About Us
Marley Muffin-Face
is the original plucky puppy. Adopted from the San Diego Animal Shelter at the tender age of two months, he was found on the back porch of an abandoned building, terrified of people and clinging to his litter mates. He came to us freshly neutered and with a bad case of worms, and spent the first month at home sleeping and recovering from intestinal parasites.
As he was getting used to his new family and environment, Marley showed remarkable strength and courage. A pup that had clearly been abused and neglected, he quickly adapted to his new home and feline and avian companions. Several years later he is a composed and confident adult dog who loves to play with others.
Plucky Puppy was founded for dogs like Marley, whose spunk could not be vanquished by a bad start in life, and for all the lucky puppies that were showered with all the love they deserve right from the beginning. We believe firmly that the healing power of love – along with ample socialization and diligent training – can bring out the plucky puppy in any dog.
Katrin Greim, MA, CTC
is a professional dog trainer and experienced pet care provider. She received her Certificate in Training and Counseling with honors from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. She also graduated from the Canine Behavior Academy at the Marin Humane Society. Katrin is an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator and certified in Pet First Aid and CPR, and teaches dog training classes at Piedmont Adult School.
Miriam Neidhardt
was born in the Ozark Mountains and grew up caring for many, many dogs and cats. Much of her youth was spent attempting to tame and care for the feral cats that made their home in her backyard. When not at her day job, Miriam enjoys being Katrin’s training assistant and caring for animals, including the menagerie at Plucky Puppy.
Stella Bella Ding Dong
is the newest addition to our family. Stella joined our menagerie in October of 2006, just before her first birthday, and our lives haven't been the same since. The complete opposite of Marley, Stella was the most well-adjusted puppy we’ve ever met. She clearly benefitted from loving care and training during the first year of her life. Undaunted by obstacles such as fences, stairs, moats or cliffs, Stella’s greatest joy in life is chasing squirrels at top speed and stalking critters that burrow holes in the ground.
Linnea Horine
joined the Plucky Puppy team in 2006, and has been an indispensable part of our company ever since. In addition to being a full time pet care expert, she assists training classes at Piedmont Adult School. She shares her passion for animals with her passion for film, and is Plucky Puppy's resident videographer. She lives in Oakland with her husband Rich and Lilly and June, California's most well-behaved Bracci Italiano.