I am Joan Klucha. I am a leadership based dog trainer with a writers quill in one hand and a leash in the other. I have been training dogs for over 25 years with a resume that includes workshops with Brenda Aloff, Suzanne Clothier, Micheal Ellis and Tyler Muto from Leerburg training as well as numerous seminars while working with the Vancouver Police Department canine unit for 10 years, in puppy development, obedience, tracking and criminal apprehension, as an associate trainer and quarry.

I’ve also worked an explosives detection dog for a security company. I am a freelance journalist focusing on Canine related topics and research, and wrote a weekly column for the North Shore News called Canine Connection which appeared in their Sunday paper from 1998-2020 and was syndicated throughout Canada.

As a leadership based trainer, my goal when working with any dog of any age is to develop a social, calm, well mannered family companion that is a joy to share a life with. I do not train for competitive obedience but rather good-manners lifestyle obedience which gives dog owners the tools to manage their dog in all social and family settings.

Having a great dog is about learning how to be proactive with your dog, by speaking and understanding their language. By building trust through communication, a dog understands its role within its social family pack and it happily follows direction, no bribery or intimidation required. With the right training tools, proper leadership skills and a committed owner all dogs can become well mannered and welcomed members of a community.

I do specialize in behavioural modification such as reactivity and confidence building as well as starting young pups off with a solid foundation of basic good manners while working with their owners to shape the pups behaviours to create their ultimate family, sport and/or adventure dog.

My training passion is working with sport and lifestyle or adventure dogs. I teach and coach the CKC dog sport of tracking- all levels and Man trailing. For those not interested in competition I teach recreational wilderness, grass and urban tracking . I also teach ‘search’ exercises and the foundation training exercises for field trials and tests for pointing breeds. I also am experienced with e-collars and offer workshops and classes and private lessons. Reach out for more information