enjoyed helping people choose the right pet for their lifestyle,
she discovered a niche business, pet sitting. Pet sitting was a
novel idea in the Dallas suburbs in the early 1990’s. As her
business grew, she began to realize her true calling was
training.
Two years after marrying Jason in 1998, Karen attended
National K-9 School for Dog Trainers in Columbus, Ohio.
www.nk9.com (Since 1975, National K-9 has been recognized
as a world leader within the fields of dog training, behavior
modification, and dog trainer education. National K-9 is also
credited as pioneering and training the first assistance dogs for
the physically challenged in 1977.) While at National K-9,
Karen and her Australian Cattle Dog, Kali, participated in the
Master Trainer Course. She successfully completed study in
the following areas: basic/advanced obedience, behavior
modification, breed identification and characteristics, puppy
temperament testing, puppy development, proper training
techniques and equipment. Karen also successfully
completed units in kennel management, utility training,
retrieval, scent detection, tracking/trailing, search and rescue
introduction, personal protection, and assistance dog training
for the physically challenged.
In 2002, she sold the pet sitting business and had their first
child in November. Plans are underway for Cordial Canine
and the Wargo family to move to their 28 acres of land in
Leonard, Texas.
Karen loves the challenges each dog presents and delights
each time a breakthrough is made. If she can teach the dog to
understand what people want, that is one less dog that may
end up in a shelter. “When I bring a dog home and the owner
can’t believe that is their dog, my heart does a little flip.” She
wants the owner and dog to enjoy each other. Karen is also
continually striving to hone her skills as a trainer by attending
seminars and workshops and maintaining membership in the
International Association of Canine Professionals.
