Cody

Mascot

Recognized as the mascot of Impawsible Pups, Cody worked hard to earn his respected position. Cody attended training school with his mom, Valerie, and had his big break when he debuted as Sandy in Theatre IV’s production of Annie. He earned his treats and praise by sitting and walking nice on a leash, but his favorite things to do were to go swimming in the James River with his pal Lollie and to snuggle with his mom and dad. Sadly, Cody passed away in March 2021, but his legacy will continue to live on in Impawsible Pups. He will always be remembered as the one who taught his parents how to speak dog!

Brittney

Master Trainer

Brittney started at Impawsible Pups as a kennel tech, but with her hard work and great attitude she was quickly promoted. In the fall of 2013, Brittney began apprenticing under Valerie and in 2014 she attended Tarheel Canine to receive her certification as a Master Trainer and since then has continued her education to better understand her passion for teaching and working with all varieties of dogs. Brittney holds a special place in her heart for helping dogs and dedicates herself to continuously expanding her knowledge. In her spare time, Brittney enjoys spending time with her daughter, Ava as well as training with her personal dogs, Veda, Baker, and Kitana. She is currently training her youngest dog, Kitana in the competitive sport of PSA, where she spends countless hours practicing and training with some of the best dog trainers on the East Coast. She is able to take all that she learns from sport obedience and integrate it into ways to help teach  your dog how to be their best self. Outside of dog training she also loves riding and working with her two horses and their individual personalities which have inadvertently been a huge attribute in understanding how dogs learn.

Miki

Groomer

Miki got her first job as a dog bather at the age of 16 after being certified as a Veterinarian Assistant. At the time she was working two jobs – one as a hostess and server at a restaurant, and the other bathing dogs. She quickly discovered her passion for working with dogs instead of food and began working at Impawsible Pups in the summer of 2020 as a kennel tech.  After a year of monitoring the dogs on the daycare and boarding side, she transitioned over as a dog bather. Miki has completed courses at the Paragon School of Pet Grooming and is a certified Dog Bather/Groomer and Pet Stylist! Miki has since mastered proper handling and a fear-free grooming technique that allows her to groom puppies, senior dogs, reactive dogs, and everything in between. Miki is a big cat person and has many feline roommates, but has always preferred to work with dogs. In her free time, you’ll find Miki trying to befriend and feed all the stray cats, feeding the birds (and squirrels whether she likes it or not), and going to the gym or doing yoga!

Aliya

Kennel Manager

Aliya started as a kennel tech in 2021 during the end of COVID. Shortly after starting, she discovered she was going to become a first time mom! Aliya worked hard and pushed through the entirety of her pregnancy at Impawsible Pups. After maternity leave, she decided it was time to mature and move to bigger and better things. First she was promoted to shift lead, and not long after she took on the role of Kennel Manager in October 2022. During Aliya’s free time, she enjoys being a proud momma, boxing, and being a clean-a-holic.

Hans

Vice President

Hans comes to us from chilly Minnesota. He studied theater at Saint John’s University/College of Saint Benedict, and it was here that he met Valerie. He has been a willing and eager participant in all things animal related, and his kindness and gentle nature have proved to be invaluable in working with dogs of all backgrounds. Hans works as Master Carpenter and Technical Director at Virginia Repertory Theatre (formerly Barskdale Theatre/Theatre IV) where he creates theatre magic. You may see him around the kennel making repairs, feeding dogs, or sometimes just stopping in to say, “Hi!”

Anna & Ava

The youngest members of the Impawsible Pups team, Anna (Valerie & Hans) and Ava (Brittney) are eager participants in the inner-workings of the facility and dog care. They love greeting dogs and you may often find them assisting to desensitize a dog or teaching their peers the best way to greet a new dog. We like to consider them the Managers on “Doody.”