Dan Brinkman is Einstein Dog Training’s owner/ trainer with many years of business management and dog training experience.  His background prior to dogs was mainly in the financial service industry working at companies like Paychex and Northwest Mutual.  

Dan decided to move to Vegas for a career change in 2011.  Dan and Rachael operated all 3 of their dog training companies until Dan took over all of the training responsibilities while Rachael was on maternity leave.  Dan also spent one year working for a dog training school where he taught other dog trainers while living on the west coast, training up and coming trainers all over the country.

He has experience working with dogs of all behaviors including aggression, fear, submission, hyperactive, and just plain ol’ puppy!

Dan and Rachael moved back to Michigan and started Einstein Dog Training in December 2013, and opened Einstein Dog Training Oakland in December 2014.

He has trained and competed in several sports including flyball, rally, barn hunt, and dock diving. Their dogs have several accomplishments including many world championship podium placements, and 13 world records.

Dan and Rachael Can help you achieve your dog training goals, whether you need to gain basic control of your dog, fix unwanted behaviors, or need advanced behavior modification.

Rachael and Dan are both Therapy Dog certifiers, and certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluators.  They host AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy classes, CGC training and testing, and Community Canine (Advanced CGCA) testing.

Rachael Brinkman is Einstein Dog Training’s owner/trainer with many years of experience training dogs for many different training disciplines.  Rachael has trained her dogs for various competitive sports including obedience, rally, flyball, frisbee, and dock diving.  She has been training for nearly 40 years, stemming from parents that were active in dog training and competition. 

Rachael has several dogs that actively compete dog sports; she enjoys training for sport, as well as for basic and advanced obedience. But her favorite training is advanced levels of behavior modification, working with dogs that other trainers have lost hope on.  

Before becoming a full time trainer, she was a Veterinary Emergency Technician for 10 years and worked in the Emergency and Critical Care department at a large Referral and Emergency Clinic in Bloomfield Hills, MI and  Las Vegas, NV.  Rachael moved to Las Vegas in early 2009, and in 2010, she and Dan started their first dog training business.  In 2011, they expanded with a 2nd dog training location in Vegas, and in early 2012, expanded into Orange County, CA with their 3rd location.  After the birth of their first daughter in late 2012, Dan and Rachael decided to sell their locations and move back to Michigan to be closer to family.  Soon after was the start of Einstein Dog Training!

Rachael also did one month of animal search and rescue in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina.  She has volunteered her time on multiple occasions for dog rescue, including helping host events, adoptions, spay/neuter clinics, etc.  She and Dan have also donated their services for rescue groups such as French Bulldog Village, Last Chance Rescue, and Incred-A-Bull.  Rachael also competes at World Championship levels in several different sports with her dogs. Her dogs have set 13 world records, one which landed them into Guiness World Records in 2019! 

Mika Sumner is Einstein Dog Training’s trainer with over 20 years experience working professionally in the animal industry. Mika’s passion for animals began at 5 years when, when she decided she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. She started volunteering at the small shelter in her little northern Michigan home town when she was 8 years old. Even though she didn't get to do much at first, she spent every holiday, weekend and school vacation day there for ten years, until the completion of high school. One of her favorite activities during her time there was putting basic obedience and street confidence on dogs, which later the Leader Dog school for the blind would come try out and often take into their program during puppy off-season. 

After graduation, she attended Michigan State University obtaining her Bachelor's of Science degree in Animal Science and a minor in Zoology. Mika launched her career in veterinary medicine during that time and owned her own pet sitting business for ten years. 

Throughout the years she has had the pleasure of working for or volunteering at some wonderful rescues. Mika's most memorable was from her 9 year stay in Southern California, during which she worked with Pug Nation of Los Angeles.

Her Golden Retriever mix Sheba was her gateway dog into the world of dog training and dog sports. Re-homed from a friend who couldn't handle her rambunctious, clever and naughty self, Mika looked to dog training to help with Sheba's separation anxiety and other destructive and unwanted behaviors. Together they took all the group classes they could get their hands on, including an introduction to a dog sport called flyball. Through those classes and training their relationship fluorished and Mika was officially hooked on dog training and the world of dog sports. After Sheba, Mika wanted a dog that could do it ALL! She now proudly competes with her Belgian Malinois Angus in Dock Diving, Flyball, Nose work and is in training to do several other dog sports. Because of him, Mika has had the opportunity to work with some of the best trainers in each of their respective disciplines over the past 3 years. 

Now with 20 years of experience in the veterinary field in many different sectors (emergency medicine, rehabilitation, general practice, and surgery), she decided it was time to help animals in a different way. Mika's passion truly lies in strengthening the bond between owner and dog, behavior modification and canine physical fitness. You’ll find Mika at our Shiawassee/Ingham and Livingston County locations!

Chris Lopez is Einstein Dog Training’s trainer that began his professional career in the U.S Air Force as a member of Security Forces. It was there where he found his passion for working with dogs as part of a military K-9 unit. He began as a young Airman training with MWD K-9 handlers, learning the ins and outs of what it takes to be a handler of the extreme military dogs. As part of a 9 dog kennel, Chris spent a lot of time training with these elite working dogs leading to multiple certifications in patrol, drug and bomb detection, and search and rescue.

Chris also had the opportunity to take courses in K-9 Emergency Medical assistance learning while in the military, to triage dogs in the field before getting to veterinary care. After his term of service was over, he struggled to find a place in the civilian world working force, and jumped around until he found a home with Einstein Dog Training.

Back in the field of dogs, Chris is continuing to expand his knowledge of canine behavior by working alongside our team of trainers, exploring continuing education, and diving headfirst into various dog sports with his malinois Bonnie.

In addition to training, Chris also speaks, reads and writes Spanish! Make sure to look for Chris working in the Howell and Fenton areas, training puppies and taking on behavior modification cases!

Maria LaCombe is Einstein Dog Training’s customer care specialist with many years of experience in the dog world.  Maria's passion started with dogs, as long ago as she can remember. As a young adult, her summers were spent in Greece bringing food and water to street dogs, which led to her passion of animal rescue.  For years now, Maria has been consumed with dog rescue.  She works primarily for a rescue group in Mid-Michigan called Safari Animal Rescue, where she has fostered and helped animals for many years.  Whether a homeless dog, or owner surrender, she knows the most important thing for that dog is training.  The most effective way for an animal and human to coexist, is to learn how to communicate with each other.  Once she realized this, it led her into the world of dog training.  She began working with multiple trainers in the Metro-Detroit area, using troubled dogs from the rescue group that were given up for bad behavior. After seeing the transformation she was able to make with these dogs, she knew she wanted to be a trainer. 

Maria also has an extensive background in customer service.  She is a trained life-coach, and has many years experience working with humans to solve problems.  With her history of experience with people, and her new found training experience after undergoing our dog trainer apprentice program in mid-2015, Maria was brought on to handle a significant amount of our customer relations.  She responds to owner inquiries (email and phone), follows up with consults and lessons to ensure satisfaction, performs client consultations, and teaches group classes.  Maria is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to advice about training and keeping your pet in your home.  Feel free to ask her questions!

Maria is an integral member of Safari Animal Rescue.