Authentic Canine Training is proud to be an AnimalKind accredited business. This, along with the other various organizations and certifications which our individual trainers are affiliated with, holds our trainers to the highest standard, following ethical training and handling methods to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of all dogs we work with. We believe in making training a fun and fulfilling experience for humans and dogs alike!
Kelsey Patterson, CTC
Owner/Lead Dog Trainer
Kelsey received her Certification in Training & Counselling from the Academy for Dog Trainers in 2016, an extensive 2-year program widely known as the “Harvard of Dog Trainers”. This certification holds her to the use of humane, evidence-based training that supports the welfare of owners and their dogs. At home, Kelsey lives with her three dogs, Kasey, Autumn, and Ty, and enjoys spending quality time with them.
Kelsey’s passion is in puppy training and behaviour prevention. She understands how easy it is to instill fear and how difficult it can be to train out, which has led her on a mission to optimize positive experiences for her puppy clients in order to minimize their risk of developing fear or aggressive behaviour as they grow.
Having lived with multiple reactive dogs, she understands the challenges firsthand and has a strong level of empathy toward other reactive dog owners and aims to empower these owners with the skills to meet their dog’s needs safely and confidently.
Samantha Jagt, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Samantha is one of our group class instructors and our puppy socials expert. She also works in the service & guide dog industry and has raised 5 service/guide dogs in training. Her first puppy, Shamus, moved on to work as a mobility service dog for a few years before deciding on early retirement re-joining her family. She also shares her home with a rescue pup named Lump.
She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed, through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and enjoys continuing her education through conferences, seminars and reading training books and articles. When she’s not working you can find her camping, reading or hiking with her pups or ideally a combination of all three! With a positive approach to problem-solving and a love of working with people and dogs, Samantha is very enthusiastic about training people and their pets!
Allison Schaefer, RVT CBCC-KA CDBC
Certified Behaviour Consultant
Allison Schaefer has been certified as a behaviour consultant through two independent certifying bodies: she is a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, as well as a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants. Allison is committed to providing practical, humane, individually tailored behaviour solutions to her clients and their dogs. She also regularly pursues continuing education from experts in the field of modern animal behaviour modification, and her clients benefit in kind.
Allison lives in Sooke with her three collies, Joni, Gavin, & Felix who are her assistants and partners in her training business. Allison has a special empathy for owners of reactive and aggressive dogs. Having lived with reactive dogs herself, she knows what it is like!
