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Shannon is the best! My dog Ram and I did the life skills 1 class this spring and had a blast! Shannon is fantastic at explaining exercises in an easy to understand way. I really liked getting real time feedback about how to hold the leash, body position for different exercise and how to clearly communicate with Ram. Ram was engaged for the full hour each week and he was super excited every time we pulled up to Carnavon school. His loose leash walking improved a ton and have made walks much more enjoyable. The detailed homework exersice descriptions Shannon sent out each week helped to keep us on track between classes. Totally recommend!

Shannon is such a warm and knowledgable trainer. As soon as she met him, she totally got my dog. Working with her was great. She helped me teach my dog important life skills. More importantly, she taught me the skills I needed to be a better dog dad.

I am beyond impressed with Zen Dog Training and their exceptional training programs. They don’t just teach you techniques—they focus on building a true connection and effective communication with your dog. Before starting with Zen Dog Training, I was unsure how to train or communicate with my puppy, but now I feel completely confident and at ease with her. I know I can teach her anything I set my mind to!Shannon and Isabella are incredible dog trainers who go above and beyond to ensure you understand every step of the process. They provide fantastic support, answering all my questions and offering personalized advice to help me succeed. Their expertise has made a real difference in how I interact with my puppy, and I’m grateful for their guidance.If you’re in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver area) and want to build a strong, positive relationship with your dog, I highly recommend Zen Dog Training. Their courses are a game-changer for anyone looking to improve their dog’s behavior and strengthen their bond.

We did Puppy Kindergarten and Grade 1 with Shannon at Zen Dog Training. Kindergarten was really fun and informative. It is more focused on training skills than socialization. We learned some key skills like sit, middle, heel, down, on your mat and touch. We also learned more important life skills such as practicing holds for when we go to the vet, learning back foot awarness, and leaving food alone if its on the floor. Overall it was a really great way to bond with our lab puppy and learn together.Grade 1 was outside at PW Mini School. There was about 7 other dogs in the class. We worked on recalls, loose leash walking, and built on some of the skills we learned in Kindergarten. It was so fun being outside and continuing to learn with some of the dogs from Kindergarten. All us dog parents connected and are in a group chat sharing the highs and lows of puppyhood.Overall, Shannon is incredibly knowledgable. She has a really great approach to training that is focused on connection with your puppy over discipline. She shows how practice, dedication and repetitive training can lead to a calm well behaved pet.Our puppy is almost 7 months old now and he is happy to come with us to park hangs, walks well on his leash, plays well with other dogs and is very bonded with us! Overall 10/10 would recommend Shannon and Zen Dog Training, you need to be ready to work hard!

Shannon and Zen Dog training are now training our third dog, indicating how satisfied we are with Shannon’s training over the past 15 years! Our previous two dogs started in puppy class and progressed through all the different classes up to the skills and drills classes, ensuring our enthusiastic poodles (and us!) were well trained and socialized. We really enjoy the group classes that Shannon holds outdoors, and value both the instruction she provides in class, as well as the class previews and supplemental on-line information. With her extensive experience and expertise, Shannon uses positive reinforcement techniques to help us train our new 5-month-old puppy. Our new puppy is quite reactive and anxious, something new to us - we are so glad that Shannon has been there to support and advise us, to help us navigate his path through adolescence. In summary, I highly recommend Shannon and Zen Dog training if you are looking to train, socialize and work with your dog in Vancouver and the lower mainland.

Remy and I love coming to Saturday classes! Shannon is knowledgeable and kind. We trust her expertise. Saturdays are a wonderful way to supplement our own training and stimulating for my dog :)