Maxine Revoir
Founder & Head Trainer
she/her
I’m Maxine, founder of Punk Pups Rehab.
Animals have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Long before this became my profession, it was simply how I learned to move through the world: paying attention, noticing subtle changes, and understanding when to step in and when to give space. Dogs, in particular, have always made sense to me in a way that feels intuitive and deeply familiar.
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I formally began working with dogs about fifteen years ago, but the foundation was already there. Early in my career, I spent several years working under the mentorship of a trainer who belinged to the IACP(International Association of Canine Professionals), learning the standards, responsibility, and ethics required to do this work well. That mentorship shaped how I handle dogs, assess behavior, and honor the trust people place in me.
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Much of my experience has been built alongside dogs under stress. Anxious dogs. Reactive dogs. Dogs whose behavior leaves their people feeling overwhelmed or unsure. Being immersed in this work teaches you quickly that behavior isn’t defiance. It’s communication, and it deserves clarity rather than judgment.
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I’ve spent years in environments where high-stress handling, tight transitions, and emotionally invested owners are the norm. This kind of work doesn’t leave room for carelessness. Behavior rehabilitation is complex and sometimes exploratory, and progress comes from knowing how to move forward safely, thoughtfully, and with the dog’s well-being at the center.
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As my work deepened, my focus naturally shifted toward more complex behavior cases. Dogs with significant anxiety. Dogs with reactivity or aggression. Dogs who had already been through programs that promised change without addressing the root of the issue. These dogs don’t need to be rushed. They need time, structure, and someone willing to listen.
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I’ve been encouraged more than once to scale this work into a larger facility. I chose not to. The in-home environment allows me to see dogs as they actually live and keeps the work personal, grounded, and transferable to real life. For the kind of rehabilitation I do, that matters more than anything.
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Punk Pups Rehab was built from the realization that many systems in this industry prioritize efficiency over understanding. I wasn’t willing to operate that way.
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This practice is intentional.
The standards are steady and high.
And the goal is always the same: calmer dogs, clearer communication, and homes that feel more at ease.
The Full Story
This work didn’t begin as a brand, a business plan, or a clever idea.
It began as a line in the sand.
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After more than a decade immersed in pet care and behavior training, I reached a point where I could no longer pretend that surface-level solutions were enough. I watched dedicated, loving owners do everything they were told—follow the steps, show up consistently, try again and again—only to end up more exhausted, more confused, and more disconnected from their dogs than when they started.
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The problem was never effort.
The problem was depth.
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I stayed long enough in this field to understand what actually holds up outside of a controlled session or a checklist. I learned the difference between techniques that look good and systems that feel good—to the dog, to the human, to the household as a whole. I was fortunate to train under a mentor who didn’t shy away from complexity, who took on dogs that came with history, intensity, and emotional weight. I found peers who weren’t interested in polishing behaviors for appearances, but in changing how dogs moved through the world.
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We talked constantly. Compared outcomes. Noted patterns.
And one thing became impossible to ignore: when dogs struggle, it’s rarely about disobedience. It’s about overwhelm. A nervous system stuck in overdrive. Communication that never quite landed. A lack of leadership that felt steady enough to lean on.
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That kind of work requires time. Presence. Skill.
And it doesn’t fit neatly into most existing models.
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So I stopped trying to make it fit.
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Punk Pups was built to do the work that doesn’t rush, doesn’t bypass, and doesn’t reduce complex beings into simple labels. This is behavior rehabilitation—not obedience training(though we incorporate a lot of obedience into what we do). The focus isn’t compliance; it’s stability. It’s teaching dogs how to exist in their bodies and environments without constantly bracing for impact. Most importantly, it's teaching them valuable decision-making skills that will carry them through life's challenges.
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The dogs who come here are often aggressive, reactive, fearful, over-aroused, shut down, explosive, or deeply confused. Many have never experienced real calm. Some have never been allowed to slow down long enough to find it.
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That’s where we begin.
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Dogs here don’t rotate through a facility. They live with me in my home. They move through a structured, predictable rhythm that becomes the container for their learning—walks, meals, rest, place, training, and downtime woven together into daily life. Training isn’t something that happens to them; it’s something they live inside of. Over time, the noise softens. The patterns shift. The calm starts to feel familiar.
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And because no dog exists in a vacuum, their humans are part of the work too.
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Owners aren’t handed instructions and sent on their way. They’re taught how to lead in a way that’s clear, grounded, and sustainable—so when their dog goes home, the progress goes with them. The owners receive homework, articles, and lessons to prepare for their dog's return home and becoming the leader their dog needs. This work is about consistency. About becoming someone your dog can trust when things feel hard.
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The tools I use— slip leashes, prong collars, e-collars—are chosen deliberately and applied with care. They’re not about force or shortcuts. They’re about clarity in communication, timing, and giving dogs information they can actually understand. When used well, they create freedom, not fear.
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This work is slow. Honest. Rooted in reality.
It values stability over speed, and substance over optics.
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If you’re here, chances are life with your dog feels heavier than it should. You’re exhausted, constantly managing situations, avoiding triggers, and living in a state of vigilance that’s worn you thin. You love your dog deeply, but somewhere along the way, the joy got buried under stress, second guessing, and always being on alert.
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You’re doing your best and still drowning. You’re tired of holding everything together, tired of feeling judged, tired of being told to wait it out or try harder. You’re not looking for perfect behavior. You’re looking for a way to breathe again.
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You can slow down here.
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This is a place where the urgency drops, the noise quiets, and the work becomes steady and intentional. You don’t have to prove anything. You don’t have to explain why it’s hard. What you’re dealing with is understood, and it’s workable.
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Let your shoulders come down.
You don’t have to carry this by yourself anymore.
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If you’ve been searching for a trainer who can hold the weight with you and guide you forward without rushing or judgment, you’re home.
Meet the Team
Punk Pups isn’t a big operation, and it isn’t trying to be.
It’s a small, intentional team built around trust, consistency, and shared responsibility—for the dogs who come through this home and for the work itself. Every role here matters. Every presence shapes the environment. And because dogs respond to what’s real, authenticity is the baseline here.
