Mountain Dreams Come to Life

Taylor Brookes cultivates community and loyalty in new facility.

After working for other people in the rally community for the last 10 years, Taylor Brookes knows the importance of communication and loyalty, not just between dogs and their owners but everyone who supports their local trials. She first became a WCRL judge to give back to her Connecticut-based students who wanted to show off their successes but didn’t have any local judges to show with. She ended up loving it more than she ever expected.  

“Starting this new chapter is a lot for me to take in,” Taylor said. “I have seen some trainers do so many amazing things. I’m a very out-of-the-box trainer myself, and I’ve figured out a way to run my business to work not just for me as the judge but to optimize things for everyone who comes to Mountain Dreams.”  

Taylor recently moved from the Northeast to Rogersville, Tenn., looking for a place where she would be happy to build her business and eventually retire. “I looked all over the state for seven years before I even found my home property!” she said. “I was also very particular when looking for a facility to run trials and looked at several other properties before finding the one in Rogersville. I knew we needed multiple entrances and exits, plenty of space for events and crating, and this one definitely had that wow factor!” 

The new Mountain Dreams Dog Training facility lives in a standalone, 7,200-square-foot building with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, plenty of outdoor shade and a patio and fenced-in area overlooking the Holston River. It sits on three peaceful acres surrounded by farmland and is centrally located near many restaurants and pet-friendly hotels no more than 10 minutes away. Taylor’s lease started June 1, and since then she’s updated the facility to better suit her business.  

Loyalty and community

Among the first things Taylor implemented for her business was a loyalty program to track returning clients and competitors. She aims to recognize the teams who support her trials and allow her to continue her own successful journey. From T-shirts and specialized acknowledgment rosettes to free audit spots in workshops, she gives back to members of her community the more they’re involved.  

Inspired by her time doing nosework with her dog Kingston, Taylor has also launched a sports clothing line called “Trust in Your Training.” Each piece of clothing has a saying that can be heard around practices and trials reminding handlers to keep their training fun and really take the most from each experience with their dogs.  

“Building your connection as a team isn’t just about the rally signs but about every skill you need to use when you finally step into the ring,” Taylor said. “WCRL is a really nice venue for that, too – allowing us to support our dogs and let them know they’re doing a good job. It’s not just about chasing the Qs.” 

In that vein, Taylor recognizes that NQ-ing on purpose is sometimes the best thing a handler can do for their dog. She likes to call all teams back into the ring after a run and offer NQ ribbons (short for “Not Quitting”) to reward and inspire everyone who steps to the line. She also offers a signature Heart & Soul Award to acknowledge how much effort dogs give their handlers at each trial and plans to add official retirement ceremonies at Mountain Dreams.  

The importance of trial structure

With the support of her trial committees and fellow judges, Taylor schedules her rings to keep running throughout the day and allows for volunteers to alternate as needed to take breaks and compete in their own runs. With her own 10½-year-old Kingston, who will retire at Mountain Dreams’ September trial, she also understands how important the class order is for efficiency.  

“I want to be able to play with my dogs as long as possible, so let’s help each other get in as much time with our seniors as we can,” she said. “I like to run all three Veterans classes first thing in the morning so the older dogs can come, run, and go. This way they’re not sitting around all day for their first run, let alone a second.”  

By running back-to-back classes for each level (Veterans followed by triple Q rounds, Level 1, etc.), Taylor maximizes her trials’ efficiency and helps to limit the number of teams in the building at any one time, providing everyone with a quieter environment in which to work. She also offers a separately run Intro program to give teams a taste of the increased pressure without immediately stepping into a big trial.

Building for the future

Mountain Dreams is scheduled to host four trials in 2024 (March, May, September and November) along with a few workshops throughout the year. Taylor hopes to have some community outreach events and expand on her new facility to offer even more to her clients. 

“I’m very thankful for my previous program and the community we built in the Northeast,” Taylor said. “Danielle Angel has been a huge help getting Trust in Your Training up and running, and I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without Jessica Brauer especially. I owe them so much on my journey, and I can’t wait to build another phenomenal community in my new home.  

“I hope that Mountain Dreams is different from everything before it, and I’m really looking forward to bringing WCRL to Tennessee!” she added. “I remember as a little kid always wanting to live in the mountains and have a cabin and a little farm. Now I have it – this is my dream and my business, and I get to do what I’ve always wanted!”  

Outside of running her business, Taylor has an 11-month-old Beauceron, Safira, who will enter her first trial in September as Kingston passes the torch. Taylor also competes in other sports with her dog Cyprus and loves the outdoorsy lifestyle Tennessee offers with its local lakes and rivers.