Meet Our Friendly and Professional Take A Lead Team

Role of our Trainers

Our trainers are dedicated to helping your dog thrive! They specialise in positive reinforcement techniques, creating personalised training programs that focus on socialisation, obedience, and good behaviour. From carefully supervising playtime to offering tailored feedback and progress updates, our trainers ensure every dog enjoys a safe, fun, and educational experience at Take a Lead.

Role of our Doggy Day School Instructors

At Take a Lead, our doggy day school instructors are responsible for training, supervising, and enriching the lives of our furry four-legged students. This includes teaching basic commands, managing group play, addressing general obedience issues inside the Day School, and providing individualised attention. They collaborate with our trainers to ensure consistency in care and training, designing enrichment activities for mental and physical stimulation and of course… providing plenty of cuddles!

Our Team

Aggy Ager

Owner and Head Trainer at Take a Lead

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Ilaria

Training Walks Dog Trainer & Supervisor

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Annalise

Dog Trainer - Day School

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Jimmy

Farm Trip & Training Walks Adventure Leader

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Franco

Senior Dog Trainer & Dog Boarding Facilitator

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Latisha

Doggy Day School Instructor & Marketing Guru

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Lauren

Dog Trainer & Doggy Day School Instructor

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Jess

Senior Dog Trainer

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Gisella

Doggy Day School Instructor

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Marla

Senior Dog Trainer & Puppy School Instructor

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Jacqui

Doggy Day School Instructor

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Aggy Ager

Owner and Head Trainer at Take a Lead

Aggy is the proud owner and lead dog trainer at Take A Lead.

Aggy’s childhood dream was to become a marine biologist. However, her limited scuba diving skills and distance from the ocean led her to discover a different passion – dog training! Over a decade ago, Aggy embraced this newfound calling and has since become deeply immersed in the study of dog behaviour.

Aggy runs Take A Lead, a premier training and dog behaviour business. Her services include behaviour consultations, Doggy Day School, training walks, and puppy preschool.

A standout feature of Take A Lead is the unique Doggy Day School, which combines daycare with training to ensure that dogs return home smarter and better behaved. Aggy continuously seeks to expand her expertise by attending numerous dog seminars and lectures each year. Currently, her focus is on scent detection, a field in which she is steadily advancing her knowledge.

At home, Aggy enjoys the company of her beloved family and various animals from dogs, geckos to turtles, we live in a zoo. Aggy holds a degree in Business Administration and various degrees in Dog Behavior and Training. When she’s not training dogs, she loves spending time with her young family and travelling.

A fun fact! Aggy loves lollies so much that she sometimes has some for breakfast, however, she dislikes chocolate as much as going to the dentist!

Ilaria

Training Walks Dog Trainer & Supervisor

Ilaria has always had a deep love for animals, especially dogs. Her childhood dream of having a dog of her own has come true, and she now manages a whole pack of furry companions every day.

Ilaria began her journey in the animal care industry with dog walking before joining the fantastic team at Take A Lead. She recently earned her Dog Training and Behavior Certification from Vicki and Steve Austin. Rain or shine, you’ll find her at Centennial Park, diligently training and walking the dogs.

Since joining Take A Lead, Ilaria has even begun training her ginger cat, Simba, who is now a master of tricks.

A fun fact! Ilaria is obsessed with Retrievers and food, so she jokingly believes she must have been a Labrador Retriever in a past life! 🤣

Annalise

Dog Trainer - Day School

Annalise has been a valued member of the Take A Lead team for three years now! With six years of experience in the animal care industry prior to joining, she brought a wealth of knowledge and a genuine love for animals to the team.

During her time at Take A Lead, Annalise has become an integral part of the crew, winning the hearts of her furry students and developing a deep passion for training under Aggy’s guidance.

Annalise has recently completed her apprenticeship at Take a Lead and is studying her Cert IV in dog training!

A fun fact! Annalise’s passion for dog training shines through in her own pup, Pandora, who is not only incredibly well-behaved but also a future doggy star in the making!

Jimmy

Farm Trip & Training Walks Adventure Leader

Jimmy joined the Take a Lead team in March 2022 and spent two months training under Aggy’s supervision to master our training walks. His genuine love for dogs is mutual – the dogs adore him just as much as he adores them. It’s even rumoured that he serenades them with his favourite songs while driving the Take a Lead Team van!

A fun fact! Jimmy’s impressive CV caught our attention, especially when we learned he once drove a double-decker bus over London’s iconic Tower Bridge. Now, he’s set to lead the way with our farm bus as we embark on our exciting Take A Lead Farm Trip Adventures!

Franco

Senior Dog Trainer & Dog Boarding Facilitator

Franco recently joined our team, bringing with him seven years of dog training experience from his home country, Argentina. Having honed his skills training and walking dogs in the bustling streets of Argentina, Franco is now a versatile asset to Take A Lead.

You’ll find him actively involved in various areas, from our doggy day school and farm trips to occasional training walks as well as assisting during peak boarding periods.

A fun fact! An Argentinian that doesn’t eat meat, but loves Aussie seafood. Franco’s dogs love his 5 star chef veggie meals.

Latisha

Doggy Day School Instructor & Marketing Guru

Latisha’s lifelong connection with animals began on her family’s small farm in Victoria. Her passion for animal care grew into a career when she pursued formal training at Taronga Zoo, earning both her Cert II and Cert III in Animal Care.

With extensive experience as a Vet Receptionist and over 10 years experience in customer service operations, Latisha developed a keen interest in not only understanding dog behaviour but also in providing exceptional client care. Now at Take A Lead, Latisha combines her expertise and love for animals to ensure that both dogs and their owners receive personalised attention and support, making every visit a positive experience.

A fun fact! In her spare time, Latisha enjoys painting animal portraits, often under the watchful eyes of her beloved fur-babies, Jimmy and Ruko.

Lauren

Dog Trainer & Doggy Day School Instructor

Lauren’s journey with dogs began in the UK, working as a dog handler in both daycare and farm settings, where her passion for canines truly took root. Raised around an array of breeds, from Whippets to Hungarian Vizslas, she developed a natural affinity and deep understanding of dog behaviour from an early age.

After moving to Sydney, Lauren joined the Take A Lead team, learning under Aggy and our experienced trainers. She recently completed her apprenticeship with us and is continuing to expand her skills by studying her Dog Training and Behaviour Certificate under Steve and Vicki Austin. Lauren is committed to advancing her expertise in dog training and behaviour, ensuring each dog she works with thrives.

A fun fact! Before diving into dog training, Lauren was a yoga instructor! So, keep an eye out – Lauren might just have you doing some “puppy yoga”!

Jess

Senior Dog Trainer

Jess began her journey with dogs in 2012 in the Netherlands, where she studied to become a vet technician. During her first internship at a boarding kennel and dog school, she discovered her true passion for working with dogs, turning that internship into a full-time role after graduation.

Over 9 years at the same kennel, she gained extensive knowledge of dog behaviour. After a year of adventure in New Zealand, Jess is excited to continue expanding her expertise here in Australia.

A fun fact! Jess has travelled to Namibia, Africa, where she trained four Belgian Malinois as certified anti-poaching dogs to protect African wildlife. A truly unforgettable highlight of her career.

Gisella

Doggy Day School Instructor

Growing up in Argentina, Gisella’s love for dogs began with training her family’s Rottweilers, sparking a lifelong passion for working with animals.

In Australia, Gisella expanded her expertise as a dedicated dog walker in Surry Hills and Bondi Beach, gaining valuable experience in canine care and behaviour. She is now pursuing advanced training to become a certified dog trainer. Eager to further refine her skills, Gisella is committed to enhancing her knowledge and providing exceptional care for her furry students.

A fun fact! Gisella is a talented pet portrait artist who enjoys painting pet portraits in her free time.

Marla

Senior Dog Trainer & Puppy School Instructor

Marla was captivated by dogs from a young age. Fascinated by the diverse breeds and their unique personalities, she found herself drawn to the world of dogs. However, due to the limited pet industry in her country, Marla initially pursued a career in the corporate sector.

Listening to her heart, she decided to relocate to Australia to follow her true passion. Starting her journey as a dog groomer, Marla soon discovered that dog training was her true calling. She is deeply interested in understanding dog behaviour and guiding them to reach their full potential.

Under the mentorship of Aggy, Marla now teaches puppy classes and assists at the Doggy Day School. She holds a qualification from the National Dog Trainers Federation of Australia and is dedicated to helping dogs thrive.

A fun fact! Her dog behaviour training has helped Marla raise her human child, his “leave it”command is impeccable.

Jacqui

Doggy Day School Instructor

Jacqui’s journey into animal care began at a local pet store, where she gained hands-on experience (including plenty of time cleaning enclosures!). Her passion for wildlife deepened as she worked to rehabilitate injured birds, nurturing them back to health. In addition, Jacqui has successfully trained her own dog, Bonnie, bringing her personal touch and dedication to every furry friend she works with.

A fun fact! As a child, Jacqui wasn’t allowed to have a dog, so instead she taught her Guinea pigs to ‘recall’ and to ‘play dead’!