Empathetic Dog Trainers
Here to support you every step of the way.
Dog Trainer & Behaviour Consultant
Holly Chen
CPDT-KA
Hello! I’m Holly, and I’m the owner and founder here at Honourable Hound. I’ve been training dogs professionally since 2013. Before starting my own company in 2020, I worked as a behaviour consultant for organizations big and small - from grassroots local businesses right here in Vancouver to multi-national chain pet stores and dog training companies in the states. Dog training is the only career I’ve ever known, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.
These days you can find me working with pet guardians from all walks of life. From helping first-time puppy owners conquer potty training challenges to supporting experienced dog guardians while they help their dog navigate fear, aggression, and reactivity. I’ve even worked with a number of wolf-dogs, so very few cases prove to be out of my scope these days.
My top two favourite cases are when I help people settle their newly adopted dog or puppy into their homes, and I love the challenge of helping people work through complex or intense, multi-layered issues that require innovative problem-solving. There is nothing more rewarding to me than helping people do something that feels like it’s going to be impossible!
More than anything, I love helping people make the most out of the years they spend with their beloved furry family members. Training is not about creating the perfect dog, but working with the dog you’ve chosen to create a fulfilling relationship. Good dog training is a journey of understanding and honouring our animals’ needs as well as our own - and we’d love to join you on yours.
* Honourable Hound was formerly called River District Dog Training
The Aggression in Dogs Mastercourse - Michael Shikashio
The Lemonade Conference - Presented by FDSA & IAABC
Karen Pryor Academy Puppy Start Right
Continuing Education
Credentials & Memberships
Maraysha Kennedy
Dog Trainer & Behaviour Consultant
KPA-CTP
Hi! I’m Maraysha and I’m a certified dog trainer and behaviour consultant at Honourable Hound. A dog geek at heart, I graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional program in 2022 - scoring 100% on the Teaching Assessment, and 98% on the Training Exam. Although becoming a KPA Certified Training Partner was a big step, my path to becoming a trainer actually began 9 years ago.
In 2015 I volunteered at the BCSPCA Vancouver Branch as a dog walker and later, as a foster caregiver. While at the shelter I met a Dalmatian cross named Tika who was fearful and shut down as a result of abuse and neglect. Taking Tika home and building trust with her while I fostered her was so rewarding - it ultimately inspired me to work with dogs.
To expand my understanding of canine behaviour, I spent the next 6 years learning everything I could about dogs. In that time I worked as a bather at a grooming salon, learned about consent-based husbandry at a holistic pet company and even opened my own dog walking company, which included 4 employees. These diverse experiences helped to shape me into the well-rounded trainer I am today.
Nowadays, nothing lights me up more than sharing the life-changing benefits of positive reinforcement training and seeing my clients go from unsure to empowered. I’m most passionate about puppy socialization and cooperative care and I believe the best trainers approach every dog (and their people) with sincere compassion - no matter where they’re at in their training journey.
The Aggression in Dogs Mastercourse - Michael Shikashio
Safety & Defensive Handling with Aggressive Dogs - IAABC Self Study Course
Michael Shikashio, CDBC & Trish McMillan, MSc, CDBC, CPDT-KAResolving Resource Guarding - IAABC Self Study Course - Sarah Dixon, CDBC
Continuing Education
Credentials & Memberships
Sarah Shapiro-Ward, Ph.D
Dog Trainer & Behaviour Consultant
KPA-CTP
Credentials & Memberships
Hey there! I’m Sarah, and I’m a certified dog trainer and behaviour consultant at Honourable Hound. I have worked professionally as a dog trainer since 2018 and I’m best known for my viral trick training videos with my Cockapoo, Percy. We’ve been featured on Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Mail UK, NHK Japan, Good Morning America, The New York Post & others for tricks including Jenga, Connect Four, Painting and more. Beyond my work at Honourable Hound, I am a guest expert on the live call-in radio show CBC BC Today, answering Vancouver’s dog behaviour questions. I also frequently write blog posts for AggressiveDog.com.
My journey as a dog trainer began with horses where I discovered that I enjoyed training them as much - or more than - I enjoyed the sport of riding. Clicker training isn’t as accessible in the horse world, so I brought my first dog, Percy, home in 2017.
Before becoming a dog trainer, I completed my Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 2015. Though I have long since left the laboratory behind, I still enjoy keeping up with the literature and applying my skills to dog training scenarios. I am particularly passionate about taking complex training concepts and making them accessible to anybody wishing to learn them without gatekeeping or judgment.
Nowadays, my professional focus is on teaching group classes and coaching clients one-on-one at Honourable Hound. My personal goal is to train my young horse, Niamh, using the knowledge I’ve gained over the years as a dog trainer.
APDT Conference 2023
Michael Shikashio Aggression in Dogs Conference 2024
Continuing Education
Nina Lobo
Dog Trainer
KPA-CTP
Credentials & Memberships
Hello! I'm Nina and I am a dog trainer at Honourable Hound. I currently teach group workshops and private client sessions, and am working my way towards becoming a behaviour consultant. I graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional program in 2024 - scoring 100% on both the Teaching Assessment and Training Exam.
Prior to dog training, I was a senior analyst at an economic consulting firm in NYC. I also hold a Master of Science degree from UBC.
My journey as a dog trainer began in 2021, when my family and I brought home Enzo, a black lab puppy. Enzo struggled with high arousal and reactivity. In an effort to help him, I took courses on canine behaviour, enrichment, clicker training and beyond. It was through the process of learning how to help my dog that I fell in love with all things dog-related, and I decided to pursue a career in dog training. To expand my hands-on skills, I worked as a dog walker for a year. I specialized in high-energy, sensitive and reactive dogs.
I especially enjoy working with puppies and adolescent dogs, and have a special interest in pattern games, reactivity and dog sports. I take a collaborative approach with my clients and work with them to create a stronger relationship with their dogs, achieve their goals, and live happily with them.
Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program
Michael Shikashio Aggression in Dogs Mastercourse (ongoing)
Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Comprehensive Course
Continuing Education
Kayleigh Robertson
Enrichment Class Instructor & Group Class Co-Trainer
Certifications Pending
Hey! I’m Kayleigh and I am a dog trainer at Honourable Hound. I currently teach enrichment classes and co-teach group classes.
I started my coaching journey teaching swimming, triathlon, and lifeguarding courses to people of all ages and backgrounds. The knowledge gained in my earlier teaching endeavours has been invaluable to shaping how I train dogs and their humans. I take a positive, learner centric approach, adapting my teaching style for each team that I teach. I pride myself on the ability to adjust training on the fly and break down skills into their basic components to help people and dogs reach their goals.
I started my dog training journey when I adopted my first dog, Casey Jones, an incredibly fearful dog; his fears and uncertainties led me down the amazing path that is dog training. Learning how to adapt to his needs showed me the joys of positive reinforcement training and started my passion for learning and growth. My greatest joy is helping families build confidence and enrichment in their dogs' lives!
My personal passion is the world of dog sports; learning to create a truly versatile and confident dog lights me up like nothing else. I am currently participating in a multitude of sporting venues with my personal dogs, including agility, weight pull, rally-o, and scent work sports. Gaining knowledge and success through trialling and working with other experienced handlers and trainers is an incredible learning experience, but I also have dozens of in-person and online professional development courses under my belt. I plan to continue my training knowledge by heading back to school in 2025 to become a certified dog trainer.
Continuing Education
Karen Pryor Academy The Ranch - Deep Dive: An Advanced Training Course
The Lemonade Conference 2020 & 2021 - Presented by FDSA & IAABC
Karen Pryor Academy Puppy Start Right
Alexandra Mullins
Group Class Co-Trainer
Certifications Pending
BIO COMING SOON!
Continuing Education
Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations
Andrea Tyc
Marketing & Administrative Support
BCIT School of Business & Media
Hello! I’m Andrea and I studied marketing at BCIT where I got my bachelor's degree of Business Administration. I currently work full time as a branding and promotion specialist for brands such as BCLC & London Drugs. As a marketing professional with a passion for community-focused businesses and dogs; being able to support the team at Honourable Hound with admin & marketing is the best of both worlds for me!
I grew up having dogs and being immersed in the dog-world all my life, getting my first dog (a Border Terrier named Ruby) at age 2. My grandparents also show dogs professionally and have owned two dogs that have competed and placed at the Westminster Dog Show.
I’m now a proud dog-mom to a puppy of my own, a Mini Golden Doodle named Ellie! In my spare time, you’ll find me outside in nature, bingeing Netflix, or training with Ellie to try to teach her not to jump for joy on every person she meets (she's a work in progress.)
Bachelor’s Degree - Business Admin, Marketing & Management
Diploma - Marketing Communications
Education
Mentorship
Opportunities At Honourable Hound
The dog training industry is unregulated. This means that there’s a lot of outdated and false information to dig through, which makes trying to understand how to effectively and ethically train dogs a pretty big task. You don’t have to do it alone.
We’re here to guide your formative years and get you started with the support you need to become a competent professional. While we aren’t always hiring, we are always looking to connect with like-minded individuals. So if that’s you, drop us a line. We’d love to support your professional journey.