K9 Connection Staff
Tyler Muto – Owner, Training Director
Tyler started K9 Connection in 2007 to fulfill his dream of helping dogs and owners live harmonious lives together. Tyler oversees and develops the training programs at K9 Connection, and works diligently to advance our training techniques and coach the staff.
Additionally, Tyler travels the world teaching seminars to other professional trainers who want to improve their skills and learn the secrets of our success. Tyler also serves as the President of the International Association of Canine Professionals. In 2015 Tyler was selected to be an instructor for Leerburg Online University, one of the most well respected and prestigious web-based
dog training companies. His personal Pack includes Lobo (Belgian Malinois), and Charlie (terrier mix).
In addition to training dogs, Tyler also enjoys hiking, kung fu, meditation, and spending time with his family.
Tyler personally coaches all the staff at K9 Connection, and directs all the training programs. He is not currently accepting new clients.
Amy Cappelli – Dog Trainer – Board & Train – Daycare Enrichment Coordinator – Kennel Manager
Though Amy’s background is in illustration and Design, she has always had a fascination with dogs. She began fostering dogs for the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter which peeked her interest in dog behavior and behavior modification. While dealing with a particularly difficult foster dog, she sought the guidance of K9 Connection and was inspired by the leadership that turned an “un-adoptable” dog into a family companion. Since that time, Amy has strived to help others build stronger relationships with their canine companions.
Amy lives in Buffalo with her four children and a menagerie of animals, which includes a tiny pack of rescue dogs. Amy and her rescue pittie mix, Olive (a K9 Connection CGC and TDI graduate), volunteer weekly at Tapestry Charter school.
Barb Lenahan – Dog Trainer – Board & Train, Group Classes
Barb Lenahan has had a lifetime of loving and working with her own dogs, and has been training dogs professionally for the past fifteen years. In addition to working privately with owners and their dogs to solve problems, Barb has been teaching Puppy, Basic and Advanced Obedience, Scent Work, Rally, Canine Good Citizen and Therapy International preparation classes. Barb is certified as an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and also as a Therapy Dog International Evaluator. She owns two Dobermans, and has been successful in the obedience ring, achieving many AKC and other working titles.
Together with Dobermans she volunteers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, bringing support, comfort and companionship to patients, families and staff.
Danielle Stuber – Dog Trainer – Board & Train, Private Lessons
Danielle started training dogs when she was 9 years old and never looked back. Although
competitive dog sports – obedience, rally, and agility – are what got her into the world of dog training, she also has enjoyed working with service dogs, fostering rescue dogs, and teaching 4-H kids how to train dogs. When her Malinois started having pretty serious dog reactivity issues, she sought out Tyler Muto for help, and her interest in rehabilitation was sparked. She interned at K9 Connection in the summer of 2017 and came back to work in April 2018.
Danielle grew up surrounded by cornfields in rural central Illinois and is now living in Hamburg with her Australian Shepherd, Jasper, and Belgian Malinois, Gideon, who are still actively training and competing. Her grumpy old Pug who started it all is enjoying retirement from a successful show career at “home” in Illinois.
When she’s not training dogs, showing dogs, doing stuff with her dogs, or learning about training dogs, she enjoys doing activities with her church, enjoying the company of friends, or sitting down with a good book.
Amanda Smith – Video & Photo Production – Daycare Attendant 
Amanda joined the K9 Connection team in August of 2017. Born and raised in Buffalo, she moved to Rochester to complete her degree in Photographic Illustration from RIT. Now back in her hometown, she is excited to work with dogs and expand her knowledge of their care and training. Amanda handles K9’s photo and video production, and works with Tyler on his new website, Consider The Dog.
Amanda lives in Buffalo with her boyfriend Mitch, senior Keeshond/Shepherd mix, Lady and pocket Pitty, Emma. She also has two beta fish, Henry Rollins and Ned Schneebly. Apart from canines, Amanda has a passion for house plants, puns, sewing and breakfast foods.
Sami Sodaro – Enrichment & Daycare Attendant Dog Trainer – Board & Train
Sami has been an animal lover for her entire life. Growing up, she had a wide array of pets of all shapes and sizes. Dogs have always been an important part of her personal life and being able to incorporate them into her work life has been a dream come true! She currently has four dogs of her own, a maltipoo, pit bull, chihuahua and Great Dane.
Sami is currently attending the University at Buffalo for Environmental Studies, Animal Behavior, and Biological Sciences.
Working at K9 connection has been an amazing start to her career in working with animals. She is infatuated with the work she does here and is eager to broaden her knowledge on training and all that goes with it.
Cait Adams – Enrichment & Daycare Attendant
Cait has been working with dogs for the last two years and has always known she has wanted to work with them. The opportunity to work with us came up and she jumped at the chance to further her education in training. She lives with her husband and a small zoo! 3 dogs, Lucky, Aurora, and Atticus. 4 cats, Boose, Tiger, Lily and Kitimus Prime. 3 Beta fish, Frankie, Wade Wilson, and Meep. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing a variety of crafts, and being outside with her dogs!
Lisa Smith – Enrichment & Daycare Attendant 
Lisa developed a love for animals as a small child growing up on a farm in Southeastern Michigan. Each pet she had from rooster to barn cat to Bo, her Collie, was a part of her family.
Amanda Santos – Daycare Attendant
Amanda has always been surrounded by animals growing up. She has past experience volunteering at local animal shelters and veterinary clinics. When she saw K9 Connection was hiring, she knew that she immediately wanted to move on from volunteering to working with dogs daily.
Amanda recently moved to Buffalo to complete her Bachelor’s in Biology and Minor in Pre-Veterinary at Medaille College and hopes to continue on to Veterinary School. She currently lives with her boyfriend, Aaron, and her family of three ferrets, two cats and a hedgehog. On top of her love for animals, she also loves traveling, photography and anything that gets her adrenaline going.
Meghan Stith – Office Manager 
Lib Gentry – Office – Daycare Attendant 
A former training client, Lib jumped at the opportunity to join the team. Born in Rochester, Lib has called Buffalo home for the last twelve years. His favorite color is yellow, his favorite ocean animal is the narwhal, and he lives in Elmwood Village with his pocket pit/chupacabra mix, Ruca.
Charles has been with K9 Connection since its inception. He has worked his way through training to hold the prestigious title of Quality Control Manager. He takes pride in his stern evaluations of clients and the treats used in our training sessions. He can be found working at the front desk most days, but enjoys down time with his owners, as well as his human and canine siblings.