Graduates in the Spotlight

Lisa Sawatzky
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Recent ABC Dog Obedience Program graduate, Lisa Sawatzky always knew she wanted to work with and train animals. However, like many others, she was not sure or aware of viable options to turn to for the education to pursue this career. After searching the internet for a home-study program combined with hands-on experience, she discovered Animal Behaviour College. She completed the program and became an ABC Certified Dog Trainer in December 2011.

While growing up, Lisa owned a Cockapoo named “Shadow,” and as he grew older he started to become aggressive and dominant. “I knew that something needed to be done so I began watching training videos and working with him. After seeing him drastically change at the ripe old age of 13, I realized any dog can change. I wanted to be a part of that experience.”

Lisa is currently living in Martensville, Saskatchewan. At the moment, she is employed as an administrative professional for the city of Saskatoon. She is working on opening her own dog training business part-time and is hopeful that it will develop into a full-time career. Once Lisa establishes her dog training business, she plans to offer basic obedience classes and on occasion, private consultations at her future business location. In the mean time, she has been working with the dogs of friends and family members.

Lisa has had a terrific experience with ABC’s Dog Obedience Program, and would recommend the program to any busy person working full-time and looking for a flexible program to get them started in their career as a certified dog trainer. “I would recommend ABC because it is an attainable program, allowing for completion while still maintaining a full-time career. Furthermore, there is much about dog behaviour to learn, more than what can be observed, and what better way than to learn through the experiences of others.”

Lisa was enthusiastic and eager about starting her education with Animal Behaviour College. She was diligent in learning the keys to dog training success from ABC’s Dog Obedience Program. Lisa is very passionate about establishing a canine obedience business in her community. She feels there is a huge unmet demand for dog trainers in her community. Lisa hopes to help fill this void by offering her services and building an established training business for the fellow pet lovers in her area.

Lisa was an exemplary student throughout the stages of her learning experience at ABC. She was always prompt and thorough in completing her assignments and tests before deadlines. Lisa’s compassion for animals, her hard work and determination to achieve her goal of becoming a dog trainer, and her vision to begin a successful dog obedience business are just a few of the reasons which highlight ABC’s choice to acknowledge her as this quarter’s Graduate in the Spotlight.

Natasha Jodoin-Davies
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Before moving to Europe at the age of 15, Natasha Jodoin-Davies grew up contemplating a career that involved animals. She always enjoyed being around and working with them on her parents’ farm. In 1987, Natasha moved with her parents to Belgium in the interest of their family owned business. In her early 20's, Natasha’s German Shepherd became the first dog Natasha ever took to a dog training course. This course opened her eyes to a whole new way of connecting with her pet. “I enjoyed the education I received from the training, but admittedly stopped at the advanced level training with my dog because their teaching methods were, in my opinion, too forceful. When ABC mentioned the different techniques they used and taught to train dogs, I was impressed.”

In 2001 Natasha moved back to Ontario, Canada and started to again explore the world of dog training. What originally started out as a hobby for Natasha was soon becoming something she’d like to pursue on a professional level. Natasha recalls that it was one night while watching an episode of “The Dog Whisperer” that her interest in dog training schools was peaked. The very next day, after some research online, Natasha found Animal Behavior College. “I was very impressed with the material and training techniques supplied by ABC. It helped me have a better understanding of the relationship between an owner and their dog. Knowing more about dog behavior and how to nurture that trust helped to build up my confidence. I also found that ABC showed me how to succeed in owning my own animal business or to be employed through an existing training center depending on which path I preferred to take.”

Natasha currently lives in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada where she is currently seeking new clients. Natasha would accept any student as close as the Niagara region and as far away as the Toronto area. In addition to being an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, Natasha also currently works in a family business selling Antiques. Every day at the store she is accompanied by her 2 dogs, Twiggy (a 10 year old Toy Fox Terrier) and Ashton (a 7 month Boxer / Chow mix). “Due to the fact I am able to take my dogs to work everyday; customers will often admire my dogs and ask me how is it that my 7 month puppy is so calm and well behaved? That gives me the opportunity to discuss my back ground in ABC dog training. Due to the training I received from ABC, I understand and feel more confident when working with all dogs, in addition to relating to my own pets. I am proud to be an ABC graduate. I would recommend anyone who enjoys working with animals to take the ABC courses.”

Kat Greffe
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

After many years of working as a manager at a major coffee and donut chain in Canada, Kat knew it was time for a change when she realized that the stress related to her career was taking its toll on her happiness. According to her, “When I felt as though my work impeded on my health and quality of life, I knew it was time to seek a new career.” The way that she has always quantified success is based on the level of her contentment and enjoyment of her work, not on money and material gain. So, Kat decided that her true calling was to work with animals.

She had always wanted to work with dogs, so becoming a trainer was the natural choice. It took her some time to find Animal Behavior College, as she wanted to find a convenient program that would fit her budget and her schedule. After weighing many different schools and options, she chose ABC based on the positive training methods, the flexibility, and the invaluable experience of hands on training that the company provided.

Kat enjoyed her experience at ABC due to the comprehensive knowledge that she gained from both the bookwork, and the hands on training she received with her mentor. The hands on training was beneficial, as it allowed her to not only learn from her mentor, but flex her own training style and discover her true and natural talent for dog training. She became an ABC Certified Dog Trainer in 2010, and has been living the dream ever since.

As a result of becoming ABC certified, Kat has achieved nothing but success in her new career. She is now working part-time at a doggie daycare and training facility in Ontario, offering her services to clients by assisting with basic training. She is thankful for her experience at ABC, because it allowed her to gain not only an education, but a career. The networking opportunities that she has been offered as an Alumni have allowed her to make her passion for being a dog trainer come to life.

Kat highly recommends ABC because the program has a positive foundation, and offers hands on training. Not to mention, it allowed her to pursue a career that she loves, and she could not be happier with her life.

Karen Anderson
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

With genuine compassion and heart-felt empathy, ABC Certified Dog Trainer Karen Anderson persistently connects with dog owners, animal-loving children, and dogs with special needs. A survivor of breast cancer, Karen has devoted her time and talents to a myriad of charitable causes and will now kindly share her skills with ABC apprentices.

After excelling in the home-building business for 12 years and coordinating the start-up of three companies in the Charleston, South Carolina area, Karen decided she needed a career make-over. “I was tired of working for someone else and asking for time off when I wanted it – life is way too short to work for someone else,” she says. An animal lover throughout her entire life, she naturally gravitated toward working with animals but wasn’t sure what she could do without obtaining a bachelor’s degree. She already had a solid foundation in positive reinforcement training after completing obedience classes with her dog at the local pet store, so when her husband suggested she become a dog trainer, “the light bulb went off,” she says. “I researched what it took to become a dog trainer, and decided to enrol with Animal Behaviour College.”

Karen was originally attracted to ABC’s hands-on externship, and she wasn’t disappointed when it came time for her to work with Mentor Trainer Tommy Grammer at the Charleston School for Dogs. “The hands-on portion with my mentor was my favourite part,” she says. With her education rapidly progressing, Karen began to prepare for graduation. However, in February of 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to begin chemotherapy. Her dreams of becoming a dog trainer went uncompromised, though; she tackled the final exam with minimal delays and passed with flying colors. She graduated from the program and became an ABC Certified Dog Obedience Instructor in May of 2006.

Immediately taking advantage the advice given to her in ABC’s Business Building stage of the curriculum, Karen began planning and cleverly marketing her training business as soon as she graduated. She now works primarily as a dog trainer, training in excess of 20 hours per week. Focusing mainly on bettering the lives of dogs and their owners, her main goal is “to help dogs stay in their homes and to educate children and adults about dogs and dog safety,” she says. Reaching out to those who rescue dogs from shelters is her method of obtaining this ambition. “I offer one free ‘in your home’ training session for anyone that adopts from any rescue or shelter,” she says. “If I run into people who have saved dogs from a very bad situation but have no money for training, I spend time volunteering and giving them free private lessons in their home.”

Karen’s willingness to donate her training skills has also connected her with a Boy Scout troop made up of home-schooled children. “The boys have agreed that if each one of them came to the shelter once a week, the dogs would get trained because someone would be there working with the dogs daily,” she explains. They have begun a four-week-long drive at the shelter during which they will spend two weeks practice clicker training with both the shelter cats and dogs. “We will click non-barking and non-jumping dogs; then we will work with the cats by clicking, throwing a super yummy treat to the back of the cage and removing ourselves from the cage a second after the treat was thrown,” she says. “Eventually the cats will be in the front of their cages, taking treats from lots of different hands.” The second two-week period will be spent doing basic obedience training with the dogs in hopes of helping them charm potential adopters and find permanent homes. She hopes to not only educate the animal-loving children, but to simultaneously save the lives of the shelter animals.

When ABC contacted Karen in August of 2007 to offer her a position as an ABC Mentor Trainer, she happily accepted. She is looking forward to working with her first apprentices and will strive to be an influential, considerate mentor. “I want to help as much as possible, and some students may have more experience than me and I can learn something from them too,” she says. “It’s a win-win.” Since she has a history of prosperity in business and has built her own training company, she will also share business advice. “I plan on informing them as to the business end of being successful,” she explains.

Since her graduation from ABC, Karen has undergone additional surgeries to improve her health. “I am still going through procedures with my cancer, but since I first found out about it, I’ve met dogs that survived breast cancer too,” she says. “Some of them even have to go through chemo.” Interacting with these special-needs dogs and relating with them on a different level has deepened her connection with canines, and she will undoubtedly continue to donate her time to dogs in need. In addition, she plans on teaming up with another dog trainer in her area to visit local schools. “We want to put on a short seminar and demonstration of dog safety in the school auditoriums,” she says. “I would also like to educate children on how dogs think and behave as part of this demonstration.”

Driven by the desire to improve the lives of animals everywhere and the hope of involving children in this quest, Karen Anderson is an outstanding role model in the canine community.

Sandy Stokes
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Sandra “Sandy” Stokes, ABCDT, was already deeply immersed in a pack of paws long before enrolling at ABC. A Labrador breeder by trade, Sandy’s dog-filled dreams have blossomed successfully due to her intricate research, intense study, and undeniable devotion to canines.

Sandy and her husband fell in love with the breed upon the purchase of their first AKC-registered Labrador. After purchasing their third registered Lab in 1998, they decided to breed. However, as responsible dog owners, they knew not to rush into the commitment. “We put a great deal of consideration into our decision to breed, and we spent many hours in study and research before we launched our breeding program,” says Sandy. The hard work and research paid off, and in 2001 they officially founded Red Barn Ranch and Labradors -- a small, family-owned kennel in Charles Town, West Virginia.

Despite having a natural talent for training (she has been training her own dogs for years), Sandy didn’t consider becoming a professional trainer until one of her clients inspired her. “My client and friend told me, ‘you really should do this professionally!’” Flattered and encouraged, she began browsing the internet for dog training schools. Aside from having litters of precious Lab puppies to care for, she was a stay-at-home mother and wife; she simply couldn’t leave home to attend classes at a facility. “I was attracted to the ABC program because of the ability to complete course studies at home. Attending a residency program would not have fit into my life,” she says. She was also consistently comforted by the ABC staff’s patience. “During the time between my initial contact with ABC and my enrolment I was never pressured. I was always treated with dignity and respect.”

Sandy was vivaciously eager to get started, and once she obtained her materials she dove head first into studying and gaining a better understanding of dogs and behaviour. However, she admits that her favourite part of the program was practicing with her beloved canines hands-on. She aptly put ABC’s positive reinforcement training techniques into effect at home with her own dogs while also attending training sessions, apprenticing under her Mentor Trainer. Once Sandy had completed her exams online, she was set up by her Externship Coordinator to train with Mentor Trainer Sandy Kowalski of Dog Day Afternoon in Leesburg, Virginia.

Attending group classes to practice what she had diligently studied throughout ABC’s nine stages of curriculum was infinitely influential. Through three series of group classes, Sandy had the opportunity to observe, participate, and even instruct clients and dogs in obedience classes. “I had a very positive experience training with [Kowalski]. It was wonderful to observe professional trainers at work, to participate as a student with my Lab, Tully, and to get some time actually instructing an obedience class,” Sandy explains. Kowalski allowed her to attend extra classes, and she elatedly took advantage of each and every chance to hone her skills. “I was offered the opportunity to observe all classes, and this allowed me to watch several professional trainers instruct a variety of classes,” she says.

Seasoned dog training veteran Kowalski gave Sandy guidance that is valuable to any newcomer. “I think the most important advice Sandy [Kowalski] gave to me is that you have to explain the theory behind the instruction you are giving your students,” Sandy states. “When students understand the theory behind a training method, they are more likely to follow through with consistency in training at home.” Volunteering at the local Animal Welfare Society during ABC’s volunteer requirement further proved to her that behavior problems are one of the biggest causes of the relinquishment of family pets. She knew that the solution to these behavior problems starts in the home, and will now strive to convince her clients to maintain consistency with their dogs’ training in the home.

Since graduating from ABC in July of 2007, she is still diligently practicing what she learned, and her prized Labradors are reeping the benefits. The time Sandy is spending working part-time as a trainer, training her own dogs and volunteering for her local Animal Welfare Society is simply a stepping stone on the path to reaching her goals. “My ultimate goal now that I’m certified is to build a full-time training business,” she says. “We recently formed an LLC, and are in the process of building a successful training program.”

Because Sandy followed her instincts and enrolled with ABC, Red Barn Ranch and Labradors has now greatly expanded upon their previously small business. “My ABC education has enhanced our breeding program. In addition to breeding Labs, we now offer canine obedience training and problem solving,” Sandy explains. She is proud to offer obedience training to her clients in hopes of securing permanent, cohesive relationships between her Lab puppies and their new families. “The knowledge I gained as an ABC student allows me to offer better training and advice to the clients that purchase our puppies.” Because of animal lovers like Sandy who go the extra mile to educate dog owners, these her pride-and-joy puppies will surely have happy, permanent homes.

For more information about Sandy and Red Barn Ranch and Labradors, please visit www.RBRandL.com.

Keri Eisal
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Life-long animal lover Keri Eisal, ABCDT, dreamed of becoming a dog trainer from the time she was in grade school, and even focused her senior project on the dog training business. Even without prior training experience, her intuition told her that the best way to help dogs is to help their owners have a better understanding of their pets.

One experience in particular proved to Keri that there was a dire need for patient, devoted dog trainers. “When I was growing up, we had a Collie/Australian Shepherd mix, Cheddar. She was awesome, but not really a good ‘family dog.’ She nipped and didn’t get along with other dogs,” Keri explains. She knew that she would have to find a solution to Cheddar’s problems before they became too serious for her family to handle. “We took her to a basic obedience class, and she barked and was out of control. The trainer kicked us out of class! I was so angry! I went home and started teaching her everything I could, which wasn’t much at the time – sit, stay, down. I wanted to show this lady that it could be done, that every dog is trainable.” At a young age, Keri realized that without proper training, many dogs like Cheddar would be relinquished to shelters due to manageable behaviour problems or aggression. “That’s my main motivation for doing this – to keep dogs out of the shelter.”

She decided to follow her desire to better the lives of dogs everywhere and began browsing the internet for training schools. ABC stood out above the rest. “ABC was really convenient, and I was excited about the hands-on!” Keri says. At the time, she was planning to move from her hometown of Gresham, Oregon to Casa Grande, Arizona to help her cousin open a dog grooming shop. She needed a program that would be flexible enough to allow her to cross state boarders while being enrolled, and ABC fit her needs perfectly. “I received my materials and started the program before I even moved,” she says.

With her hands-on externship rapidly approaching, Keri combed the ABC curriculum diligently. Her favourite aspect of the written curriculum was the diagrams; she could study them and practice with her own dog. “I loved practicing with my own dog with the information right in front of me and implementing things right away,” she says.

When it came time for her externship, Keri was set up with ABC Mentor Trainer Dianne Decker of Waggin’ Train, LLC in Phoenix, Arizona. “I remember my first class. I did something bad about puppy jumping. Dianne pointed it out, and I felt guilty,” she admits. However, she didn’t allow her mistake to discourage her. “I was so motivated to do it right. The next class, she said I did it perfectly. It was great motivation; even though I did terribly the first time, I did better the second time.”

Despite a rocky beginning, her perseverance and motivation didn’t go unnoticed. It seemed as if Dianne had her eye on Keri right from the start. “Dianne pushed me really hard to become a good trainer,” Keri explains. “I ended up doing a bunch of extra classes without even realizing it. It was awesome; she gave me insight.” After finishing her required amount of classes, Dianne revealed that she was interested in eventually hiring Keri as an obedience instructor. She offered for her to attend even more of her classes. “I looked at it as an opportunity to enhance my skills; she said something about hiring me one day,” Keri says. “I went to more classes, and she even had me teach some classes. I was really ready for it!”

Keri’s natural talent and incredible motivation for training dogs convinced Dianne that she would be an asset to the Waggin’ Train team. In January 2007, she became an official employee – before having graduated from ABC! She now teaches puppy classes and basic obedience classes through various veterinary hospitals throughout Scottsdale.

In an effort to solve the very issue that had her interested in training in the first place, Keri concentrates on patiently educating the owners of problem dogs before they have to resort to giving them up. “I go over extra things in class such as unruly behaviours, like puppy nipping and jumping. I don’t like to average more than three dogs in a class because I like the personal one-on-one. I like to get to know the clients and their specific situations,” she says. Maintaining a small class size ensures that she can give each client and dog the attention and training they need. This helps to prevent dog owners from getting frustrated. “Even if the client’s dog isn’t doing well, you have to encourage them to keep trying,” Keri explains. “What’s going to happen to the dog if the person gives up? You have to keep dog owners motivated to come back.”

Keri plans on continuing her education throughout her training career, and would like to learn more about agility. She looks back at her ABC education as being an incredibly valuable experience. “I think I went into the program kind of naïve,” she admits. “I didn’t know what I was getting into. ABC has shown me that training is tough; you need to know what you’re doing and at the same time be open to what other people are teaching you.”

Patrice Beach
ABC Honours Graduate

Formerly an elementary school teacher and counsellor for troubled kids, Patrice Beach decided to pursue a light-hearted and enjoyable new hobby upon her early retirement. Little did she know, she would soon become a benevolent saviour of dogs and a patient trainer of the humans who love them.

Patrice spent 25 years working with children, both teaching and counselling. After working with troubled kids for many years, it was time for a change of pace. “It was too much pressure. I wanted to work with dogs,” Patrice says. “The counselling is tough; I retired very early and wanted to do something happy. I especially wanted to work with shelter dogs, rehabilitating them to become more adoptable.”

“My mother- and father-in-law had done some dog training with a gal named Ragon Shaw at Mountain Dog U in Woodland Park, Colorado,” Patrice explains. “I took my little rescue dog to Ragon to train based on my mother-in-law’s recommendation. She was amazing! She was such a good trainer.” A graduate of Animal Behaviour College (ABC) herself, Ragon told Patrice about the program and recommended that she enrol and pursue her dream. “She was my inspiration,” Patrice says.

Patrice enrolled with ABC soon after. “ABC was wonderful! Everyone was very professional. Azure, my Program Manager, was amazing. I have nothing but praises for her, she was so patient and helpful,” Patrice raves. “I was a control freak about graduating with Honours, and Azure really helped me along!”

Naturally, when it came time for her externship, Patrice requested to be set up with Ragon Shaw as her Mentor Trainer. “Ragon was the ultimate professional. She taught me a whole new way of dealing with clients and their critters,” Patrice explains. A high-energy person, Patrice truly benefited from apprenticing under a skilled but disciplined Mentor Trainer. “She slowed me down into the calm, assertive type. She taught me to be the leader of the pack.” After attending Ragon’s group classes, Patrice learned the importance of connecting with her human clients. “I watched her train, I watched her in group settings. I watched her never single anybody out. Most of this is about getting through to people; the doggies will learn. You have to get a relationship going with the people. That was the invaluable thing that she taught me.”

Since graduating with Honours from ABC, Patrice has stayed true in her quest to rehabilitate as many shelter dogs as she can manage. “Dog training isn’t about the money now; it’s about saving dogs. When I was going through ABC and I found out that 63% of animals euthanized in pounds were due to the dogs not receiving proper training and socialization, it really touched my heart. I decided it was something I really wanted to help change. I think there are a handful of really mean dogs, but there are multitudes of untrained owners,” she says. She plans on educating pet owners and helping them solve basic behavioural problems before they resolve to give up their pets.

Patrice recently moved from Colorado, where she volunteered for the Divide, Colorado shelter to Battle Ground, Washington, to be closer to her daughter. She now volunteers with the Vancouver animal shelter and trains at least two to three hours a day. Working with the Vancouver, Washington Parks and Recreation, Patrice has begun teaching group obedience classes. She teaches private, in-home sessions to clients as well. Also, after being asked to volunteer while studying as an ABC student, she has decided to continue volunteering on a regular basis. “I do an enormous amount of volunteer work with local shelters. I volunteer almost daily, and not only with the dogs – I even clean the cat cages!”

There will soon be a new addition to Patrice’s already large four-dog pack – a new Golden Retriever that she hopes to train as a therapy dog. “One of my goals is to train my new Golden to be a therapy dog and visit nursing homes,” she says. “I’d like to have a therapy dog someday.”

Patrice has a unique plan for marketing herself as a trainer. As one of the only dog trainers in her neighbourhood, she plans on visiting different groomers and doggie daycares to offer free obedience classes to their employees. “Employees can all bring their dogs in and they can all train together,” Patrice says. “Hopefully I can establish a relationship that way.”

When asked if she would recommend ABC to anyone interested in pursuing a career in dog training, Patrice said: “I’ve already recommended ABC to seven or eight people! For the cost of the program, ABC delivers a career. I am very grateful for that. For the investment, ABC gives a career that helps animals, and it’s a great thing.”

With a heart of gold and undying persistence and devotion, philanthropist and ABC Honours graduate Patrice Beach has a bright career in dog training ahead of her, and she will no doubt help many dogs and people along the way.

Bonnie Hess
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Bonnie Hess, ABCDT, has an innate passion for behaviour in both humans and animals. Even at the early age of seven years old, Bonnie would eagerly volunteer to walk her neighbour’s dogs around the neighbourhood. She knew at that age that she had a strong desire to work with animals, and that they would one day become an influential part of her life.

Bonnie, who has a degree in Human Psychology, works as both a social worker and a professional dog trainer. While in college, she became fascinated with animal behaviour and she even took zoology classes to help her learn more about animals and their nature. “I have always had an absolute love for anything related to animals and nature; I love the communicative element of it and I relate to dogs more than anything else,” she says.

Enrolling at Animal Behaviour College (ABC) in 2005 was a natural fit for Bonnie; it was the perfect match for her love of behaviour and working with dogs. While going through the ABC program, Bonnie was intensely intrigued by all of the different dog training methods. She thought that all the information on behaviour was impressive and refreshed all she had learned and loved in college.

The externship proved to be essential. Once she was finished with her in-home study, ABC set Bonnie up with an ABC Mentor Trainer who did hands-on training with her in real-life training situations. This is the part of the program where Bonnie was given the opportunity to apply all she had read about in the curriculum. She met with her trainer when it was convenient and was able to work around her busy schedule.

Today, Bonnie is the proud owner of her own dog training business, Faithful Companion Dog Training. Bonnie attributes the success of her business to Stage 9 of the ABC curriculum -- Business Building. Because of the valuable information included in this stage, she was able to easily obtain business insurance for her company. It also gave her the tools to successfully market her business. “I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for that stage of the ABC curriculum,” Bonnie says.

Now that she owns her own dog training business, Bonnie teaches two group training classes a week at her local Humane League and charitably donates 10% of her earnings back to the shelter. She also teaches private lessons almost everyday of the week!

Bonnie explained that ABC was the foundation she needed to get her where she is today. She loved the staff at ABC; her Program Manager Jori, who was assigned to guide her through the program, was friendly and always there to help her with anything she needed. Bonnie is glad she made decision to enrol at ABC, it has not only provided her with a great income, but has enhanced her professional career life.

“I have recommended ABC to people interested in working with animals and will continue to do so,” says Bonnie.

Peggy Vennebush, ABCDT and Diane Desrosiers, ABCDT

Peggy and Diane were two strangers with a common love for animals who both enrolled at Animal Behavior College to pursue a shared dream: a career in dog training. Little did they know that a year later they would end up being successful business partners and close friends.

Diane’s passion for training goes back to when she was a dedicated little girl who taught her dog to carry her sandals for her. She later began volunteering at her local animal shelter, where she realized that so many helpless dogs were being surrendered by their owners due to very correctable behavior problems. She knew that she wanted to help those dogs by showing their owners that they could keep their beloved pets and their favorite shoes intact. When Diane found ABC on the internet, she thought to herself, "This is what I want to do, this is my dream."

After enrolling at ABC in January 2005, Diane diligently began her in-home study portion of the ABC program. The curriculum provided her with a good background and "gave me the tools to be successful," she explained. Diane soon began her externship training, which is where she met her future partner and friend, Peggy.

Peggy had always had a true devotion to animals, just like Diane; in fact she spent her childhood surrounded by them. She knew that she was meant to work with them but wasn’t quite sure how to pursue her ambitions.

After enrolling in the ABC program in October 2004, Peggy truly began to understand canine behavior and training. "I always thought I knew how to train dogs until I went through the ABC program," said Peggy. When she finished her home-study portion of the program, Peggy was set up with Mentor Trainer Terri Mallett. While apprenticing with Terri in her basic obedience classes, she met her soon-to-be colleague and partner, Diane.

Peggy and Diane had an exhilarating experience working with Terri Mallett. With Terri’s vast dog training experience, she guided Peggy and Diane down the path to becoming knowledgeable and skilled dog trainers. Once Peggy and Diane started applying all they had learned by studying at home, everything began to fall into place. As they trained together throughout the weeks, their bond and mutual respect grew. Their great partnership began to take shape. From that point on, they agreed that it was time to follow their passion and establish the careers they had always dreamed of -- together.

Diane and Peggy’s natural love for dogs made them a great team. In spring of 2006, they decided to start their very own training business, "Down River Dogs". They were proud to be ABC certified and were excited to exhibit their knowledge of positive dog training methods to their clients.

Today, Peggy and Diane teach both group classes and private lessons with their clients while their business continues to grow. Their success is the result of a combination of an amazing partnership and a true understanding of dog training. Not only are they great friends, they both get pure satisfaction out of showing owners that their dogs are indeed trainable. Peggy and Diane strive to keep each and every dog in a loving, permanent home, just like Diane yearned to do as a child.

In their spare time, Peggy and Diane also volunteer their training skills at their local shelter. They even had an article written about them in their local "Heritage Newspaper". They know how important it is to make training fun; they keep their classes positive and upbeat, and try to educate not only the dogs, but their owners too. The strong foundation they received from ABC along with their great love for dogs makes them an unbeatable team. "We owe ABC our thanks; they gave us the tools to start our successful business," said Diane.

Janice Falconberry
ABC Certified Dog Trainer

Janice Falconberry is clearly a woman who followed her dream. A dog lover her entire life, Janice considered turning her passion for animals into a career. Initially considering veterinary medicine, Janice decided not to pursue this course. Like many of our other students, Ms. Falconberry instead went into the corporate world where she worked for a number of years. She never forgot her original dream of working with animals, although was unclear how to turn such a dream into reality.

The opportunity revealed itself when Janice obtained a Pug for her son. At that time, Janice already had a dog, three exotic birds, a cat and two hamsters. In Janice’s words, "My son begged me to get him his own dog. I informed him that if we got another dog for him, he would have to take care of it and train it. He agreed and we welcomed Diego, a Pug, into our family. We signed up for an obedience class at our local dog training club, and that’s when I realized, at age 43, it was time for a career change. I watched Diego’s class teacher and told myself that this was something I could do and would love." Janice did some research, which is how she found Animal Behaviour College.

Over the next year while taking the program, Janice continued with her full time corporate job. After graduation, she wrestled with the same questions many ABC graduates address. Specifically, now what? Do I work as a dog trainer full time or do I start a part time business and gradually build up to a full time dog training career?

Once again, Janice tells it best. "Since graduating from ABC with honours, I've left the corporate world and started my own private in-home dog training company, The Doggy Train, LLC. I offer problem solving and obedience training in clients' homes, which is where most clients want their dogs to practice good behaviour. I also volunteer as an assistant trainer at my local club. It is so rewarding - no two dogs are alike, so each training session is new and exciting. I continue to read all the different dog behaviour and training books I can get my hands-on. I hope one day to become a dog behaviour specialist and, thanks to ABC, I’m well on my way!"

Animal Behaviour College salutes and acknowledges Ms. Janice Falconberry for her dedication as an ABC student, honour graduate, and now ABC Certified Dog Trainer and business owner. We are proud to name Janice Falconberry as our Graduate in the Spotlight. Thank you, Janice. Good luck and keep up the great work.

Any dog owners in the Cincinnati Ohio area looking to find a great trainer please click below.
www.thedoggytrain.com