T his is the mission of Spot On Dog Training, which provides private lessons and group training to help Islanders train their family dogs with humane, science-based methods. Owner Shannon Noonan comes to dog training from previously working alongside her rescue dog, Blue, as a therapy dog team for students at Carleton University. There, she created the integrated Carleton Therapy Dogs Program, which is now recognized nationally as a leading, evidence-based approach and continues to share ongoing research on the therapeutic effects of the animal-human bond on mental health. Noonan says her therapy dog work led her to learn as much as she possibly could about dog training in order to pay extra attention to the dog welfare side of the therapy program. In 2019, she started teaching puppy and obedience classes in Ottawa’s premier dog training facility, Best Friends Dog Training (where she still remains a virtual consultant) and soon thereafter became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. After moving home to PEI, she opened her business in January 2022
and since then has helped over 250 dogs and families on the Island through exceptional client education and high quality classroom experience. Spot On Dog Training operates as a mobile service, meeting clients in their homes or public dog-friendly spaces for sessions, as well as renting three separate spaces for group classes: CrossRoads Animal Health Centre in Stratford, Wilmot Community Centre in Summerside, and For the Love of Dog! agility facility in New Dominion. Noonan recently brought on two dog training apprentices, Beth (in Charlottetown) and Dawna (in Summerside). Together as a team, they provide puppy classes, early socialization, obedience, reactive dog classes and private lessons on just about any issue. “There aren’t many trainers I know doing behaviour consulting in the area, and I’m often the first point of referral from veterinarians and other trainers, walkers or daycares,” she says. “Many people really like the mobile in-home private lessons and behavioral consults for the convenience. The business is very versatile and adaptable as you can see by the variety of what we offer, so it is always growing and changing.” Prior to her dog training career, Noonan’s background was in mental health, and as such says her driving force “is the human connection and helping to solve problems that are truly impacting people’s daily life.” Noonan, who continues to further
evolve her training and education, says it’s important that she and her team members lead with compassion, “and educate owners on how to meet their dogs where they are; their doggy needs, their emotions, and connecting with them in a way that is effective for them.” As a dog lover, she says she “obviously wants to give back to dogs themselves, for they have given us so much. They deserve to be seen, helped to realize their potential and spared of fear, anxiety and stress. They do that for us simply by being there. However, to be helpful for dogs we need to be empathetic and supportive, with the welfare of the humans in the forefront as well.”
SPOT ON DOG TRAINING
Charlottetown 902.439.4204 shannon@spotondogspei.com www.spotondogspei.com
SPRING 2023 www.pei-living.ca
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