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We went through puppy kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 with Shannon and cannot recommend her classes enough! Her patient and positive approach to training has absolutely helped us through some growing pains as new puppy parents. We left each course with the confidence to build on our pup's training and navigate ongoing behaviour with a supportive approach that truly has enhanced our relationship with our pup.

Shannon is incredibly helpful and an absolute expert with border collies. She is kind, efficient, and thoughtful in her approach. In our private lessons, she took the time to understand my training goals and concerns, and provided a wealth of resources to support us. Shannon’s candour, practical insight, and depth of knowledge has made me well-equipped to use these skills going forward. I look forward to working with her again in the future.

Shannon is an exceptional trainer. She was able to observe some of our puppy’s tricky behaviour and recommend clear and accessible positive reinforcement strategies. Our high energy and persistent puppy is so much easier to manage now that we’ve done group puppy classes and 1:1 training with Shannon. I highly recommend her, both for puppy classes or private training sessions.

Shannon is a fantastic instructor with the experience and resources to help puppies truly thrive. As first-time puppy owners, her support and willingness to answer questions outside of class has been invaluable. We started with a private session, continued into Kindergarten, and are now beginning our third course with her. We can’t imagine training our puppy without Shannon!

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!

I had the opportunity to take puppy kindergarten classes with Shannon several years ago with my border collie Savvy. The class was well structured and the content was very informative. We got to learn basic obedience, tricks, even a little obstacle course all while interacting carefully with other puppies. We learned about nutrition and grooming and got some cool goody bags. Would definitely recommend this class!! I actually drove over an hour from Langley to attend this class every week and it was well worth it!!

We did five private sessions with Shannon, and wow—game changer. Right off the bat, she nailed what Bami (our high-energy, lovable pup) needed and gave us actionable strategies we could use immediately.What I loved most was her focus on systems—not just quick fixes. She didn’t just train the dog; she trained us, showing us how to communicate clearly and set boundaries that actually work.Results? Night and day difference. Bami listens better, walks are way smoother, and there’s just less chaos in general. If you're on the fence about dog training, trust me: invest in Shannon. You’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

Absolute gem of a class. Shannon goes above and beyond basic training with dogs. She truly understands the behavior and communication that's crucial in developing a good relationship with your pup. This is our second dog with her and we are never disappointed with our experience!

Shannon has been helping us with our Aussie’s reactivity and we couldn’t ask for a better trainer! She helped us hone in our handling skills and with lots of time and patience, our dogs reactivity is now super minimal and we feel equipped with the skills to handle it. We also love the Skills and Drills class which is a great opportunity to strengthen our dog’s focus and our relationship with him.Highly recommend Shannon to anyone looking for a skilled and supportive trainer!

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.

Shannon is fabulous and is a wonderful dog trainer. We took a puppy kindergarten class and learned a ton.