Owner Red Beard Dog Training and Downtown Dog Enrichment

Hey y’all, Brad here. Welcome to Red Beard Dog Training. 

I started Red Beard in 2014 with the simple goal of helping dogs and owners while doing something that I loved. It’s a humbling and surreal feeling to still be passionate about my work over a decade later. 

In the early years, I worked non-stop out of my home. Lessons, board and trains, consultations, etc. My true passion was taking boarding dogs on adventures, letting them experience the magic of the natural world. 

Mako, my reactive 3-legged dog that started my training journey, was dear to my heart but a liability to my business. I needed a helper dog. After a very intentional search, I foster failed Dexter, a mutt from the SPCA who quickly became the heart and soul of Red Beard.

Sexy Dexy possessed a unique level of social intelligence. He was kind, gentle and patient, but also set clear boundaries and was an excellent communicator to other dogs.

We moved to a small facility in 2019 and started adding staff and slowly growing. 

In 2021, we landed downtown in our current facility, an amazing space that allowed us to offer a variety of training and saw the creation of what is now Downtown Dog Enrichment, the triad’s only training-based structured doggy daycare.

Sexy Dexy tragically died of cancer in December 2024. Our connection was indescribable and his influence on Red Beard is immeasurable. Dexy WAS Red Beard and that version of the business died along with him. 

This new era of Red Beard is focused on providing adventure boarding options and 1-on-1 lessons throughout North Carolina, as well as helping shelter staff, rescue volunteers, fosters and dog owners with frequent Leash Connections workshops.