THE BEST DOG TRAINERS NEAR ATLANTA
OWNER | MANAGER
ELIZABETH
Hi I am Elizabeth and I am the owner-operator of The Canine Ranch. I took over the business last year after spending 30 years as a marketing professional in corporate America. The combinations of marketing and the love of dogs makes this the perfect career for me! I am not new to The Ranch, I worked the kennel for the previous owner in between my corporate positions.
My love for training dogs began when I was a teenager with my first Golden Retriever. The love of playing a game built an undeniable bond which created my passion for training dogs. My first competitive dog Murphy came along in 1998. The plan was to compete in obedience but together we discovered agility and this opened to the world of dog sports and training. My dogs play multiple sports and have competed in agility, obedience, rally, tracking, dock diving and field. They have taught me so much that each is an individual and our relationship is key to our success.
Meeting and interacting with my clients is something I very much enjoy. I feel it's important to know you and your dogs and ensure my staff is providing the best care to keep and your dogs happy and having fun while staying with us here at The Ranch. You will often find me on property since I live here with my crazy Goldens: Harp, Killian, Beoir and Stout.
CANINE CONCIERGE
AMBER
Currently a Kennel Technician with The Canine Ranch, Amber aspires to be an obedience trainer at the facility in the future. She says, "I have always loved dogs and up until last year I decided to work in the dog industry starting at a doggy daycare."
"In such a short time working with dogs, I know this is what I love and the field I want to stay in for a while. I love getting to know each dog individually and meeting all their different, spunky, loving personalities. And, connecting with each dog that comes through and stays at The Ranch to make them feel at home and loved! I am very excited to grow here at The Ranch."
AGILITY INSTRUCTOR
TERRI
Terri credits her first Golden Retriever, Cody, with introducing her to the world of competitive dog show and training. Terri and her husband bought Cody as a puppy in 1994 and quickly realized she was in over her head and went to the local dog training school.
Since that time, Terri has had 5 more Goldens and 2 Border Collies from whom she has learned much. She has competed with them in obedience, flyball, herding but agility is her sport of choice. Her dogs have taken her to several national competitions and several trips to the finals in those events. She has made it to the podium with third place finishes with two of her Goldens Tag and Rev. She has earned championships in AKC, USDAA and NADAC on several dogs.
Along the way, as she continued to learn and grow with the sport, she has been lucky to study with some of the best instructors from all over the world. She brings to her classes knowledge she has gained from them, from the behavior work she has done and from what she has learned from years of competing and training various dogs. Terri enjoys working with teams as they learn and come together as partners.
NOSEWORK INSTRUCTOR CNWI
BRENDA
Brenda is a Certified Nosework Instructor with NACSW and a graduate of the Pat Miller Canine Behavior and Training Academy. She has been teaching Nosework since 2014 and competes in with her Border Collies Sadie and Sky. Sky has recently earned his NW3E title and competes at the Elite level. Her dog Sadie is registered with Therapy Dogs International as a Tail Waggin Tutor and together they made over 100 visits to the local library as a reading dog team. When not teaching and training Brenda is an artist with interests in painting and photography.
WORKSHOP/SEMINARS
- Pat Miller Canine Behavior & Training Academy, Level I 2014
- Nosework Camp Coleman Georgia 2014, 2016
- Intro to K9NW with Ron Gaunt Camp Coleman 2014
- Intro to Odor Seminar with Ron Gaunt Camp Coleman 2014
- Leash Handling Seminar with Amy Herot Camp Coleman 2017
- Oder Placement Seminar with Jill Marie O’Brien Camp Coleman 2017
- Harnessing Your Competitive Edge with Amy Herot Alpharetta Ga 2018
EXPERIENCE
- Nosework Instructor — 2014 - Present
- Teaching Intro to Nosework, Intro to Oder
- Canine Ranch, Canton GA
- Trained, competed and titled multiple dogs in Nosework.
- Trained and handled certified therapy dog 2012 - present
EDUCATION
- Kennesaw State University — B.S. 1993
CERTIFICATIONS
- NACSW Certified Nosework Instructor
- Handler of certified TDI therapy dog
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
PAULA
Hi, I am Paula and I am a long-time staff member at The Canine Ranch. I have worn many hats over the years.
After a long career with the airlines, I decided to change course and pursue my love of animals and the outdoors and became a Naturalist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Having a great love for dogs, and owning many dogs over the years, I became serious about dog training while taking obedience and trick classes with my highly-spirited lab puppy, Sunny Delight. I have participated in Agility, Nose Work and Barn Hunt with my dogs Valor (Border Collie) and Sunny (Yellow Lab). Currently she is working with her newest addition, Scarlet Begonia (Lab) in Competition Obedience and hopes to pursue Dock Diving and Up Dog Challenge (Frisbee).
CANINE CONCIERGE
VICKIE
We had two dogs growing up, a rescue mutt and a black miniature poodle. I began my training with showing our poodle the boundary of the invisible fence around our yard. When I moved to Florida out on my own, I got my first dog. She is an English Cocker Spaniel who became my true companion. We later moved to Georgia and were introduced to Agility Training.
This is where I found out how exciting of a sport Agility is and how much my dog loved it! This sport helped me to become a better dog handler along with the basic Obedience training. I currently still have my English Cocker Spaniel, along with a rescued Pointer/Lab mix with whom I have done some training in Rally Obedience and my Australian Shepherd whom I am currently training in Agility. Along with my continued dog training in Agility and Obedience, I have always been employed with working with dogs and their care.
My previous experience includes working as an Assistant Manager for a Pet Retail Store and A Dog Daycare and Boarding Facility. Working in Kennels and as an Assistant Veterinary Technician, I gained my medical knowledge for dogs. I have been so lucky to have experience in a wide range of jobs which allowed me to ensure the comfort, safety and well being of all our clienteles furry family member.
AGILITY INSTRUCTOR
HOLLY
While attending Western Carolina University in 1994 Holly got her first dog, Dillon the Doberman. Dillon became a therapy dog for a group home for Mentally Handicapped Children. After moving to Atlanta as an Art Director in 1996, Holly decided to get another Doberman, Lucas. Lucas lacked confidence and he needed a job so she started Lucas in dog agility training in 2006. The transformation in Lucas was huge and both Lucas and Holly caught the agility bug.
It has been said that teaching is an art form; that not everyone can teach. Holly started developing her teaching "art form" from high school through college by teaching gymnastics and coaching cheerleading teams. Those experiences taught her how people learn. The result is an awareness of how to deliver information in an organized, easy to understand manner.
Just like in teaching gymnastics, strong foundation skills are the building blocks in dog agility and are necessary for the learning process for both human and dog. Holly focuses on teaching the following so that her clients can independently make sound, confident decisions for handling agility courses.
- Foundation Skills
- Handling technique
- Reading and achieving the dog's best line
- Communication / Team relationship
- Goal Setting
- Problem solving
Good instructors should always be learning. Holly continues to learn new concepts and techniques by taking 2-3 online agility courses a month from instructors all over the world along with attending seminars / lessons throughout the year.
Holly's dog sport family includes:
Kayla - 7 years old Australian Kelpie; Dog Agility
In December 2016, 2017, 2018 they were invited to AKC Invitationals in Orlando, Florida, to compete against the top five dogs of each breed in AKC. Holly and Kayla have consistently been ranked each quarter as one of the fastest Kelpies competing in AKC agility by Breed Power 10 ranking system..
Rascal - 6 year old Rescued Hound Dog Mix; Nose Work
Zuko - Under a year old, Australian Kelpie: Dog agility
Some of Holly’s training philosophies she lives by include:
"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before." - Steve Young
Train harder than you trial. - Holly
DOCK DIVING INSTRUCTOR
LEAH
Leah has been involved with golden retrievers since 1989. Her obedience career with her goldens earned her multiple obedience titles including an AKC Utility Dog title. In agility she earned Open Standard and Jumpers titles. Leah started taking dock diving classes at The Canine Ranch when it first opened.
Her biggest dock accomplished was when she adopted Luke at 9-years old and he did not know how to swim. Leah successfully taught him to swim, jump off the dock and became Leaping Luke. In 2015, they competed in Ultimate Air Dogs Championships. In 2016, they competed in the Eukabana NADD Championships and placed 2nd in the veteran’s division.
Currently, Leah has three small dogs (ShihTuz and (2) Malteses) who all swim. She recently started teaching a new “small swimmers” dock class. She realized clients with small dogs wanted their dogs to be safe around water. Whether it be for swimming in a pool, boating, and some even enjoy canoeing, dogs needed to be safe in the water. In class, dogs are probably fitted with a life jacket, learn to swim and spend time in a raft teaching them to jump into the pool.
Leah’s most recent student has a fox terrier, JonJon. He went from never jumping off the dock, to competing in dock diving events and ending the year with an invitation to 2018 Eukabana NADD Championships and placed within the top 10.
Leah is one of the dock diving instructors at The Canine Ranch. She enjoys teaching clients how to keep their dogs safe in the pool, building confident swimmers and achieving their goals on the dock. She supports her students at local events and will even show up to cheer them on. Come join the fun this year rocking the dock.
Over 11 Acres of Dog Adventures
We are more than just a kennel. With every caregiver trained in dog behavior, here's more of what we have to offer:
Boarding
Our small boarding facility allows us to give your dog every personal attention when they stay overnight.
Training
A well behaved pup is what we all want. We provide training program options that fit all breeds & lifestyles.
Sports Coaching
Unleash your athlete! The Canine Ranch provides a challenging and fun environment with qualified and experienced instructors.
Facility Rental
Whether you need additional sports practice or you'd like to host an event, take advantage of our 11+ acres of sports, activities areas, including our pool!
Classes & Events
From classes to weekend clinics to special training programs, there's always something happening at The Canine Ranch.