David and Melissa have lived in the area for 6 generations and currently live on the family farm in Manlius, New York. In 2006, David retired from a 20-year, successful career in the masonry business. He now oversees all operations of the family’s grass-fed beef farm.
Melissa is the original owner of Blue Prints Dog Studio and in her words “has come home to her passion of helping people better understand their dogs.” Melissa has successfully trained dogs since 2003 and is the co-founder of Clear Path for Veterans, a center that provides holistic warrior care to military members, veterans, and their families.
Inspired by her dog Maddy, Melissa used her entrepreneurial spirit to create Syracuse’s original doggie daycare now known as Blue Prints Training and Socialization Center and currently serves as the CEO of Clear Path.
Over the past 14 years, Melissa has worked with a variety of professional trainers and developed a unique training style that’s shared both at Blue Prints and within the Clear Path for Veterans Dogs2Vets program.
Melissa credits her dog Maddy for inspiring her to change careers and was instrumental in teaching her about dog language and communication. They currently own two dogs, Spike and Trixie an Australian shepherd mix and white German Shepard.