About Us

• To use training methods that build a strong bond between dog and owner based on mutual trust, understanding and respect.
• To help you understand and work with your dog's natural drives and instincts, to make training more productive for you and fun for your dog.
• To provide and encourage appropriate social interactions that produce happy, outgoing dogs with good social skills.
• To keep our classes small, to provide you with more personal attention and positive feedback during each class session.
• To use a positive and holistic approach to behavior modification, so we solve the problem, not just treat the symptoms.

Meet the Coach 

    Linda Brennen, CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed), has been a dog trainer for over 20 years. She earned her Associate Degree in Animal Health and worked as a Licensed Veterinary Technician for over 10 years. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology from the University of California at Berkeley.

     After college, Linda had the good fortune to attend a seminar on Puppy Socialization and Preventing Dog Aggression. It was presented by Dr. Ian Dunbar, world-renowned dog behavior expert and founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). After the seminar, she studied with Dr. Dunbar, and began teaching classes for his company, Sirius Puppy Training, a year later. During that time Linda also devoted a year to raising a puppy to become a service dog for Canine Companions for Independence.

     Over the next fifteen years Linda started dog training programs at several of the military bases where she and her husband were stationed. In 2005, while stationed in San Antonio, Linda volunteered at the Humane Society, where she trained shelter dogs waiting for adoption. During that time she helped with rescue efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Also in San Antonio, Linda and her Bernese Mountain Dog, Kees, were certified as Delta Pet Partners. Together they visited patients at the military hospital, and participated in reading programs at the local elementary schools.

 
    When her husband retired from the military in 2006, Linda and her family settled in Colorado Springs. She contiues to teach dog training classes, and volunteers her time with service dog and rescue organizations. She established Canine Coach, Inc. in September of 2009.

   Linda is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), a founding member of the Peak Pawsitive Dog Training Association, and holds a CPDT-KA from the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. 

Linda relies on over thirty years of experience, and a commitment to continuing education, to provide you with the most up-to-date, effective, and positive training methods available.
 
    I inspire dogs to love learning and owners to enjoy training.  My goal is to help people and dogs truly understand each others needs.”

              —Linda Brennen, CPDT 

"You do not meet many 'dog' people who are 'people' people too. I have trained with Linda using my family pet all the way up to service dog work. I would highly recommend her for getting the desired behavior using the most positive methods available."

Heather Jackson - Colorado Springs
    
                      

Linda,

I just wanted to thank you for all of your expert advice in the puppy and intermediate training.  Angel is almost six months old now, and the clicker training has been an incredible tool to use in teaching her how to sit, lay down, heel, and speak.  I have also enjoyed using the "wait" command.  I am no longer worried about Angel trying to get out of the house when I answer the door!  Thanks for everything, and I look forward to more training tips in the future.  For anyone interested in a unique and useful training method for their dog I would highly recommend clicker training and Linda Brennen as the trainer!

Yvette Mihaly - Colorado Springs

 

When I first rescued my Pit Bull, Sandy, in July of 2006 she was only 4 months old. I knew that I needed to get her into puppy classes right away because I had heard that Pit Bulls can become dog aggressive if they aren’t properly socialized from a young age. However, I was apprehensive when I first started classes with her because I was anticipating some negative reactions due to the unfortunate stereotype against Pit Bulls. Luckily, the first trainer I came into contact with was Linda Brennen. She immediately told me how adorable Sandy was and gave her lots of love and attention. Sandy took to Linda instantaneously. I knew had found the right trainer.

From puppy classes to our latest Canine Good Citizenship preparation course, Linda has been a constant source of encouragement and sound advice.  Linda even took the time to take us on “field trips” to the dog park to learn proper etiquette and how to read Sandy’s behavior to prevent unnecessary tussles. She even helped me cope with the difficult adolescent phase of Sandy’s life. As with all creatures, Sandy went through a rebellious phase from about 6-18 months of age. Whenever I would get frustrated, Linda would remind me to think positive and focus on what Sandy was doing right.  Her advice definitely paid off. With consistent positive reinforcement stemming from Linda’s guidance, Sandy has become a wonderful companion and a true ambassador for her misunderstood breed. Everywhere we go people tell me how sweet she is.  With Linda’s help I can now state with confidence that Sandy is well on her way to becoming a therapy dog.

My other dog, Roxy, is a 5 year old Chocolate Lab. She has also benefitted from Linda’s expertise. She started out in beginner classes as a 2 year old and will soon be taking her first Canine Good Citizenship preparation course.  She has a little bit of a more compliant personality than Sandy, which has made her easier to train, but has also learned a great deal from Linda.

One reason why I love Linda is that even though I am the proud owner of one of America’s favorite breeds (the Labrador Retriever), I am also equally proud of my Pit Bull and can say with honesty that Linda is as well.  I am fiercely protective of Sandy because people so often look at her and assume she is mean because of the way she looks. Fortunately, this protectiveness has been unnecessary around Linda. From day one, she never treated Sandy like a pariah and even used her as an assistant to help socialize some of the dogs in her puppy classes. Although they were nervous at first, it was fun to see some new puppy parents learn that a 75 pound Pit Bull could gently teach their rambunctious puppies some manners! It is this attitude that has kept me coming back to Linda for over 3 years and why I will continue to recommend her to every dog owner I know.

Linda is a wonderful friend, an obvious dog-lover, and a great asset to the dog training community in Colorado Springs.
Lena Steiner - Colorado Springs

Linda,
I just wanted to tell you I am thrilled with the classes for Bella. Right now I am teaching her to lay next to me on her bed while I am emailing you. She had the habit of sticking her head on the keyboard laptop to keep me engaged, I am  clicking and rewarding her for sitting on her bed next to me while I type and ignore her. I find it extremely effective but I had to understand the science of it.  You are a very good trainer and although I wasn’t sure I could learn to use the technique correctly, you invited me to observe your  puppy class the next night. I did and began to see how to build behavior by little steps. I also saw the difference in dog temperament which isn’t good or bad but part of the dog. Once I understood how important it was to respect those traits in each dog I grew to understand Bella much better. She needs daily exercise, attention, and direction. Now that I have a tool that helps me manage those things on my terms, I can teach her appropriate ways to get her needs met.  We are learning mutual respect, I am feeling it in my soul and she is responding so beautifully. I didn’t get that piece before because she was so inappropriately demanding and I didn’t know how to settle her. The classes and observations were so eye-opening for me. Now that I am no longer working with children and their families I am getting my needs met by training Bella.  Just like kids it is a lifetime journey and I realize I will be training her for her lifetime. She is a great dog and needs to learn all kinds of things.  It will take tons of patience and lots of time, which I have both. It would have been very difficult to do this with her when I had my job and family  to raise, but now this is so good for me. I have all the time I need to work with her and she is a very smart, sweet dog.  Thanks for all of your support, I look forward to working with you, and I am going to keep a training journal to give me focus and record our progress.

Margie Anderson -  Monument