K9 Wellness Center Staff

Beth Williams, P.T., G.C.S., M.A., A.P.T. (owner) has been a licensed physical therapist in Nevada and California since 1985, having graduated with honors from California Statue University Northridge. She is a board certified geriatric clinical specialist, and a certified Aston-Patterning practitioner and Pilates instructor.

Ms. Williams began applying her knowledge of movement science, physical therapy and rehabilitation techniques to animals in 1998, following her own Rottweiler "Nitro's" successful hip reconstruction for severe bilateral hip dysplasia. With the encouragement of Nitro's surgeon, Dr. Gary Ailes, she become the first physical therapist in Nevada to establish a rehabilitation therapy clinic for animals in 1999. In 2003 she was invited to collaborate with the Nevada Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to draft language defining and regulating animal physical therapy, and in June 2004 she became one of the first registered animal physical therapists in Nevada.

Over the past 7 years, Ms. Williams has successfully treated treated dogs, cats and horses. In addition to her training as a human physical therapist she has completed continuing education courses on canine and equine anatomy and physical rehabilitation through the American and Canadian Physical Therapy Associations, Wild West Veterinary Conferences, and the first three International Symposiums on Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Veterinary Medicine. She is committed to promoting health, improving fitness, and preventing injury for all her clients through appropriate exercise and education.

Looking back, her interest in this field began early in life. As a 10 year old volunteer at a veterinary clinic, she rescued her first dog - a beagle puppy abandoned at the clinic with a broken leg! Animals play a central role in her personal as well as professional life. She and her canine companion Nitro are active members and tester/observers for the local pet facilitated therapy program "Paws for Love", and she participates in agility training with her 2 year old shepherd mix "Dragster". Her home is a foster home for SPCA kittens until they are old enough to be adopted and she volunteers at Washoe County Regional Animal Services to exercise and socialize dogs awaiting new homes. She has been riding horses since age 11, and continues to regularly enjoy the Nevada desert landscape on horseback.

P.J. Wangsness Howle, C.P.D.T., became the first trainer in Nevada to earn a national level I certification from Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers in 2002. She has been raising and training animals for 24+ years, and in 1999 "quit her corporate day job" to teach people to train their dogs full time as owner of Dog Training by P.J. She shares her home with several Chihuahuas, a Brittany, two cats, several horses and a goat, and continues to train and gentle the occasional horse. An avid student of animal behavior, learning theory and nutrition, she and Beth Williams collaborated in 2003 to create the unique "Fido 'N Me Fitness"classes to benefit both 2 and 4 legged clients. www.dogtrainingbypj.com