About Us

At Opportunity Barks, we treat your dog like canine royalty!

We take great pride in the quality of service and care we offer all our guests, human and canine alike. Our years of experience, qualification and education offer the highest-quality of dog care services available!

Rachel Koszegi - Owner and Trainer

Hi, I’m Rachel Koszegi — second-generation professional dog trainer and proud owner of Opportunity Barks in Pleasant Hill, OR!

My journey started young, growing up in a family where dogs were everything. I’ve always had a natural connection with them and have felt that we spoke the same language.

In 2014, adopting an aggressive dog changed everything. I immersed myself into training, working with specialists in behavior, scent work, obedience, and bite work. Not too much later, the AKC world sparked a passion in me in conformation and professional handling, and I’ve never stopped learning!

I believe training should be fun, meaningful, and grounded in trust. Whether it’s helping a reactive dog find calm, or teaching recall through games, I’m here to help people and their dogs truly connect. I specialize in advanced obedience training, taking a real-world approach to helping dogs and people, not only with communication, but also to thrive in everyday life.

Professional Certifications & Programs:

  • AKC Registered Handler Program (RHP)

  • AKC Family Dog Program Canine Good Citizen (CGC)

  • CGCA – Advanced Canine Good Citizen

  • AKC Urban CGC

  • AKC Trick Dog

  • AKC Temperament Test (ATT)

  • AKC Fetch Program

  • Virtual Home Manners

  • AKC Fit Dog CGC Ready

  • AKC Therapy Dog Program

  • Susan Garrett Recallers Program

  • Oregon Canine CPR and First Aid Certified

Ayla Martin - General Manager

Ayla is a city girl from Los Angeles and, through a series of twists and turns, took an unexpected –but welcome!– detour to Eugene. She is crazy about dogs and is a fervent experimenter in the kitchen (lentil brownies, anyone?). Her Border Collie, Luna Jean, has been a regular daycare member here for the better part of eleven(!) years, and Opportunity Barks has become her home away from home. Ayla is so thrilled to have an office that is always filled with dogs! What could be better? 🙂

Melanie Barich – Lead Supervisor

Growing up with many dogs, Melanie has developed an incredibly deep passion for all things dog! Living on the outskirts of Eugene in a wooded wonderland, her own dogs love roaming and exploring the property. Her cat and chickens also enjoy the great outdoors on her property!

An avid gardener and homesteader, Melanie loves "living off the land,” including growing, foraging, canning, dehydrating…being self-sufficient is the goal. Her free time is spent exploring the beautiful outdoors with her wife and dogs, hiking, camping, backpacking, and being one with nature.

For Melanie, working with your beloved furry friend is a dream come true. Rain or shine, dogs just want to have fun!

Jaci Schnurbusch – Playgroup Leader

Jaci grew up in Keizer, and then she moved for Corvallis to attend OSU where she obtained her degree in Animal Science. She now lives in Eugene with her two cats (one of which is clicker-trained!) and enjoys going on hikes and baking during her free time. She’s still unsure how she ultimately wants to use her degree, but she definitely wants to work with animals, so Opportunity Barks has been a great chance to love on dogs while she figures things out!

Ari Velazquez – Lead Supervisor

Ari is a PHHS graduate who initially pursued nursing at LCC, but instead graduated with an Associate of Science degree. Growing up surrounded by family dogs sparked her passion for animal care, which was further fueled by rescuing her own furry friends - Rocky(dog) and Mandu(cat) - with her fiancé. After Rocky’s passing, she knew she wanted to dedicate herself to working with dogs. Now, living out in the country and caring for dogs close to home is a dream come true! As she explores life's path, one thing remains constant - her love for animals, and she's excited to provide top-notch care for your fur babies, ensuring their happiness and safety!

Staci Friede – Playgroup Leader

Staci is originally from Montana and grew roots in Eugene in 2020 after attending school in Pullman, WA at Washington State University, studying Criminology and Criminal Justice, Political Science, and History. She grew up with three mutts and quickly developed her love for dogs! Shortly after arriving in Eugene, she adopted her soul dog, Frankie (a goofy Chocolate Lab), and they love to adventure around town and Oregon together going camping and hiking. After nearly 10 years in customer service, she started at Opportunity Barks and quickly found a passion working (and playing!) with dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities. She looks forward to coming to work everyday and engaging with clients and new puppy dogs! 

Phoebe Peterman – Playgroup Leader

Bio Coming Soon!

Autumn Reichert – Playgroup Leader

Bio Coming Soon!