Dog Training Student Testimonials
Check out what graduates of our dog training school have to say about their experience and see how the APC has helped them turn their passion for animals into a pet career.
The following graduates attended one of our in-person dog training programs. Learn more about the difference between our Professional and Specialized Dog Trainer Programs or explore our online training certification.
Dillon Ganzer (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2023
"The understanding of dog body language has helped me become a better dog trainer and allowed me to do evaluations for daycare dogs basically right from the beginning of working for petropolis."
"I'm a trainer with petropolis, getting more hours and started doing skills transfers recently. Highlight is definitely working with and helping dogs improve day by day. Seeing major improvements is awesome."
Kellyjean Schmidt (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2023
"I have been showing dogs in the confirmation ring and breeding for several years. My dream has always been to be able to train dogs in obedience and for special needs. My personal dog is a Therapy Dog and I had a big desire to train dogs for service."
"Coming every day for the in person training helped me move forward faster then doing an online program. The teachers were able to give me the attention I needed to excel in my training skills and helped me trouble shoot my challenges right away. I also feel the connections with the trainers, other students, and guest speakers where very valuable. "
"APC gave me the skills and confidence to move forward with my goals as a dog trainer and to be able to work with service dogs."
"I am self employed as a Dog Trainer and Breeder. I am doing one on one private training at the owners home and Board and Train at my location."
Aurora Naff (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2022
"I have always loved animals and have dabbled in training before. My husband and I adopted an adult dog that is extremely reactive. We hired a trainer to help with this, and this sparked my interest. I started doing extensive research about dog training and tried to understand their behavior."
"APC helped me fully understand dog behavior. I think that my success is from learning and reading dog body language."
"I work as a trainer at Petropolis in Chesterfield. I find new material and research all types of training styles and techniques. I love to learn about different dogs and how to help them achieve success."
Lisa Hansen (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2021
"I've grown up with animals my whole life, and after 25 years in the military, I had the opportunity to finally delve into something that has always brought me joy. This gives me a part time job doing what I've always wished I could do, which was spend more time with my pets."
"APC gave me an outstanding foundation for developing skills to properly train as a R+/force free trainer. I had very little knowledge of training techniques and animal behavior before taking the APC course."
"After graduation another volunteer and I started the Training and Enrichment program at the city open admission city shelter, CARE STL. I worked there for nearly two years setting up enrichment guidelines, training plans, and working with individual dogs, as well as fosters and adopters on behavior modification for unwanted behaviors. I recently took a different part time job at Good Dog Enrichment and Training as a dog trainer assisting with behavior cases and establishing their shelter rescue program, doing shelter consults and assisting with behavior modification plans."
Alli Stockhousen (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2021
"I have always loved and worked with animals. During high school the APC had visited my high school and I knew training was what I wanted to do after that. After going through college and being a Vet assistant, I knew I still wanted to peruse dog training and had to opportunity to and ever since then, I have loved every minute of it."
"Having instructors of different training backgrounds helped me figure out different ways to work on skills and learn about all the different options within the training world. It helped going out to the play yards to learn body language while dogs were playing and interacting."
"I am currently working for Petropolis in Chesterfield. I have been here almost 2 years. I enjoy watching the dogs get excited when they offer a skill correctly, along with getting the know the pups and their families."
Cindy Simpson (Specialized Dog Trainer) - 2019
"All the courses I took taught me to be a better animal person. Especially the behavioral and training techniques. Understanding animals helps me and the animal be more comfortable with each other. "
"The training I received at APC was invaluable. I believe the behavioral classes are a must for anyone in the pet industry, I feel I understand the dogs and work around their fears."
Paul Wiedner (Professional Dog Trainer) - 2019
"Becoming a certified trainer has helped immensely since my time at APC taught me how dogs learn, react and approach most things in life."
"It was great to work with day training dogs. Seeing their personality as well as figuring out new approaches for skills."
"A bad day working with dogs could still beat a good day working with some people. It is so fun and rewarding to watch dogs be happy and learning."
Theresa Swift (Professional Dog Trainer) - 2017
"Training 2 dogs to Service level at school gave me the skills, confidence and legitimacy to train others to train their dogs for service in assistance, hearing, and later medical alert."
"I train dogs in my home. Focused on training owners to train their puppies with AKC STAR PUPPY classes, and older dogs with AKC CGC classes. I am an AKC evaluator. I evaluate for titles in CGC, CGCA, CGCU, and Trick titles in person and on line. I also train people to train their dogs to become Service and/or Therapy dogs."
