Meet Donna
Donna DeVoist, KPA-CTP
I was born and raised in Webster NY (outside of Rochester); graduated from Keuka College (BA in history);
worked in a congressional office in Washington DC; worked with an underground newspaper in Dallas TX;
worked in the history department at University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed a Certificate in African Studies; completed an MA in sociology and worked in the Fernand Braudel Center at Binghamton University; received my Reiki Level II Practitioner certificate; graduated with distinction from Karen Pryor Academy’s Dog Trainer Program; started my own business – Wylde Pups(TM) Gentle Dog Training and Lure Coursing.
I had a dog as a kid – a wonderful mutt who loved us with all his heart. But college and moving around wasn’t conducive to having more dogs, until I settled in Binghamton. Then my life with dogs really began and took me on many paths – conformation, obedience, agility, lure coursing, rally, therapy, and breeding – and graced me with many breeds: Chow Chow, Rottweiler, Windsprite, Doberman Pinscher, Boxer and many mixed breeds. I acquired some from breeders, got some from rescue, and rehomed several.
In the mid 1990’s I discovered “clicker training” and it changed my dog training methods. Shaping, positive reinforcement, and science-based knowledge became the cornerstones of my training techniques and the foundation of my business. Becoming a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner deepened my knowledge of and commitment to force free training. And my dogs express their joy for learning every day.
My husband and I have fallen in love with Windsprites, a lovely medium-sized sighthound developed in the United States since the 1950's. To further the development of the breed, we bred our beautiful, BIS BIF CH Wylde Windswept Island Girl "Cleo" to BIF BIS CH Tova's Canyon Rim of Aurai "Bryce" and on June 29, 2013 had 4 healthy puppies (our Tour de France litter). We kept Wylde Best Young Rider "Moxie" and she keeps the adults entertained. Our breeding experience was positive, so we bred Cleo to CH Windchime's Independence Day (Indi) and on June 19, 2015 Cleo had 7 healthy pups - 2 boys and 5 girls, the Wylde About the Blues litter. Staying with us is Wylde About them Boogie Woogie Blues "Wink". In 2016 Caleb George-Hinnant and I bred Wylde Polka Dot Jersey "Prim" to CH Stone House MIlagro and on June 19, 2016 we had 9 lovely puppies. In 2019 we bred BIS BIF GRCH Wylde About Them Boogie Woogie Blues "Wink" to BIS BIF CH Aurai Treasure Island "Simon" and had 8 healthy puppies on June 20, 2019. To end Wink's career as "Mom", we bred her to BIS BIF GRCH Aurai Defying Gravity "Newton" and they produced 6 lovely puppies on September 4, 2020. To learn more about Windsprites, please visit the International Windsprite Club website.
Currently living with us in Chenango Forks NY are:
- BISS MBIF IWC CH C-ATCH Wylde Windswept Island Girl “Cleo” – therapy dog, agility champion, lure coursing maniac, mother (Windsprite)
- BISS IWC GRCH C-ATCH Wylde Best Young Rider "Moxie" - agility competitor and straight racer (Windsprite)
- MBISS BIF IWC GRCH Wylde About Them Boogie Woogie Blues "Wink" - agility competitor, lure courser, straight racing maniac, mother (Windsprite)
- JrCH Tova's Wylde Super Scout "Rocky" (Wink's grandson) in training for everything
- Ramona Lisa Wylde - Family Clown and Best Boxer in the world
At the Rainbow Bridge and forever in our hearts:
- C-ATCH Wylde Blue Streak Thru Helenhiwater “Streak” (agility competitor and lure coursing maniac - rescue Catahoula Leopard Dog/Labrador Retriever mix)
- CT-ATCH BISS BIFV IWC GRCH Wylde Blue Star of Tova “Twink” – agility competitor and lure coursing maniac (Windsprite)
- ADCH Wild Blue Yonder (Rottweiler), Chili (Doberman Pinscher), Luna (Rottweiler), Sheba (Shepherd Malamute mix), Tarkus (Chow Chow), Sophie (Chow Chow), Willow (Rottweiler), Greta (Rottweiler), Tuffy (Poodle Chow Chow mix).
ADCH Wylde Blue Yonder "Blue" USDAA agility champion
Photo Gallery
Rocky, IWC PA Jan 2023
Cleo, Best in Show , IWC September 2011
Cleo, Best in Field, IWC, May 2012 and Oct. 2012
Moxie, Best in Show, IWC, July 2015
"Wink" GRCH Wylde About Them Boogie Woogie Blues, Best in Show, NY, 7/21/2018; NH 10/16/21
"Twink" CT-ATCH BIS BIFV GRCH Wylde Blue Star of Tova. Best in Specialty Show, May 2014