About Us

A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER FAITH BRILL

Our Story

Instant Karma Dog Training was born out of a lost childhood dream, a promise to the Universe, and a remarkable series of events that brought me back to what I believe is my “true calling.”

As I child, my happiest moments were spent playing with and training our family dogs. Then, when I was 10 years old my beloved poodle, Frenchie, died tragically after being disciplined by a well-meaning family member who was following the popular training advice of that time. I never knew exactly what happened, but it left an indelible scar in my heart that would alter the course of my life. For the longest time, I was afraid to ever have or love a dog again. 

In 2007, at the height of a successful corporate career, I found myself yearning for something that would give my life more meaning and joy. I believed that my purpose on this earth had something to do with animals, but there had always been reasons (excuses) why I couldn’t do the things my soul was most drawn to. On this particular day, though, I made a vow that if a door opened, I’d walk through it – no matter what.

Within a couple of weeks, I stumbled on a job listing for a paid internship with veteran dog trainer John Van Olden of San Francisco. It sounded way too good to be true, and I was about to move on – when I remembered my promise. So I applied. After a long, intensive interview process, I was selected from over 750 applicants. The next thing I knew, I was cutting my teeth on an 80-lb pit bull at a busy Los Angeles shelter. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life, and I knew that I was exactly where I was always meant to be.

When the internship ended, I continued educating myself and honing my skills with local shelters and rescue groups, taking on their hardest-to-adopt dogs. Impressed with the dramatic improvements they saw in the dogs that spent time with me, they soon began referring adopters to me for private training.

Today, almost 100% of my customers are referred by other satisfied clients, vet clinics, and rescue groups. My ever-expanding knowledge and skills – combined with the fearsome devotion of the organizations and families who rescue – have helped hundreds of dogs overcome behavior problems that nearly cost them their lives. The memory of my precious childhood friend is given new meaning with each dog I help, and I’m no longer yearning… just extraordinarily grateful every day to have been given this gift and the opportunity to share it.