The Puppy Practice owner, Stacy Small - CPDT-KA, holds a Canine Behavior Counseling certification from the American College of Applied Science. She completed a 45-hour Level 1 Intern Program in Canine Behavior and Training at Pat Miller's Peaceable Paws Intern Academy, and also finished the Dog Trainer/Instructor Program through Penn Foster. Stacy is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Last but not least, Stacy is also a graduate of The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), a rigorous certification program for dog trainers to demonstrate mastery of humane and science based dog training practices.
Other programs Stacy has completed include the "Keeping People and Pets Together" Program and "Successful Adoptions and Temperament Testing for Shelter Animals." These are programs offered through the Asheville Humane Society based on The Humane Society of the United States 'Pets for Life' Training. Stacy's formal education includes a BA degree in Sociology from Principia College, Elsah, Illinois and an MS in Communication Disorders from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Stacy's experience includes dog grooming (she also holds two dog grooming certificates), pet therapy with both cats and dogs, and raising a guide dog puppy. She is a former board member, volunteer and animal caretaker with the Asheville Humane Society. Stacy is a member of Chain Free Asheville, an organization that builds fences for chained dogs and educates people about the importance of providing a safe, stimulating environment for their pets.
The Puppy Practice offers puppy training classes, group or private training, and behavior consults for puppies. The focus is on aggression prevention for puppies and solutions to challenging puppy problems that include obedience, house training, and bite inhibition. The Puppy Practice will help your puppy become a well-mannered adult dog.