Educating the Trainer

Arlene Kiley Owner and Director of Training at The Dog Stop knows the importance of continuing education.

In 2008, Arlene left her job as Director Client services in the finance industry to pursue a career as a Dog Trainer. After training many clients in her corporate position Arlene understood the value of educating clients and adapting to their diverse learning abilities while continuing to educate herself to achieve success.

Dave McMahon

After attending Dave McMahon’s Dog Training Academy and being educated in Dog Obedience and Behaviour Management Arlene opened Walk This Way Ok, offering in home private training for the Family Dog. Arlene also worked as a group class trainer adapting to the style that was offered at the facility where she taught. She also continued to attend seminars exploring different training methodologies and styles.

In 2011, Arlene opened The Dog Stop, a facility that offered Dog training and Daycare. In 2012, Arlene furthered her education by becoming a Walks N Wags Pet First Aid instructor, understanding the importance of educating Clients and Pet care professionals in preventing and treating illness in their family pets. After becoming certified Arlene began holding classes and also assisted in the certification process for several other instructors.

Unleashing Potential with Duke Ferguson

In February 2015, Arlene hosted Unleashing Potential with Duke Ferguson. A 3 day seminar held for Dog Trainers exploring Duke Ferguson’s  Unleashing Potential! techniques. Dog trainers from Canada and the U.S. were in attendance. Some of the trainers brought their own dogs to work with while others worked with clients’ dogs. The first day of the seminar included an information session and question and answer period, while the rest of the seminar was hands on. Duke Ferguson taught the trainers techniques including how to build proper relationships with dogs, clear communication, reinforcement for positive behaviour and his signature Art of Attention.

In May 2015, Arlene will be completing a 10 day shadow program with Wayne Dorman of Dogzies. The shadow program will include Certification in Touchless Pager Training -Certification of Training from Wayne Dorman, Hands on work with dogs and clients. In home visits, Private and Group Behaviour Classes and Unlimited support from Wayne Dorman and his team after attendance.

Wayne’s philosophy on training is that most dogs can be trained to become happy, calm and active members of a harmonious family. Wayne has taken his passion for dogs and love for his family and has created and implemented these training ‘goals’ in order to achieve ‘harmony’ in the family pack. This philosophy similar to Arlene’s in working with families and their pets led Arlene to pursue Wayne’s shadow program.

Arlene at Wayne Dorman’s Walk Into Excellence Class

Arlene originally met Wayne Dorman in October 2014, when she attended a Dog trainer’s seminar held in Kelowna, BC called Walk into Excellence,  a unique seminar that offered training from 3 different trainers and methods. Along with the 3 presenting trainers, 18 trainers from Canada and the US converged on the Okanagan to trade training ideas and learn from one another. The seminar involved teaching obedience, tricks, workshops, leash skills and different techniques of how to work with dogs .

Wayne’s journey to opening Dogzies Canine School of Excellence in Kelowna began in South Africa. Wayne spent his formative years in South Africa. He pursued a post-secondary education in Hotel Management and following work experience sponsorships abroad earned employment at hospitality establishments in Vancouver, BC. Wayne’s life drastically changed in 2003 following a car accident that left him facing an exhaustive 22-month recovery period. To keep him occupied, he acquired a beagle named Kingsley who trainers had written off as untrainable. Working with his new pet, expressing the firm kindness and respect that dogs warm to, Wayne “persuaded” his unruly beagle to become a well-behaved and sociable member of his family. It was then that Wayne Dorman found his life’s true calling. Wayne rigorously pursued his passion, traveling to Seattle, Miami, Orlando, Denver, Los Angeles, Sacramento, New York, South Africa, England and Ireland to investigate and learn cutting-edge training methods. In October of 2006, all of Wayne Dorman’s hard work and dedication paid off as he realized his dream of opening a Canine School of Excellence. Dogzies offers a wide variety of training including Private, Behaviour classes, Day training, Adventure classes, K9 safaris and more.

In November 2015, Arlene will also be attending “A trip of a Lifetime” to South Africa hosted by Wayne Dorman with a group of 10 people that include International dog trainers and passionate world travellers to tour and explore including attending two safaris a day, at reserves where the famed Lion Whisperer roams, Jane Goodalls’s famed Chimp Eden, Elephant Whispers, the K9 anti Poaching unit and so much more.

Arlene will continue to seek unique opportunities in education in order to bring value to her clients and their family pets while adapting to their diverse learning abilities. Arlene understands that growth in education is a lifelong commitment as the analogy that one shoe fits all does not hold true in educating to achieve success.