Sara Russell is the first trainer in Cobourg to have both graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy for Training and Behavior and to also be certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers 

Sara has been working professionally with both cats and dogs for over 12 years. Her experience includes over 10 years working at the Toronto Humane Society where she managed the Feline Behaviour Department. Providing behaviour rehabilitation to cats surrendered to the shelter, implementing positive reinforcement into the enrichment program and regularly consulting with veterinarians on cases involving aggression and litter box avoidance.

After working at the shelter, Sara moved on to When Hounds Fly in Toronto as a Dog Training Instructor where she taught group classes from Puppy Socialization, Foundation Skills and Canine Good Neighbour and provided private lessons for dogs dealing with fear, anxiety and aggression concerns.

Sara currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), where she has earned her Shelter Behavior Affiliate designation.

She's also a Trainer/Mentor for the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive Program where she consults with shelters  in the United States to incorporate positive reinforcement in their enrichment program to increase adoptability and improve quality of life for shelter cats.

Recently Certified through the Fear Free Initiative, she regularly works with owners and veterinary professionals on improving the veterinary experience and preventing fear, anxiety and stress for both cats and dogs.

Dedicated to continuing education, Sara regularly attends animal behaviour conferences and seminars to ensure her education and training skills always remain up to date with current industry standards. In 2017, She attended Clicker Expo in Reno, Nevada and Terry Ryan's Chicken Camp workshop where she refined her training skills while working with a brand new species and in 2018 has attended the IAABC conference in Boston and most recently attended the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy training camp in Ohio.