Meet the Trainers
There is a saying among dog trainers,
“The only thing two
dog trainers can agree on is what the third is doing wrong.”
As a dog owner researching the world of dog training it can
quickly become a confusing experience.
There are so many different opinions,
methods and ideas that it can be challenging to navigate your way through the
information to find a trainer that will best produce results for you and your
dog.
When you work with My Clever Canine you’re not just getting
one dog trainer you are gaining a team of dog trainers. Our team consists of
different personalities, communication styles and experience but we work
together with every single dog and owner to formulate a plan that will ensure
you and your dog’s success.
For our trainers dog training isn't just a career it is a
way of life. We have assembled a passionate, empathetic, and motivated team
that is dedicated to the art and science of dog training. We are true dog
nerds. There is no greater joy than helping dogs and their owners to form new
and healthier relationships.
Our team members have spent years perfecting their craft.
Dog training is a combination of art and science and requires a dedicated
student. There is always something new to learn. We firmly believe in
continuing education as we strive to be better and do better. All of our trainers
actively train in and compete in competitive dog sports as a hobby and personal
challenge.
Head Trainers Tim and Amy Cutterson have competed at
multiple National and World level competitive events. They have traveled across
the United States and Europe honing their craft and perfecting their skills.
When they met in 2017 the combined over three decades of dog training knowledge
and experience to create a dog training program unlike any other.
Amy Cutterson
(aka Amy Peterson)
CPDT-KA
Amy's interest in dogs started very early on when she got her first dog a German Shepherd Mix named Princess. Amy started 4-H obedience classes with her in the hopes of curbing Princess' reactivity. Within two years Princess was transformed from an unruly canine to a dog that was winning obedience competitions including two high in trials! Amy had truly found her passion.
She continued training dogs throughout high school, including helping to raise Guide Dog puppies for the blind. In College she directed her education towards Psychology and Learning theory which opened up a whole new world of dog training. In 2003 Amy turned her passion into a career and started training dogs professionally. She also started volunteering at a local animal shelter and was quickly hired on as the head dog trainer.
Amy continued her education through school and seminars as well as building hands on experience working with shelter dogs of every variety and a multitude of behavioral issues. In 2008 she completed the requirements and passed all testing to become a CPDT-KA (certified professional dog trainer) through the Certification Counsel for Professional Dog Trainers. Through the shelter world Amy was able to evaluate thousands of dogs in many types of settings. She has seen hundreds of litters of puppies of many different breeds and mixes. She was responsible for development and implementation of the canine care, behavior, and training program for volunteers and staff at a non-profit SPCA. She also continues to develop behavior modification protocols for at-risk animals in animal shelters and rescue.
Amy has been involved in protection sports since 2004 (Schutzhund, Mondioring, French Ring, PSA). These sports which combine high level obedience, agility and bite work are a unique training experience as they bring a dog to it's highest level of arousal and excitement and then require the dog to be under control. It's a true test of a trainer's abilities and a challenge that has been a huge asset in Amy's work with behavior modification cases. Being able to see and understand canine aggression from the inside out, including healthy aggression, gives her a unique insight into understanding the canine mind.
Amy's heart dog, an American Bulldog named "Pink", is one of the most highly titled American Bulldogs in the country. She has competed in obedience, rally-o, agility, conformation, dock diving, lure coursing, and weight pull. She is one of the only American Bulldogs to receive the UKC Super Dog award and to earn multiple High in Trial Obedience awards.
Amy not only educates pet owners she also educates and trains other canine professionals. She is a guest instructor at the world renowned Michael Ellis School for dog trainers in Santa Rosa. She has been the head trainer for UC Davis Veterinary School colony dog enrichment program where she teaches a hands on training program for future veterinarians. She has also been a speaker at the California State Humane Conference for canine professionals in animal control and animal shelters. She continues to educate other professionals in innovative dog training methods, care and management through seminars, workshops and online courses.
Amy takes great pleasure in working with dogs and their owners. She strongly believes that each dog is an individual and that training does not happen by a single, cookie-cutter method. Dog training needs to be individualized to suit each dog's temperament and the needs of their owners. In her opinion, the main purposes of dog training are to build strong relationships with the dogs, to help to shape a confident and well rounded canine companion and to have fun!
Tim
Cutterson
Tim developed a passion for training dogs at a very young age. He first started working with dogs professionally in 2006 at Wood’s Humane Society in San Luis Obispo while attending college. Here, he would help rehabilitate dogs with severe behavioral problems, which helped to adopt them out. To further his understanding of all things canine Tim also got a job as a veterinary technician while in college. There he learned of a greater need for more compassionate and understanding veterinary care.
While
pursuing a degree in business, Tim decided that he wanted to make a full-time
career out of dog training. He moved to the Central Valley to apprentice under
several trainers and to expand upon his skills. During this time, he discovered
a competitive dog sport called Schutzhund. He was immediately enthralled by the
sport, and spent the next few years intensely learning about it. After
graduating college, he moved to the Bay Area where he would become the head trainer
for a large Schutzhund club.
Through his
early education process he traveled to Europe several times meeting with
several world level competitive dog training teams. On one trip he and his dog
Ace, a dog that he would go on to compete with at the world level for IGP,
spent over a month traveling to and learning from trainers all over Germany and
the Czech Republic.
Since starting Schutzhund/IGP, Tim has traveled the world and stood on the podium at several national and world level competitions. He has competed for Team USA at the World Championships four years in row with 2 different dogs. In 2019 he placed 6th in the world out of 147 dogs.
Tim has
dedicated the last 14+ years to studying every facet of dog training. He has
conducted and attended dozens of seminars, worked with thousands of dogs, and
apprenticed under numerous trainers. His training philosophy has evolved over
the years, but it has always been grounded in one fundamental principle: that
dogs are uniquely emotional and highly intelligent animals. He views each dog
as a unique puzzle that he must help decode in order to bring out the best of
their abilities.
Tim is well known for his ability to create strong, powerful and highly motivated attitudes in the dogs he works with. His competitive obedience is truly a breathtaking experience. He has coached numerous dog and handler teams to compete and win at national and international championships.
Tim uses
whatever method is ideal for the individual dog he’s working with. He never
accepts mediocrity and is always striving to be as clear and fair to each dog
he works with.
Rachele
Lema
Rachele has always had a love for animals great and small. At just eight years old she convinced her parents to let her bring home her first bummer lamb (a lamb who’s mother wouldn’t take care of it, so has to be bottle fed and cared for by hand), and the collection continued to grow from there. From raising sheep in 4H and FFA, to adopting everything from your normal dogs and cats, to developing a flock of Homing Pigeons on her parents property in Humboldt County, Rachele’s passion for animals has never slowed.
Rachele followed this passion into college, receiving her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science from UC Davis, all while working at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Rachele began working full time as an Animal Technician at the Veterinary School, until transferring to a job as a Quality Assurance Manager for a local pet treat company.
It was when
Rachele found herself the owner of a high-drive Malinois mix, Jalapeño, that
her love of dog training really took off. She began exploring a variety of
different sports and training avenues with Jalapeño.
During this time, Rachele
also began working with My Clever Canine, first as a kennel assistant, and then
shadowing Amy and Tim during training. After five years of working in the
Quality Control world, Rachele decided to make the jump to becoming a
professional dog trainer, and started transitioning toward working full-time
for My Clever Canine.
Rachele loves the opportunity to help families and pets develop a better and healthier relationship through training. She enjoys watching the transformation in both dogs and people as they learn to communicate and work together, and especially loves learning from each and every dog that comes through the My Clever Canine programs.
Emily Goodman
Originally from Massachusetts, Emily first started her move into the animal care industry by attending Veterinary technician school. She soon realized her true passion was dog behavior and training. She started a successful dog walking business soon after.
In 2017 she decided to move to California to further her education, build experience, and pursue a career in the dog training industry. She spent a year as the manager of the behavior and training department at the Marin Humane Society. The Marin Humane Society is national recognized for their innovative shelter training programs focusing on reward based training.
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Like all of
our trainers, dog training is not just a job but a lifestyle. She trains and
competes in AKC obedience and rally with her Belgian Tervuren, Willow. She
recently discovered the exciting world of French ring dog sport and has been
training hard to prepare Willow for her French ring titles.
