MEET THE DGS FAMILY

CHRIS ONTHANK-OWNER DOG GONE SMART

Chris is the owner and founder of Dog Gone Smart. He has been working with animals for over 30 years and has developed a unique training theory that combines instinct with learning. He is a noted expert in canine behavior who works with dogs and their humans.

Chris’ personal daily practice involves helping dogs with special issues i.e. aggression, separation anxiety, fear, disabilities and training problems. He is often the last hope for many dogs. His outgoing personality and fun approach to learning have made him one of the most popular trainers in the country. His clients (both human and canine) are highly motivated to work and thoroughly enjoy their learning experience. Chris is also the host of his own Canine Master Radio show on Pet Life Radio.

Read here for more info about Chris.

DEBBIE MODICA- GENERAL MANAGER AND CANINE CARE CAPTAIN

Debbie has been here since 2010 and is our General Manager. She runs the Ship! Deb loves what she does and loves the clients ..both two and four legged! Debbie lives in Silvermine with her Husband Alex, her son, Michael is a coastal engineer and her daughter is a counselor for children with disabilities. Debbie and her family usually have 3-4 rescue dogs, she is currently down to one...a large goldendoodle named "Q". Q and Debbie have been through all the training at Dog Gone Smart and are a very active Therapy Dog Team for Pet Partners.

Jaimee is often our pet handler on set for ad campaigns, and media photo shoots.

See some of her work HERE

JAIMEE KELSEY- DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & MARKETING

Jaimee runs the training department at Dog Gone Smart. She has been part of the Dog Gone Smart Family for over 20 years. A resident of Westport, she started as a client who needed help with her rescue dog, and pretty much never left. She went through Chris’ canine behavior and training internship program in 2000, and has been helping pets and their owners ever since as part of our training team, and is now the Director of our Training Program. Jaimee’s love of animals is contagious. Jaimee is also a mother of 2 boys and knows what it takes to keep a household running smoothly for both humans and canines! She specializes in working with families to teach how all can live together harmoniously through playful and positive techniques. Having a pet should be a joyful bonding experience for the entire family! Jaimee heads our training team, and teaches both group classes and private lessons for obedience and behavior shaping. If you are unsure the best training program for your dog, Jaimee will help you navigate your options and make a plan for success. Jaimee has many years experience in both broadcast and social media, as a radio producer and internet brand builder. You can see some of her media appearances HERE and some more fun stuff on the job HERE. She is Dog Gone Smart’s Manager of Training, Marketing and PR. Many refer to her as our "Pet Therapist"and she would love to hear from you! jaimee@doggonesmart.com

AMANDA - KENNEL MANAGER

amanda@doggonesmart.com

LAURIE - SENIOR BEHAVIORAL TRAINER

laurie@doggonesmart.com

BETSY - AGILITY & THERAPY AKC TRAINER

Betsy Schwartz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed and an evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. She is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the Pet Professional Guild and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She is committed to only positive, force-free, dog-friendly training methods, which create a bond of trust and foster teamwork. Training is all about relationships and clear, two-way communication between handler and dog. Betsy believes that training should always be enjoyable for both human and animal alike, and she interjects humor and fun into all her classes.

A lifelong animal lover, Betsy has taught pet training classes in Stamford, CT since 2003. She was Training Coordinator and Assistant Trainer for The Good Dog Foundation for Fairfield and Westchester Counties from 1999-2002, and is currently an administrator of the Pet Therapy Program at Kids in Crisis in Cos Cos, CT. Betsy is very excited to be joining the trainers at Dog Gone Smart to offer Agility for Fun classes, Pet Therapy Skills Course, and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Classes!

Betsy, along with her husband, Will and son, James, are the guardians of two Old English Sheepdogs, Rigby and Eleanor (a.k.a. Ellie Belly), two rescued feral cats, Maizey and KitKat, and a clicker-trainer horse named Sundance.

betsy@doggonesmart.com

NIKKI - TRAINER

nikki@doggonesmart.com

BEBZ - TRAINER

bebz@doggonesmart.com

DR. SABINE HELLGE - TRAINER

Starting in 1997, after a lifelong interest in animal behavior analysis, I attended numerous workshops and seminars in Germany and Switzerland which formed the foundation for my career as a reward-based and relationship-forming dog trainer.

After moving to the US in January 2001, I continued my education attending several APDT-conferences, workshops, and seminars.

Throughout this time, I provided training for shelter dogs as well as in-home training and group training for pet dogs, specializing in solving problems related to aggression and fear. Besides Private in-home training I offer classes for dogs that are reactive when encountering unfamiliar dogs or people, first through the Port Chester Obedience Club, then at a veterinary clinic and now through Dog Gone Smart in Norwalk. My training is aimed to improve the relationship between the dog and owner, giving the owner the tools to manage critical situations and improve the dog’s confidence as well as change its perception of unfamiliar dogs or people. This is achieved by applying only reward-based, relationship-forming methods like Tellington Touch, confidence building with obstacle courses, and counterconditioning.

Besides my work with reactive dogs, I train with my Otterhounds in K9 Search and Rescue – Mantrailing and previously in Rally Obedience.

I am a Professional Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and Pet Professional Guild.

Further, I have a Doctorate in Chemistry from the Technical University Hamburg, Germany.