAABC-ADT)
Certified in Shelter Behavior – Dog (CSB-D), IAABC
Family Paws Parent Educator

JUST FOR FUN

Q & A

Q: What’s one ordinary fact about you?

A: I talk and sing to my houseplants. Sometimes I gently pet them too because I think they like it. Is that weird?

Q: Tell us a memorable training experience!

A: being at KPA Ranch in WA and working with a mini donkey named Moon Dancer. Is it easier to share the blog that I wrote about her and what she taught me: https://petharmonytraining.com/its-a-marvelous-night-for-a-moon-dancer/

Q: What’s one super cool fact about you?

A: I have green eyes which apparently appears in less than 2% of the world’s population. Thanks brown eyed dad and blue eyed mom!

Q: Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for fun?

A: Love going to garden centers and any space where plants, trees and other living green things are in ready supply. In a related fashion, I love to walk in forest preserves and breath deeply, deeply immerse myself in the absence of human manufactured noise and bathe in the sounds that nature provides.