Our Team

We would like to introduce you to the faces behind K9 Village, the Chdid family!

Hayssam is a second-generation dog trainer. He got involved in his father’s kennel at a very young age, experiencing training, boarding and breeding on a professional level throughout his childhood. He has trained all over the world, even taking contracts from The United Nations.

Kirsten studied Pre-Veterinary Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While at school, she discovered her love of dog behavior and switched gears to become a dog trainer! Her favorite thing is seeing the relationship between dogs and their owners grow.

Hayssam and Kirsten have been married for five years and have two two-legged children and three large, furry four-legged children. We love spending our time with our clients and call our kennel home so we can have constant contact with the dogs in our care.
We look forward to meeting you and taking care of your pet dogs, police dogs, military dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, and competition dogs.

Krista - Kennel Manager

Krista is no stranger to caring for others as a mother of two girls, two dogs, two goldfish, and a rabbit. She has over 8 years of professional kennel experience. Growing up, her mother and aunt introduced grooming and boarding environments to her, she even helped deliver puppies more than once! Krista is certified in Pet First Aid and CPR, and has a plethora of knowledge of animal care including medicating, treatment of minor issues and wellness examinations to ensure your beloved pet is healthy and taken care of during their stay. Her favorite part about working at K9 Village is bonding with all of the dogs that board here. Especially the senior dogs! “It is so rewarding to build a friendship with our dogs here and give them the love their families give them while they’re at home to make K9 Village their home away from home.”

Makayla - Training Director

My name is Makayla, and I'm a certified dog trainer specializing in behavior modification and relationship building. With a diverse foundation in canine experience from grooming, shelter work, and formal training from the Tom Rose School's Master's program. I've developed a passion for helping owners navigate complex challenges, giving them the tools and knowledge to cultivate fulfilling and peaceful relationships between dogs and their humans. I'm actively training my Belgian Malinois, Reign, for IGP competitions. Outside of training, I enjoy reading and hiking with my four-legged children.