Meet Colleen
West Virginia’s only Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT) & Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist (CCAT)
AKC Approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, STAR Puppy Instructor, Trick Dog Judge, Fetch Judge, & Temperament Test Judge
Registered Veterinary Technician
Fear Free Certified Professional (Level 2)
Safe
Effective
Compassionate
I’ve always had a love for dogs. When I was 13 years old, I began volunteering at my local animal shelter. You could find me there almost every day during the summers and most weekends during the school year. This is where I developed compassion and empathy for dogs and their various needs.
My World Changes
After graduating from college, my first dog as an adult literally fell into my lap. Aidan, an abused American Bulldog puppy, grew up to be my first performance dog. He would go on to earn four AKC® titles (Beginner Novice Obedience, Rally Novice, Rally Advanced, and Canine Good Citizen) and trained in agility. Since he was full of energy, overly friendly and strong, Aidan was not an easy dog to train or live with, but his passion for “doing things” kept me training him throughout his life.
When my friends noticed the difference I made with Aidan, they encouraged me to start teaching classes. Within two years of starting my mentorship, I began developing my own class lesson plans and teaching classes on my own. My first focus was Puppy Kindergarten and Beginning Obedience classes. I cultivated my passion for helping people teach their dogs and was especially drawn to the “difficult” dogs. This eventually turned into relationship building and impulse control classes, which have been wildly successful, along with teaching foundation agility class. I have been an approved AKC® Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and AKC® STAR™ Puppy Instructor since 2010 and became an approved AKC® Temperament Test Evaluator in 2019.
…the Journey Continues
Since I started competing in more physically demanding sports with my dogs (Water Work, Fast CAT, and Agility), I became focused on ensuring my dogs are well conditioned for whatever sport they want to play. A properly conditioned dog is less likely to become injured and more likely to safely practice and compete in physically demanding sports.
In 2018, I began taking classes through the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy to become a Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT). This process includes 24 weeks of intense class work, four 6-week peer-reviewed case studies, and passing an exam to become certified.
My case studies for certification included: a competitive agility dog who has competed on the national level in AKC® National Agility Championship and AKC®’s Eukanuba Agility Invitational, a senior dog with wobblers disease, an adult dog who underwent bilateral TTA surgeries within a year of beginning my case studies, and an adult dog who had surgery for a herniated disc.
In March 2021, I was accepted into a local Veterinary Technology program to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) to pursue my goal of becoming a Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist (CCAT). Through my school, I have been able to become a Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP; I have since completed Level 2 training), which is in line with my dog training philosophy and has aided in many of my dog training programs. In July 2025, I successfully completed the Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist (CCAT) program, which is partnered with NC State’s Veterinary Medicine program!
My pride and joys…
My home is currently shared with a Portuguese Water Dog, Avi, and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Kiely. My Portuguese Water Dogs Armada and Trek have both passed away: Armada earned 20 titles in 8 areas of competition, and Trek earned 15 titles in 7. Kiely has earned 9 titles in 3 areas of competition. Avi is the new kid; so far he has earned two titles and one AKC award.
I am a member of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America, United Sunshine States PWD Club, Potomac Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club, & Northeast Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club. I have also given Canine Fitness and Dog Training presentations for some of these clubs.
Meet Armada
My first PWD. He earned 20 titles in 8 areas of competition.
What's a CCAT?
Learn more about the CCAT program here!
Meet Trek
My second PWD. He earned 15 titles in 7 areas of competition.