Maria has over a decade of experience working professionally with animals. She is a Certified Trainer & Counsellor, Certified Trick Dog Instructor, Certified Fear Free Professional, and an Accredited CARO Judge. Committed to providing her clients both (human and dog) the best care possible Maria keeps her education and certifications up to date. She also sends clear, easy-to-follow training plans and customized notes as well as being available for follow-ups and questions, so clients can proceed with training safely and confidently. When not busy assisting her clients, Maria enjoys spending time with her two Nova Scotia Duck Tollers, Penny and Nemo, as well as Simon the Coton de Tulear. Maria and her dogs practice cooperative care and life skills training, as well as participate in dog sports such as Rally Obedience, Musical Freestyle, and Tricks.
Maria’s Current Dogs
Penny is 14 years old and loves cuddles, hiking in the woods, and learning new tricks. She has earned her Canine Good Neighbour certification, as well as her Versatility Excellent, and several Working and Team titles in CARO Rally-O. Penny also earned her Excellent Trick Dog titles.
Nemo is 9 years old. He struggles with generalized anxiety disorder but has made huge strides since joining Maria’s family. Nemo is a playful, sweet dog, who requires a little extra care and attention. Nemo has earned his Excellent and a few Working and Team titles in CARO Rally-O.
Simon is a 1 year old Coton de Tulear. He loves snuggles, playtime, hiking in the woods with his friends, and learning new things. Simon is everybody’s best friend. He looks forward to be a demo dog and trying out a variety of dog sports such as RallyO, Tricks, Disc, and musical freestyle.
Education & Experience
As a lifelong learner, Maria eagerly seeks out and maximizes opportunities to expand her knowledge of pet care, animal behaviour, and dog training. She enjoys listening to animal training podcasts, reading about science-based animal behaviour and training techniques, attending courses and seminars, as well as learning from the amazing trainers and veterinary behaviourists who generously offer to share their time and expertise. Below is a quick summary of some of Maria’s recent professional education adventures.
Jan 2025 – Clicker Expo Live
Positive and informative Karen Pryor Academy conference. Over the course of the 2 days, I managed to participate in 10 live stream presentations, mainly focusing on husbandry, ethology, clicker training, and cue discrimination. In addition, I am super excited to have access to recordings of all other sessions, which I will be watching over the next few months.
“Addressing Noise Aversion in Dogs” webinar by Dr Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB and Debbie Martin, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, LVT, VTS (Behavior), hosted by Fear Free Pets (Jan 2024)
“Conquering Nose Fears – How to help your fearful dog based on science” webinar by Stefanie Riemer PdD, hosted by the Pet Professional Guild (November 2023)
