Christina creates humane, effective, and realistic training plans for clients and their dogs, continually improving her skills by learning from the world’s top trainers.  She enjoys hiking with her dogs and actively competes in Disc, Nosework, Dock Diving, Agility, and Rally Obedience. She also participated in the St John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog program with her blind dog Maxi.

 

My credentials include:

  • Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant – IAABC
  • Professional Canine Behaviour Consultant – Accredited by Pet Professionals Guild
  • Featured in IAABC Journal Feb 2023 https://iaabcjournal.org/teaching-polite-play/
  • Aggression In Dogs Master Course by Michael Shikashio,CDBC
  • Featured on the Bitey End Of The Dog podcast (2022 Season)
  • Licensed Family Dog Mediator – Working Division (LFDM-W) – L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology 2022-2023
  • Karen Pryor Academy – Certified Training Partner
  • Podcaster: Co-host of Something to Wag About
  • Podcaster: Host of Something to Neigh About
  • Co-Founder (2021 – 2023) of Legion of Dogs, a free resource for multi-dog living
  • Certified Canine Coach via Canine Principles
  • Certified Trick Dog Trainer via DMWYD,
  • AnimalKind BCSPCA Accredited (2018 – expired 2022)
  • CKC Canine Good Neighbour Evaluator (expired 2020)
  • Certified Professional Dog Trainer via CCPDTA (expired 2019)
  • Certified Pet First Aid via Walks ‘N Wags (expired)
  • Presidents Choice SuperDogs Cast since 2016, performing at the PNE and various venues in Alberta and BC
  • UpDog Freestyle and Games Judge
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Before starting Positive Dog, I worked as an instructor for other training businesses and clubs and performed extensive behaviour modification work for rescue organizations. For most of my life, before  pursuing my dream of dog training full time, I worked with youth and adults with disabilities, tutoring and later teaching and coordinating educational programs. My experience teaching people has developed my teaching skills so that I am a flexible and adaptable instructor. 

I am what is referred to as a “cross-over trainer”. This means that previously I used e-collars, prong collars, choke chains, and even alpha-rolls and other punitive techniques.  I think everyone who has been training dogs as long as I have likely has a similar past.  I no longer use any of these methods and I haven’t since around 2010, just before Maxi came into my life. I promised Maxi and all of my dogs moving forward, that I would not use pain or fear to train.Â