Madison had two dogs growing up, but when she got her first dog as an adult, Lila, she knew it would be a challenge— she just had no idea just how transformative the journey would be. After exploring various training methods, Madison and Lila found balance training, dramatically improving their communication and accessibility to shared experiences.

In 2017, Madison pursued a Master’s in Ecology at San Diego State University, focusing on how environmental changes affect California sea lions. After earning her degree in 2020, she returned to the Bay Area to work with Dallas Hamilton of Back to Balance Canine (B2BK9), the trainer who had a few years prior addressed so many of Madison’s training needs. 

At B2BK9, Madison deepened her understanding of dog behavior and learning theories by working with more dogs, participating in social training sessions, attending seminars, and collaborating with clients. Madison alternated working on site and remotely for B2BK9 while she traveled the western US with her two dogs in her self-converted campervan. 

During her travels, Madison honed detection skills with her dog Bruce and collaborated with several conservation canine teams. These experiences sparked her passion for conservation canine detection, blending her love of dog training and ecology. In 2022, she founded Destination Canines, offering personalized dog training services for humans who want to experience more with their dogs, whether that be more off-leash freedom or more peace on their neighborhood walks. Now based in Sacramento and working as a biologist, Madison continues to train dogs and maintain her own canines, Bruce and Onyx, for conservation work.