Stephanie Waddington KPACTP was born in Nigeria and got her first dog, a rescued Field Spaniel cross, when she returned to the UK at age seven. She later married into four generations of black Labrador Retriever gun-dogs. Throughout her college years and while establishing her own business, she shared her time with a Jack Russell Terrier, a retired Greyhound and a mischievous Lurcher. While moving her home around England & Scotland to pursue a busy career as a designer, she defected to the companionship of cats and has lived with several rescue cats, two of whom emigrated to Canada with her. One of them, her first ‘failed foster’ in Canada, still lives with her.

Once settled in the Cowichan Valley, Stephanie adopted Asha, a street dog from India who has been, and still is, her most exacting teacher, her greatest companion and her constant inspiration. It was through this dog that Stephanie was introduced to Lisbeth Plant, to Cowichan Canine and to clicker training, and she has not looked back since. Finding force-free, positive reinforcement methods of training a natural fit, she chose to follow her passion to work with dogs and graduated from the Professional Dog Trainer programme at the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior with distinction in July 2015.

Stephanie has also worked with, and volunteers at, the Cowichan & District SPCA. She has a special interest in shelter dogs that have issues arising from being shy, fearful or anxious as well as helping ill-mannered dogs that have often not had the chance to learn appropriate social skills.

Motivated to enrich the relationship between dogs and their families through better understanding and communication, Stephanie aims to help you ‘click’ with your dog.

Stephanie is also a member of the Vancouver Island Animal Trainers Association and she is DOGSAFE® Canine First Aid, level I & II certified.