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  • Staff

Cheryl Smith

Operations Manager and Program Director
cheryl@callofthecanine.com

Cheryl has over forty years of experience in canine behavioural training and has been recognized as “one of Canada’s Top Dog Trainers”. She began as an educator working with disadvantaged children, and subsequently transitioned to a career as a Human Resources Specialist. In 1972, she began instructing dog obedience classes.

Cheryl’s area of interest and expertise is in the canine behaviourism. In 1989 she opened The Good Dog Training School in Toronto, where she was living at the time. Subsequently, Cheryl moved to the Ottawa area, and founded Forever Friends Dog Training School in 1996. In 2019, Cheryl established the Call of the Canine training center offering new and innovative training and behavior services to local dogs and their owners.

In the manner that Dr. Dunbar is recognized for introducing puppy classes to dog training, Cheryl has brought important and effective approaches and techniques for rehabilitating dogs with behavioural issues, in particular dog-dog and dog-human interaction. Cheryl developed the concept of “Growl Classes”, using humane behaviour modification techniques to retrain dogs that display aggressive behaviour towards humans and/or other dogs. These classes are in such high demand that she is often requested to take the classes on the road to other locations. She is also the author of Biting, Barking, Lunging, Growling.

Cheryl has attended numerous training seminars given by Job Michael Evans, Carol Lee Benjamin, Jack and Wendy Volhard, Dr. Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson and Pamela Reid, and the University of Guelph’s Behavioural Science Department. She has amassed a wealth of knowledge of humane, caring methodologies for training and living with dogs.

Cheryl shares her knowledge and has presented at many acclaimed workshops and seminars around the globe, in Japan and the United States at Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Ann Arbour, Green Bay, Richmond Virginia, and Washington DC; and in Canada at Pickering, Kingston, Kemptville, Ottawa, Toronto, Port Hope, Sudbury, Vancouver, Red Deer, Edmonton, Calgary and Prince Albert.

She participated in the international committee sponsored by the American Humane Society and the Delta Society to review and update the ethical and professional standards for dog trainers, and she has served as a member of the Board of Directors for Therapeutic Paws of Canada and Responsible Dog Owners of Canada.

Cheryl continues to explore innovative ways to increase her knowledge and remain at the forefront of canine behaviour. She is a graduate of Earning The Light program (8th Fire Inc.) and currently continuing her training with Pete Bernard in The Way Of The Medicine Keeper.

Meghan Scott

Senior Trainer
cotc@callofthecanine.com

Meghan Scott has transformed her childhood love of dogs into a full-time career. In the early 2000’s she opened her heart and her home to foster dogs in need of help. That path led to Forever Friends Dog Training where she began a training mentorship in 2006 with Cheryl Smith in order to pursue her special interest in problem resolution. 

She quickly became a valued instructor with Forever Friends as well as an evaluator for the Canadian Canine Good Citizen Programme in 2009. Her expertise has expanded to include Dog Sport Training including Agility, Rally ‘O’ and Tricks where she has achieved multiple titles in each discipline.

Meghan keeps abreast of the most current trends and information on effective and humane training techniques by attending seminars by recognized experts such as Ian Dunbar, Pia Silvani, Cheryl Smith, Jean Dodds, Aaron Froud, Fred Waters and Janet Lundy.

She shares her home with her husband Jeff and their three well-loved dogs: Karma, Purpose and Jerrica as well as a Leopard Gecko, Clyde. 

  • Staff

Monique Charron

Senior Trainer
cotc@callofthecanine.com

Monique has devoted many years to International Development working for several Canadian organizations managing projects in Africa and Asia. In 2014 she joined the team at Veterinarians without Borders allowing her to combine her two passions; working with animals all the while helping to alleviate poverty in developing countries. In 2012 Monique learned about Cheryl Smith’s canine training program and became an apprentice soon after fostering a reactive Great Dane named Hagrid that she could not help. She has since acquired many skills to better work with, understand and love dogs like Hagrid but also understand how to train dogs to better integrate the human world and guide dog owners on how to respect and train their beloved animals.

Monique has attended several seminars and workshops including the annual Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) conferences and continues to explore learning opportunities mostly virtual given our new reality. The first in-person event she attended was the ‘Canine Conflict Resolution’ workshop presented by Cheryl Smith. It was an informative seminar that inspired her to learn more. Since then, she has attended several Ian Dunbar presentations, a TTouch week-long training course as well as the Pia Silvani Canine Play workshop held in Ottawa in 2015.

Monique has since retired from Veterinarians without Borders which allows her to devote more time to training dogs and their owners. She continues to be involved in the promotion of animal wellbeing as a Board Director for World Animal Protection Canada. Monique owns two dogs, a Chocolate Labrador named Akéwa and a German Shepherd, Ameera (seen in the photo).

Tania Calverley

Agility Instructor
cotc@callofthecanine.com

Tania lives with her senior boy Burley, her new Aussie, Bohdi, and of course husband Tom! Agility is the name of the game for Burley. They started taking classes in 2016 as a way to blow off some of his physical and mental energy and quickly got hooked! They set foot in the competitive ring in September 2016 and never looked back. Burley has just recently retired having earned both his Lifetime Achievement Award and his Lifetime Versatility Award. Bohdi has started his agility training and has some big paws to fill!

Teaching agility since 2019, Tania focussed on handling techniques and how to best communicate with your dog. Every dog and handler is different, and helping foster the bond between dog and handler is what drives her as an instructor.