Meet The High Hopes Dog Training Team

HOPE SISITSKY, OWNER

A client once said to Hope, “It’s amazing how you think like a dog! It’s like you know exactly what they are thinking.” Hope loves dogs. She understands them. She loves to teach dogs and their humans how to understand one another. The passion for her work is evident. She says it is the work of her heart and soul.Hope did not have dogs as a child. Her journey with dogs started when she was in her early twenties. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Hope moved to Florida and became an elementary school teacher. Soon after that, she adopted her first dog, Shadow, a young mixed breed. Six months later, she found a stray Doberman Pinscher mix puppy, whom she named Pupper. Shadow and Pupper opened up a whole new world for Hope, and she instantly became obsessed with dogs! The more Hope worked with her own dogs, the more she realized that she wanted to make dog training her career, so she gradually transitioned from teaching children to teaching dogs. As she started her own dog training business in 2000, Hope found that her students (both the dogs and their humans) were motivated and challenged by her style of training and teaching. The dogs were becoming well-mannered family members, and the humans were becoming educated, compassionate dog parents. Over two decades later, Hope now promises that both will enjoy the learning process as they benefit from their newly formed partnership. With Hope’s guidance, people learn how to train their own dogs and quickly realize that High Hopes Dog Training dogs are HAPPY dogs!Hope has a son, Ari, who lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing a career in film and photography. She shares her home in Roanoke with her rescued Pitbull, Mooshi, who is a deaf tripawd. He is a very active dog with three legs and has many doggie friends with whom he plays often. Hope taught Mooshi American Sign Language, and he knows about 50 signs. Prior to Mooshi, Hope’s dog, Spartacus, also a rescued Pitbull mix, worked with Hope and helped many dogs become better socialized and confident. He also changed hundreds of people’s misinformed opinions about Pitbulls. Spartacus was a Canine Good Citizen and lived up to that title every single day of his life.Hope is an AKC (American Kennel Club) Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a long-time member of APDT (Association of Professional Dog Trainers).