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Sarah Richardson (PhD, CPDT, CDBC) has been teaching dogs and their people for over a decade. From 1998 to 2001, she apprenticed in Texas with Dr. Kay Stephens, DVM, a specialist in dog training and behavior. While there, she also taught teen and adult training classes for Dr. Stephen’s premier dog training practice.
Sarah moved to Chico, California in 2001, bringing positive reinforcement training to the area. Since founding The Canine Connection in 2002, she has helped thousands of dogs and their people through her positive, progressive approach. She leads a skilled, professional staff that is passionate about helping people and dogs develop fun, energetic, and lasting connections.
Certifications
In 2002, Sarah became one of the first in the nation to become a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT; Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers). She is one of only a handful of trainers to also be recognized as a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC; International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants). Sarah also holds a Certificate in Canine Counseling, with Honors, from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, widely considered the "Harvard" of dog training.
Additionally, Sarah is a licensed evaluator for the Delta Society's Pet Partners® (animal-assisted therapy) program and an approved evaluator for the Canine Good Citizen test, developed by AKC (American Kennel Club). And, just for fun, she recently became a Certified Dog Walker (which means certified for dog pack management) and Pet CPR and First Aid through the nation's only Dog Walking Academy.
Leading Edge Knowledge
Sarah truly loves learning and has completed hundreds of hours of professional workshops and seminars so she can bring the most recent knowledge and techniques to her students. She has taken behavior courses with the field's top trainers, including Bob and the late Marian Bailey (the world's foremost experts in animal training), Jean Donaldson (author of Culture Clash, Dogs Are From Neptune, and Mine!), and many others.
Dr. Sarah conducts a staff meeting at The Canine Connection
Human-Animal Bond
Besides her involvement with The Canine Connection, Dr. Sarah is also a full-time faculty member at Chico State and a researcher on the human-animal bond. Her research papers have been presented at national and international conferences. Additionally, Sarah is the founder and director of Pets with Purpose, an animal-assisted therapy group that helps bring the healing power of pets to Chico-area health care facilities, shelters, and schools. Two of Sarah's dogs, Lenny and Deveron, are registered therapy dogs who are active with this group.
Click on a link below for more information on Dr. Sarah's:
Her Beloved Dogs
Sarah has lived with many purebreed and mixed breed dogs, all or part Labrador Retriever, Dalmation, Greyhound, Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, Schipperke, Jack Russell Terrier, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Shepherd, Norwegian Elkhound, and Border Collie.
Sarah shares her home with Mike (a very patient human), various foster dogs, and:
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DONNA WALLACE
Instructor
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Donna Wallace was introduced to positive reinforcement training methods when she adopted her dog, Yoli, a sweet and spunky terrier mix. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, Yoli was rescued off the streets of Mexico and placed with Small Dog Rescue in Chico. From there it was a short trip to Donna’s heart and home. In 2005, Donna and Yoli enrolled in a class at The Canine Connection and they have been training and studying positive reinforcement ever since. Donna and Yoli have attended canine freestyle seminars with some of the country's top performers and they are enjoying learning and teaching this fun new dog sport! Donna is an approved instructor for Judy Gamet's Dogs Can Dance curriculum and an approved evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. When not instructing at The Canine Connection, Donna works as a building energy consultant. Donna and Yoli share their home with Walter (a human) and Thomas (a cat). |
CONNIE GRAHAM
Assistant Instructor
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Connie Graham, our Assistant Instructor, has a lifetime of involvement with dogs and animals of all species. In 2007, she decided to make the drive from her home in Red Bluff to attend a class at The Canine Connection and she has been training with us ever since! Connie and Spencer, a spirited Welsh Corgi, are very involved in canine freestyle, agility, and herding. But Connie’s training of animals is not limited to dogs. Her miniature horse, Thunder, was a registered “Pet Partner” with the Delta Society, making frequent visits to health facilities. Besides Thunder and Spencer, Connie shares her home with two other dogs (Indy, a Welsh Corgi and Roddy, a Brittany Spaniel), two other horses, three cats, a variety of goats, sheep and chickens, one rabbit, and one ever-patient husband, Glenn. |
MICHELLE HERBERT
Director of Doggone Good Times, Bowser's Dog Day Care
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Michelle Herbert ensures that all dogs have doggone good times at Bowser’s Dog Day Care, a program of The Canine Connection. A true animal lover, Michelle has been involved in animal care throughout her career. She first began dog grooming during high school and later, while her family was stationed in Louisiana, she worked with local animal shelters to help dogs and cats find good homes. During the past ten years, Michelle, has owned and operated a successful professional pet sitting service in Chico. Michelle truly enjoys connecting with and caring for animals and is a natural at helping dogs have healthy, happy social experiences. The dogs at Bowser’s love her! Both natives of Chico, Michelle and her husband of 22 years, Jace, have four children, and many well-loved critters. |
BECKY HEJL
Assistant
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Becky Hejl assists with many activities at The Canine Connection, including classes and office management. Born and raised in Chico, Becky earned her bachelor’s in child development at Chico State and has discovered that many of the practices for good parenting also apply to dogs! Becky and her husband, Joe, are parents to Charlie, a Labrador Retriever who is as well-behaved as he is handsome! Charlie attended Puppy Kindergarten at The Canine Connection and never really left! He accompanies Becky to work, serving as The Canine Connection’s official greeter. Besides working at The Canine Connection, Becky is an after-school supervisor for the Butte County Office of Education. It seems Becky is all about making sure our kids (human and canine) have wholesome good times! |
