Ever wonder who is behind the scenes at Canine Journal®? Our team has been involved in the canine world for more than 100+ years when you combine our experience with dogs both personally and professionally. Each of our writers are committed to providing the most in-depth and unbiased information via research, reviews and stories to ensure you have all the tips you need for every aspect of caring for your beloved pup.
Learn more about your favorite authors and view their articles. You’re also welcome to get in touch with your feedback or questions. Thanks for reading and stopping by to get to know us. Here’s to keeping dogs smiling and their tails a-waggin’.
Lily Schenker
Lily is the Chief Dog Officer and the pup behind the scenes at Canine Journal. Her 11 years of life experience as a mixed-breed provide her with the unique perspective and experience one can only gain first-hand with squirrel hunting, tail chasing, butt sniffing, and trading tricks for treats. When not lounging outside in the sun, she spends her time sidled up to the humans who fill this website with stories and love.
Michelle Schenker
Michelle holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and has worked in marketing at Bank of America, Mattel and Hanes. She is the proud co-founder of Canine Journal and a dog lover through and through. Since the day she was born, she has lived in a home full of dogs. Her adult home is no exception where she and her husband live with Bella and Lily, their two adorable rescue pups. In addition to her love for snuggling with dogs, she also has enjoyed working professionally in the canine field since 1999 when she started her first dog-related job at a dog bakery.
Alex Schenker
Alex holds BS degrees in Management Science from the University of California at San Diego, and Computer Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is the co-founder of Canine Journal, and his first dog was a Dalmatian named Domino. Alex and Domino quickly became best pals as dog walks, hikes, an uncanny sense of what Alex was going through at any particular time, and other canine adventures enhanced Alex’s life and well-being.
Alex’s experience as a parent to several dogs since then has given him over 15 years of canine insight and perspective that he brings to Canine Journal. While he’s been versed in everything from basic dog training techniques, canine diet and health, to pet insurance, the takeaways he holds most dear are the inspiration to live every moment to the fullest and start each day with gusto and a tail wag.
Jeff Butler
Jeff received his Bachelors in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance from Malone University. He can’t remember a time in his life without dogs, his family always had dogs growing up. Now with three children of his own, his dog Gary is essentially a fourth child, and he enjoys seeing his kids’ love of dogs blossom. Jeff has actively researched dog-related topics since 2012.
Sadie Cornelius
Sadie graduated from the Moody School of Communications at the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors in Advertising and minor in Business. Her love of pets started from an early age with her childhood cocker spaniel, Peanut, and cats Lucy and Tabby. She is currently dog mom to Lexie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. As a professional dog sitter for more than a decade, Sadie has cared for dozens of canines of various breeds, sizes and temperaments. The responsibility of caring for others’ pets has helped her understand the importance of giving animals a loving home. She has experience potty and house training as well as teaching dogs tricks such as sit and shake.
Sadie is passionate about canine well-being, so she feeds her pup all-natural meals and no table scraps. Carrots and sweet potatoes are her picks for healthy treat alternatives. Sadie and her husband live in Washington DC and enjoy walking Lexie to nearby dog parks or patios and taking her canine companion on trips. Having an adventurous, long-haired Blenheim means frequent baths and home grooming to maintain a clean coat. A small dog also requires more frequent dental care, and Sadie is proactive with Lexie’s oral hygiene. She has been covering dog-related topics since 2012 and is proud to share her latest personal experience, resources and information with fellow pet parents.
Kimberly Alt
Kimberly received her Bachelor of Arts in multimedia journalism from Simpson College. She has been writing about dogs since 2014, covering subjects such as dog insurance, training, health, accessories and more. Her natural curiosity helps her research as she seeks the truth when learning about, comparing and personally testing canine products and services. With every piece she writes, her goal is to help our readers find the best fit for their unique needs. Kimberly grew up in a family that loved Labrador Retrievers and remembers running and playing in the yard with them as a child.
In 2017, she and her husband adopted their Coonhound mix, Sally, from a local shelter. Kimberly’s research was put to good use since Sally faced some aggression issues with other dogs and needed some training to be an inside dog. She worked daily with Sally and sought help from professionals to help Sally become the happy pup she is today. One of Kimberly’s favorite pastimes is spoiling Sally with new toys, comfy beds and yummy treats (she even makes homemade goodies for her). She tries to purchase the safest products for Sally and knows that each canine has their own specific likes and dislikes. Kimberly is passionate about dogs and knows the bond between humans and canines is like no other.
Sally Jones
Sally holds a BA in English from James Madison University and began her 25-year writing career as a grad student at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism & Mass Communications. She’s been a pet parent since college years (and spent her whole childhood with pets). Now as a parent of two teenagers, she’s made sure to raise her daughters to learn how to love and care for pets (and other animals) in the most responsible and loving ways. As a result, she and her daughters now have 5 rescued dogs and cats who essentially rule their home! Sally has also volunteered over the years to help raise funds for various animal nonprofit organizations.
Sara Wilson Coffin
Sara is a writer for Canine Journal. She adores dogs and adopted a rescue pup named Beamer. While she may be adjusting to life with another being to care for, she needed no time to adjust to all the extra love.
Neil Gargis
Neil holds a BA in Economics from Wake Forest University as well as a CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation from the National Alliance for Insurance Education. He grew up around dogs, having 3 in his households over the years. Currently he and his two children share their home with a rescue cat. Neil has over a decade of experience as a licensed insurance agent and is passionate about helping pet parents protect the health of their fur babies via pet insurance.
His experience with pets, coupled with his expert knowledge of insurance products helps pet parents make informed decisions about which pet insurance products are right for them.
Amy Brannan
Amy’s personal interest in writing was sparked by her love of reading fiction and her creative writing hobby. Amy is currently self-employed as a freelance writer and web designer. When she is not working Amy can be found curled up with a good book and her black Labrador, Jet.