Training with Kindness
Effective, reward-based training...no need for choke chains, prong collars or shock collars
Serving Richland and Lexington Counties in SC
About Phyllis
Owner and Lead Trainer
Phyllis Beasley, CPDT-KA, FFCP, IAABC-ADT, has over 20 years experience training dogs. She earned her Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed from the Council for the Certification of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) in 2011 and her Accredited Dog Trainer status from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She is a certified Fear-Free trainer. She has been a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers since the early 2000's. She is a professional member of the Pet Professional Guild, an association dedicated to promoting force-free training. She is also a Member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a Pet Partners therapy animal evaluator.
So what do the certifications and these professional memberships mean to you?
It means that Phyllis has kept up with the latest in positive training methods and behavior studies and trains only using current methods and theories. It also means that she has made a commitment to train your dog as you want to treat him...with kindness and understanding.
Phyllis co-founded South Carolina Sheltie Rescue. She has successfully trained her own dogs for competition and clients’ dogs for basic skills, competition and behavior modification. Phyllis' dogs have earned upper levels in obedience, agility, and Rally Obedience, and she handled her Sheltie, Sky, to his UKC conformation championship and with points towards his AKC championship. Three of her Shelties have been registered with Pet Partners therapy animal organization. Her last Sheltie Pet Partner was also certified as a HOPE Animal Assisted Crisis Response dog. Phyllis' newest dog, a German Shepherd Dog, Elo, began training in human remains detection.
From 2003 until 2015, Phyllis served as Assistant Trainer with Pawsitive Results, LLC, until its closure in December 2015. Working with Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP provided her with years of experience under Ms. Anderson's mentorship and support.
Ms. Beasley writes a monthly column for the Pet Page of The Columbia Star weekly newspaper. She is a presenter at the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians annual Fall conference and presents locally on topics such as therapy animals, fostering dogs, bite prevention and canine body language.
About Robbie
Assistant Trainer
Robbie Black started his dog training journey in 2012 with his Labrador Retrievers, Ellie and Otis. As he was learning how to train Ellie and Otis Robbie stumbled upon a group of trainers at the Greater Columbia Obedience Club who were passionate about training dogs with science backed, reward-based techniques. The goal was to share training as an activity with your dog. He learned to treat the dog with respect and said he was hooked!
Not soon after, Robbie started teaching as an assistant at the Greater Columbia Obedience Club in 2014 and by 2015 was leading classes in basic and intermediate skills. He served as GCOC President in 2020, Vice-President in 2015 and 2017, and Co-Obedience Training Director 2019
Robbie and his dogs compete in obedience, rally obedience and nose work. He says that training dogs and teaching dog training techniques to people are two of the most rewarding adventures of his life.
About Elisabeth
Assistant Trainer for Private Lessons
Elisabeth stumbled into dog training in 2012 when she was trying to find a job that would allow her to bring her greyhound Onyx to work. But that quickly became a passion for her to help people understand their dogs and their behavior.
Elisabeth worked as the trainer for two local pet stores with two different companies for eight years combined. She also trained the other trainers for several other stores around South Carolina and Georgia.
Elisabeth was blessed to have loved and been loved by her heart dog Onyx the greyhound and her sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Daisy, both gone now.
She has been involved with groups facilitating the adoption of retired racing greyhounds. Her current dog Audrey the min-pin/dachshund mix is the one that made her a better trainer by bringing on new behavior challenges. These challenges helped her understand how owners of "imperfect dogs" feel and prompted Elisabeth to research new ways to help her dog in a positive way.
About Deb
Class Assistant
Deb Shealy began assisting with Praise Dog Training classes after completing Basic and Advanced Manners and earning her puppy Miley’s Canine Good Citizen title. Deb enjoyed meeting all the different dogs at Praise Dog and learning more about managing behaviors.
Deb has shared her home with and loved dogs all her life. In 2008, she brought home 2 golden retriever puppies, Arielle and Gabby, and took her first obedience classes and fell in love with training using positive methods. She joined the Greater Columbia Obedience Club early on and continued taking classes. She soon began teaching classes there in obedience, rally and nose work. She has served on the board of the Greater Columbia Obedience Club.
Deb has competed in obedience, rally and nose work. She found that training and trialing with her dogs has built trust and deepened her relationship with her dogs. She enjoys teaching and seeing people and their dogs as they progress and have fun together using only positive, reward-based techniques.
