40 UNDER 40: Alicia Hall

Alicia Hall was born to train dogs. 

“Even as a little girl, I was captivated by them,” she said. “I devoured anything I could find about how dogs think, how they communicate and how they learn.” 

While other kids dreamed about what they might be when they grew up, she already knew that whatever she did, it would involve dogs. 

Hall found her place at Camp K9 in Post Falls, where she began as a kennel assistant. 

“I walked in not knowing that moment would completely change the trajectory of my life,” she said. 

It was at Camp K9 that she watched trainer Nick Parke work with families who felt overwhelmed, frustrated and sometimes hopeless. He patiently shaped aggressive and reactive dogs into the balanced, capable dogs they were meant to be. 

“At the time, I had my own project dog and seeing his transformation by working with him over the years firsthand lit something inside of me,” Hall said. 

Over the years, Hall has worked hands-on with hundreds of dogs and their families. Her passion and primary focus is behavior modification. 

“I work with the dogs that many others have written off,” she said. “Behind every ‘problem dog’ is a misunderstood dog. And behind every struggling dog is a family desperate for peace.” 

Hall is part of Camp K9’s therapy dog program, which pairs rescue dogs with handlers to form certified therapy teams that serve in local schools. She also works with service dog teams for post-traumatic stress disorder and psychiatric support. 

In the coming years, Hall aims to expand the reach of recruiting rescue dogs and turning them into therapy dogs to more local schools and community facilities. 

At the heart of everything Hall does is a love of helping people and their dogs to find understanding, structure and peace. 

“No matter how challenging the behavior, there is always a path forward,” she said. “There is always hope. And it is the greatest honor of my life to walk that path alongside the dogs and families who trust me. Training isn’t just something I do for a living. It’s who I am.”