Alice’ s Canine Calling
~ story and photos by Chrissy Alspaugh
Alice Waltermire was 10 years old when her father brought home a German shepherd mix named Banjo. It became her challenge and favorite game to teach Banjo to sit, roll over, and even“ play dead.” That early connection— one girl and one dog— lit a fire that would grow into a lifelong calling.
Decades later, Alice would find herself training dogs not just for tricks, but for search and rescue— missions where the stakes were often life or death. From walking gridlines under the scorching 120-degree sun in California’ s Joshua Tree National Park to bringing a missing child home alive to her family, Alice has seen firsthand how powerful the bond between humans and canines can be.
Today, that same love and dedication fuels her growing Nashville business, Brown County K9, where she trains, grooms, and mentors dogs— and their owners— with the same care and patience she first learned in her backyard.
“ I always say the dogs kept calling me back,” Alice laughs. She’ s sitting in her bustling grooming salon, the hum of dryers and the scent of shampoo filling the air. A border collie named Bea dozes nearby— a new puppy Alice plans to train for agility as well as search and rescue.
22 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2026