Teresa Anderson first discovered her passion for working with dogs while dog sitting through Rover during her time in the shipyard. That experience sparked a deep interest in canine behavior, nutrition, and training, and set her on a path to make a difference in the lives of dogs and their families.

As she worked with more dogs, Teresa noticed a common and troubling theme—a lack of trustworthy, reliable care and training options. With the support of her husband, Jeremy, she founded Ruff Patriots with a clear mission: to help owners build strong, lasting relationships with their dogs through compassionate, structured training. At Ruff Patriots, she stands firmly behind the belief that there are “No Bad Dogs”—only dogs waiting for the right guidance to thrive.

Teresa shares her life with Basilone, her 18-month-old DDR Working Line German Shepherd, with whom she trains in scent-discrimination trailing work under the guidance of Elevation K9. Her hands-on experience with working dogs continues to shape her understanding of drive, obedience, and purposeful canine partnership.

In addition to her work with dogs, Teresa is proudly serving in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer, bringing the same discipline, commitment, and leadership to dog training that she brings to her service.