With more than 40 years of experience to his name, and thousands of satisfied customers, Shelly Leibowitz is one of the most sought-after dog trainers in the United States. His pioneering training method of “control through kindness” is an innovative approach to dog obedience driven by positive reinforcement instead of disheartening negative corrections. With a deep understanding of canine psychology, and a belief that every dog is an individual deserving of a training regimen tailored to their specific personality.  Shelly has shown that affection, reward and praise are all important to bring out the best in dogs.  He is widely-known noted both by the professional and lay community for his ability to successfully handle challenging dogs with severe behavioral problems.

At the age of 18 Shelly began his career training companion dogs in and around New York City, though he quickly expanded his skillset to include training canines for security, contraband and bomb detection duties. Shelly has worked with a wide array of corporate and private clients including the Philadelphia Electric Company at their Limerick nuclear facility, the New York Yankees’ Trenton Thunder, New Jersey Public Schools, many celebrities and dozens of law enforcement agencies. Over the years he has helped police departments throughout the country develop and expand their K-9 units, working to find and acquire the perfect canine cadets, often from abroad, while personally sharing his vast training experience with handler officers. A respected expert at solving seemingly unsolvable behavioral problems, Shelly collaborates often with lawyers and judges to help rescue and rehabilitate very problematic dogs before it’s too late.

In his off time Shelly acts as president (and founder) of the Garden State Schutzhund Club. Built upon a training foundation sharing many similarities with the techniques utilized to train modern drug and law enforcement dogs, Schutzhund is a competitive canine sport developed in Germany during the early 1900’s to identify talented working German Shepherds. After more than 20 years of active competition, Shelly was selected to represent the United States on the Schutzhund World Team in 2007 at the sport’s premier international competition. Aside from acting as training director for his own club, Shelly is a frequent speaker at Schutzhund clubs around the world, offering guest seminars and lectures to novice and expert Schutzhund lovers alike.

In addition to extensive experience in dog training, Shelly is also known for his expertise in importing dogs from Europe.  Over the years, he has imported numerous dogs for a vast and growing clientele.  He specializes in German Shepherds & Belgian Malanois, but has also imported a wide variety of other breeds including Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers, and Boxers.

Shelly’s success in importing dogs is rooted in his commitment to matching clients with the perfect dogs.  He takes time to understand his clients’ needs in order to pair them with dogs of compatible personalities and temperaments.  He is an expert in blood lines and how they affect a dog’s physical health, longevity, and characteristics.

For more than 30 years, Gale Dinces maintained a stellar career working with high-profile corporate entities such as GE, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Chase Bank. Armed with an MBA from New York University Stern Business School, Gale directed high-level strategic planning for powerhouse companies. Later in her career, she established a thriving real estate business throughout New York City, Westchester and Connecticut.

However, it was her lifelong love of animals, especially large dogs, that led to her decision to change career paths and become one of the top German Shepherd breeders in the United States. In 1996, Gale acquired her first German Shepherd, a show female named Bonnie, who became the matriarch of her successful kennel. Gale began showing, training and eventually breeding German Shepherds based on the meticulous standards used in Germany.

Gale’s dogs are bred to serve as pets and to compete both in the Show ring and in the family sport of Schutzhund, a dog sport that was developed in Germany in the early 1900s to test whether German Shepherds exhibit the traits necessary for breeding and true working ability. Tens of thousands of people now participate in the sport each year, a demanding test for any dog, and few are able to pass successfully.

In breeding her beloved dogs, Gale strives for the ultimate combination of physical form, health, temperament and intelligence — and she has succeeded. She has champion stock and a very satisfied network of German Shepherd owners nationwide.

In 2005, Gale met world-renowned trainer Shelly Lebowitz and they began working together as breeder and trainer. Their combined business knowledge, aesthetic vision and vast experience in the professional world of training and breeding champion dogs led them to partner in the creation of The Green Leaf — a  pet destination and resort hotel located in Millstone Township, New Jersey, that is unmatched anywhere and offers an environment and amenities that are like no other.

In addition to her role as co-founder of The Green Leaf, Gale formerly served as a member of the New York Small Business Association and as a Board Member of the NYU Stern School of Business Entrepreneurial Resource Group, helping others learn to create and run successful businesses through her marketing, finance and management expertise.