This month, we’re excited to highlight the work of of member, Shannon Noonan, a trainer whose compassion-first approach is making a meaningful impact in the lives of dogs and their humans. Shannon’s insights below offer a thoughtful look into her philosophy, her work with complex behaviour cases, and what professional community truly means to her.
At Spot On Dogs Behaviour & Training, we specialize in helping dogs and their humans build calm, confident relationships through science-based, compassion-first training. I work with complex behaviour cases—everything from reactivity to service dog or therapy dog preparation—and love helping people understand their dogs on a deeper level. My focus is on building resilience and understanding, not control.
What Does Belonging to a Professional Organization Mean to Me?
Being part of CAPDT has given me a sense of community and purpose—it’s reassuring to know we’re raising the standards for our profession together. The shared knowledge, advocacy, and collaboration within this network have been invaluable as I continue to grow both as a trainer and an educator.
One of my greatest passions is mentoring my staff trainers and watching them grow into confident, thoughtful professionals who share the same heart-forward approach. If any Canadian trainers are looking for casual mentorship or want to chat through a tough case, I’m always happy to do virtual peer-to-peer consultation.
Shannon Noonan
KPA-CTP, CBCC-KA, Atlas-CT, ANWI
Founder, Spot On Dogs
Visit Spot On Dogs: www.spotondogs.ca
Share Your CAPDT Story
Inspire others by showing the power of our community and how ethical, science-based dog training is making an impact across Canada.
✔ Submit a short blurb (and optional photo or video)
✔ Share how your membership has helped you
✔ Tell us what you value most about being part of CAPDT
We’ll be featuring members throughout the year in newsletters, social media, and on our website.
