Hello, my name is Natalie Shoemate and I am the owner and one of the certified dog trainers of Copilot Academy, LLC. I have been passionate about dogs my entire life. I admire their natural ability to coexist with humans and provide unquantifiable amounts of love, forgiveness and companionship. I graduated from the University of North Texas at the top of my class with a degree in Communication. Thanks to the support of family and friends, almost a decade later, I was able to start pursuing my passion for dog training full time.

I achieved the highest training certification “Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist” through  Starmark Academy™, the largest International School for Professional Dog Trainers.  In addition I am a proud Associate member of The International Association of Canine Professionals & am currently certified as a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator through the American Kennel Club (AKC). 

Growing up in California, I worked on several ranches working and riding horses. My life has always been filled with animals, but working my dogs was what I looked forward to the most. From Chihuahuas to Mastiffs, we had a diverse pack of dogs to work with. Although I have always had a passion for animals, I come from a family of veterans and I decided to join the military.

Once I separated from the military, I traveled with my dogs for a year until settling back in Texas. Getting back into a schedule, I began attending school and working with an Equine Therapy facility. During that time, I started my dog training adventure with Copilot in order to advance my dogs obedience. Upon finishing my lessons, I realized I enjoyed watching dogs learn and grow from training and that it was what I wanted to pursue as a career. Being able to help owners and their dogs achieve their goals brings me as much joy as doing it with my own dogs. I have since been certified as a behavioral specialist & currently am an Evaluator through The American Kennel Club. I look forward to getting to work with each new owner and dog team!

I have always had animals in my life; the joy they brought me was so much more than I could ever imagine.  Growing up in Alice, Texas I lived on a 40-acre ranch working with goats, horses, chickens, pigs, dogs, and even cats.  I learned that animals had feelings and that if treated with respect, they would return that same respect.  All dogs have a degree of love and compassion if tapped into, the possibilities are endless for what they can do for you.  My current pack consists of a 7-year-old German Shepherd/Boxer mix and a 1-year-old Redbone coonhound and I owe them for driving me to pursue dog training.  I come from a military family, and the drive and dedication I received from my family and military life gave me the background to provide the same dedication and drive for training.

In the military, I wanted to do something with law enforcement and work with K9 units.  Instead, I took the path of electrician and electronics and provided customer support for 14 years troubleshooting and repairing broken electronics.  I got my Associate’s degree in electrical engineering then changed to Computer Science with a cybersecurity concentration.  Sitting behind a computer was not what I wanted to do and helping people is a big motivator for me.  Now I can serve people and help dogs live in a good forever home while giving me an opportunity to interact with people and build confidence, obedience, and compassion in dogs of all sizes.  I see training animals as a hobby because hobbies are something you do with a passion.  I look forward to working with all dogs and owners to build bonds that will last a lifetime.

Born and raised in Kentucky, my life revolved around dogs. I adopted my first dog at 21 and immediately sought out a trainer in efforts to learn how to work with my new rescue dog. After
completing my training program, I was offered the opportunity to work with that company full time, which kick started my love for dog training. During my time at that company, I absorbed a
wealth of knowledge that helped propel my dog training goals. Fast forward 10 years and my active duty husband, myself and my rescue shepherd husky mix, Koa, moved to Killeen.

After much research, Copilot Academy was my top choice company to work for due to their ethics, high standards and balanced training approach. Even though I have a strong training
background, I still went through Copilot Academy’s rigorous trainers’ program so that continued standards could be ensured. Dogs and people are my passion. I can’t wait to meet with you!

I was born in Washington state, where watching shows like ASPCA and Animal Hoarders deeply moved me and sparked a lifelong compassion for animals. Throughout my life, I have
volunteered at animal shelters for years at a time, learning more about dogs and helping them find the forever homes they deserve. I’ve always had dogs of various sizes and temperaments, which allowed me to develop strong skills in training them. After moving to Texas in 2006, my
passion for dog training grew alongside my love for music, making it hard to choose between the two. Now, I’m fortunate enough to pursue both careers. I have been playing music for 23
plus years and teaching Cello & Viola professionally for 4 years as of 2024. Teaching humans and dogs is a passion I enjoy and love. Last year, I trained my first service dog (Standard
Poodle named Bailey) and sought further training to help her pass her Canine Good Citizen and public access tests. This led me to Copilot Academy, where I fell in love with their balanced-
based program. The experience has been transformative. After being a client, I enrolled and completed Copilot Academy’s rigorous trainers’ program. I am excited to professionally continue to assist all owners and their dogs with their training goals in efforts to build strong, lasting partnerships.