Trainer Matchmaker
Find Your Perfect Training Partner
Shannon Busher
Shannon has been a certified Canine Academy trainer for the last 3 years, and has trained over 375 dogs with positive experience techniques! Before finding her true passion as a dog trainer, Shannon was educated in Equine Studies. Shannon began her dog training career as an agility handler where she competed in CPE trials with her dog.
Shannon believes that dog training is important because dogs require leadership and guidance in order to maintain healthy relationships with humans and other dogs they may interact with. Shannon’s favorite part of being a dog training is helping families create stronger bonds with their dogs. She has had clients tell her they have never been able to cuddle or pet their dogs because they weren’t able to achieve a calm or relaxed state prior to obedience training. Shannon is most proud of the work she did with a dog that was 100% deaf. The owners didn’t know how to communicate with him until Shannon stepped in to help bridge the gap. At the end of the training, the owners and the dog were able to communicate more effectively and the dog’s behavior did a 180.
In her free time, Shannon enjoys spending time outdoors, especially gardening or hiking. Shannon has two pups of her own Heidi and Maple.
Jacey Wentz
Jacey is our second successful graduate from the Canine Academy Training Apprenticeship Program. She has trained over 100 dogs! Before becoming a trainer, Jacey worked as a Kennel Technician on our Care Team where she worked diligently to ensure every dog on our property was cared for while not in training.
Jacey’s passion for dogs originated from her childhood pup, Milo, and while she might try to convince you her favorite animal is a dog, her pet snake would likely disagree.
Jacey believes dog training is important because it provides your dog with mental stimulation while building confidence and helping both dog and owner better understand one another. Jacey’s favorite part of being a dog trainer is seeing the positive change every dog and owner go through after staying on our campus. Jacey is most proud of her her experience working with a dog that was scared of new people and the kennel. Through intentional obedience training, Jacey was able to eliminate this behavior by creating confidence and building communication with the dog. At the end of the training, he enjoyed meeting new people and was no longer afraid of his kennel.
In her free time, Jacey enjoys fishing, spending time outdoors and with her pups, Loki and Finny, or taking care of her “zoo.”
Emma Sines
Emma joined Canine Academy in early 2022, but her desire to become a trainer started with her grandparents’ yellow lab, Sunny. At a young age, Emma would spend time training Sunny in her grandparents backyard and attributes her love of dogs to the bond dogs created between her, her Grandfather and her uncle, Shawn. Since joining Canine Academy, Emma has trained and tutored over 100 dogs!
Emma believes dog training is important because it truly has the ability to change a dog’s life, giving them a companion they are more bonded to and the guidance and confidence they need. Having a dog that is capable of being off leash also means giving your dog the chance to explore the world, backed by the knowledge and trust that their owner will keep them safe. Emma’s favorite part of being a trainer is having the ability to teach a dog a new way of communicating and she is most proud of the training work she did to successfully train a pup that had previously had a negative ecollar experience.
While not in class (Emma is in her first year of grad school to become a Speech-Language Pathologist), Emma enjoys spending time with family and exploring new places with her husband and their dog, Broney.
Alex Ebert
Alex’s desire to become a trainer started in 2011 when he had an out of control German shepherd puppy named Titan. His mom gave him an ultimatum to get him trained or he had to go! That led him to Alex seeking ecollar training. Alex and Titan did so well with the training that Terry offered him a job as a trainer.
Alex is passionate about training because he loves to see the better quality of life the dog and owner enjoy when they have a well-behaved companion. Being a part of that process and helping owners alleviate stress is something Alex really values about his work.
Alex’s favorite thing about dog training is seeing a dog “get it.” He loves it when a dog recognizes that he is a source of positivity for them and is trying to help them understand the benefits of a calm state of mind and what off-leash freedom really means.
One of Alex’s proudest moments was with Red, a dog who started out with reactivity. Because of Alex’s successful training, Red’s parents did not have to rehome her and they are all living a more structured, confident and happy life together.
When not training dogs, Alex enjoys hanging out with his fiance Kayla! He also loves playing frisbee, gaming, and doing outdoor activities like hiking and camping! He has three dogs of his own – Vega, Rollo and Maggie.
Kayla Crist
Kayla is a graduate from our Trainer Apprentice program. Prior to starting her own apprentice training, Kayla was a member of our care team for over 2 years, helping got make sure all of our dogs were happy and loved while at school!
Kayla has spent her life around animals, which started when she joined her local 4H program and continued to support that program as a leader and mentor. Kayla loves horses, and spends her time outside of Canine Academy working with horses and their owners.
Kayla believes that training is important because dogs thrive when they have a leader that gives them the structure they need and clear boundaries and expectations.
When not training dogs, Kayla enjoys spending time with her own pups – Tank, Sadie and Akiri – playing in their creek at home, taking care of her horse and spending time with her family and friends.