SteveBrooksK9U.com

When she's not on duty as an Assistant Trainer at Steve Brooks K9U-a job she loves-Linara can often be found on stage and screen as a professional actor. But she's far from the stereotypical air-kissing showbiz type: Linara readily confides that her canine charges at SBK9U are more loving and more interesting than some of the actors she's worked with. "I've grown up with dogs my whole life," Linara says. "Furry pals have always been part of the Washington household. But working with Steve, I'm really getting to see that dogs are more than four-legged companions for humans. They are as varied in their moods, habits, likes and dislikes as any person. Their souls yearn for love, joy, and utility as much as any beings on earth." Linara graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in English and Biology. For a few years now, she has been living la vida loca in LA, and her nonstop schedule means that for now, there's no little barker in her life. She does, however, have two diva cats who keep her warm at night.

If variety is the spice of life, then Matt's background is pretty spicy. Matt first took his passion for animals to the books by earning a B.S. in biological sciences from the University of California Irvine. He then participated in the Los Angeles Zoo's animal keeper training class where he learned the husbandry side of animal care. Matt has also dabbled in the health of animals by working as an assistant veterinary technician and also volunteering at the marine mammal care center in the rehabilitation of marine mammals. Matt is excited to bring his varied background to Steve Brooks K9U and help in the training of his favorite animal of all, Dogs.

When this jack of all trades is not practicing down stays with the K9U students, he is most likely working out, snowboarding, watching "Chris Matthew's Hardball" or simply reading.

Lani comes to SteveBrooksK9U with 3 years of experience in the veterinary field under her belt. As the previous receptionist of a veterinary hospital and the current receptionist of an emergency veterinary hospital, she has had a variety of exposure to different elements of pet health and behavior. When she's not at SteveBrooksK9U, she is working on finishing her doctorate in psychology where she has been working on achieving her dream of combining the calming effect of dogs in a therapeutic context. On the weekends and during most evenings, she can be found taking her 10 year old Papillon/Spaniel mix and her 5 year old Chihuahua/Terrier mix to dog beach, the dog park, hiking, or walking around and making friends in Toluca Lake.

Steve’s wife, Yasmine, is an integral part of K9U as well as a renowned stylist with 30 years experience in hair, makeup and fashion.

Yasmine was born in Iraq and moved to Chicago when she was 13.  But she didn’t stop there. She worked in London, New York and San Francisco during her tenure as an art director and teacher with the Vidal Sassoon Salon and Academy. She maintains a presence in the beauty industry today through a limited schedule at L Salon on LA’s trendy Beverly Boulevard.

It may surprise you to learn that, although she’s married to one of the country’s foremost dog trainers, cats are Yasmine’s first love. “When I got into dogs, it was a whole different love, especially when I met Steve. He trained my dog—or me, rather!—three times. The rest was history.”

Steve and Yasmine have been together since 1999, and were married in June 2006. Yasmine’s exposure to Steve’s work—and all those dogs—has definitely had an impact on her.

“I fall in love with all the dogs he trains. I don’t want them to leave. Dogs are our family. Learning dog training made me a stronger, more assertive person.”

Yasmine is a big part of the reason K9U has such a serene atmosphere. Her soothing presence adds to the aromatherapy, massage, candles and classical music programs that make SteveBrooksK9U unique among dog training facilities. Says Yasmine, “I have an innate way to relax dogs using my voice and my touch.”

Yasmine’s dog is a pit bull mix who joined Sven on the K9 Fusion CD to sing backup vocals and appears in the K9 Fusion music video.  

As the queen of K9U, Legali helps Steve with training by helping to make the new dogs comfortable, showing them how to act, and generally being the teacher’s pet (and we mean in that in a good way).

Perhaps the most unusual staff member at SteveBrooksK9U isn’t a canine at all. It’s Steve and Yasmine’s cat, Fuego Caliente. He helps by being a great distraction but also a great friend. In fact, Fuego and Legali are bunkmates.