Meet Babette Haggerty
respected among her peers throughout the united states, babette is THE most experienced dog trainer in south florida
From the time she was born, Babette and her family traveled back and forth between New Jersey and South Florida visiting her grandparents. She remembers riding horses “way out west” on Haverhill and Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach.
She began working in the family’s upstate New York kennel; first helping her mom groom her Chihuahuas and Yorkies before she was seven. By age ten she moved up to shoveling poop and helping to feed the board and train dogs along with her dad’s German Shepherds, many of them SchutzHund imports from Germany. Until she left for college, she worked in the kennel each summer and on weekends. Occasionally, she would accompany him on the set of shows like All My Children, where they supplied the Dobermans for several scenes; or for print ads like Wolfschmidt Vodka when they supplied the Borzois for an ad campaign.
In 1989, she moved to Palm Beach County and while attending Florida Atlantic University she started training dogs to pay tuition. Before she knew it, she was training dogs more than going to class. Babette Haggerty’s School for Dogs became the largest and most respected dog training school in Palm Beach County offering group and private lessons. With twelve different locations for groups classes, thirty-two veterinarians referring the school and a client list that included Jack Nicklaus and Jimmy Buffet, among others, it was no wonder Babette became known as Palm Beach’s Favorite Dog Trainer. In 2007, she had to relocate to New York City for her daughter’s medical care. While living in the New York metropolitan area, she opened a school in Bergen County, NJ in 2015. The school had been voted Best of Bergen by (201) Magazine for FIVE years! In May 2022, she decided it was time to return to her second home, Palm Beach County.
As an experienced trainer and dog owner, she fully understands the need of owners to live a stress-free life of harmony and balance with their dog. As a mom who raised her two children as a single working woman, she knows first-hand the needs of the family who may be bringing home a new baby or have children who need to be able to control the dog.
Somehow she balanced running her dog school and raising her two children while also making her mark on the field of dog training and carrying on her dad’s legacy.
To her credit Babette:
Has appeared on The Today Show when she trained Natalie Morales’ dog to do a series of tricks
Appeared on Married To Jonas when Kevin and Danielle Jonas needed a dog trainer
Has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Palm Beach Post, Sun-Sentinel, The Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and many other national & regional newspapers
Trained dogs that have appeared in movies with Colin Farrell, Robert DeNiro and Christopher Walken.
Trained dogs for commercials and TV shows such as MasterCard and Bounty, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock
Written three books: Woman’s Best Friend: Choosing and Training the Dog That is Right for You, The Visual Guide to Good Dog Training and The Best Dog Tricks on the Planet
Taught Jimmy Buffet’s Maltese to dance when asked, “What do we do in Margaritaville?” and Jack Nicklaus’ Golden Retriever to bark the correct number of major wins when asked, “How many times has Daddy won the Masters?”
Currently serving as the Secretary for the Treasure Coast German Shepherd Dog Club
Member of the Detection Dog Committee of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America. We are working with the AKC Patriotic Puppy Program which builds relations between breeders & trainers of bomb dogs, border protection and security dogs needed by different US government agencies such as Homeland Security.
Was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the elite International Association of Canine Professionals
Served as Vice-President of the Treasure Coast German Shepherd Dog Club from 2000-2002
Served on the Board of Directors for the Alliance of Purebred Dog Writers
Was the US Southeast Regional Rescue Coordinator for the American Belgian Malinois Club from 1996-2000
Has been voted “Palm Beach’s Favorite Dog Trainer” and was selected by Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control to develop shelter dog training programs for the volunteers and staff in 1999.
In 2003 began training the staff and dogs at Peggy Adams’ Animal Rescue League. She began and ran the complimentary monthly training sessions for adopters until 2007.
Has been billed ” The Miss Porter’s of Dogs”
Had her first theatrical dog training job for a Black and Decker commercial featuring former Dallas Cowboy Bob Lilly in 1979
Supplied and handled dogs for “The Guiding Light” and “All My Children”
Assisted in the training of the first Australian Shepherd used for Guide Dog work
Was a keynote speaker for the International Association of Assistance Dogs Partners 1997 Conference.
Was a keynote speaker at the International Association of Canine Professionals in 2001, 2003 and 2014.
Has presented seminars to AKC judges on the German Shepherd Dog & Belgian Breeds
Has written articles for various national and local publications, including DOGS USA and Off-Lead magazines
When she is not training dogs, you will find her spending time with her children, riding horses, on the yoga mat, relaxing with a book or cooking at home with her three dogs a German Shepherd, a Standard Poodle, a Pug; two cats and her Quarter Horse.