Our Team

Maureen Patin CPDT-KA founded What a Great Dog! Training Center in 2007. She is the Head Trainer for both WAGD locations and the online learning division, Great Dog Online. Maureen earned her certification from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She keeps current on the latest evidence-based, positive training techniques through online courses and attending seminars.

Maureen utilizes positive, reward-based training methods to help people achieve fabulous results with their dogs. She firmly believes that making training fun for the dog AND the person will net the best results. The thousands of happy WAGD clients are a great testament to that philosophy!

Sharon Lacaze joined What a Great Dog! in January 2016. She is the Head of Operations and a Co-owner of What a Great Dog! She also teaches Pet Manners classes. Sharon utilizes positive, reward-based training where owners can have fun and their dogs enjoy working.

Sharon has taken hundreds of classes with her dogs at WAGD since 2011. Sharon has attended several dog training seminars and online courses such as those offered by Susan Garrett. She is an AKC certified CGC evaluator. Sharon has also titled dogs in many sports including agility, rally (AKC and Cynosport), herding and barn hunt. Recently, she showed her Belgian Malinois, “Ripley”, to Grand Champion, start to finish in AKC owner-handled conformation.

Sharon graduated with a Business degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s in Business from Southern Methodist University and has many years’ experience in the corporate world. But her true dream was to one day work with dogs every day, all day. She is excited that this dream is finally coming true! Sharon currently has two dogs, “Misty”, a Standard Schnauzer and “Ripley”, a Belgian Malinois, who are quite the “characters” and keep her very busy. Her current training endeavors with her girls are agility, sheep herding, rally, barn hunting and dock diving.

Adrian joined WAGD in 2022 as a Pet Manners and Conformation Handling trainer.  They have been involved in the world of show dogs for over 10 years, handling multiple breeds in the conformation ring. They got their first show dog, an Icelandic Sheepdog named Andi, in 2014.  Adrian and Andi have some very impressive accomplishments in the breed ring. They have won multiple Owner Handled Best in Shows, multiple Group Firsts, and have been ranked #1 Owner Handled Icelandic Sheepdog, and Top 5 in the breed. Adrian has competed at the Westminster Kennel Club shows multiple times, earning multiple awards!

Adrian enjoys working with all species. They once trained a goat kid to its Trick Dog Novice title! Before moving to Texas, Adrian lived in Connecticut where they taught private lessons and group classes in Pet Manners and taught breed handling classes. Adrian currently has two dogs, Andi and Tamlin, and a snake, Jeffrey. When they are not training or competing, Adrian enjoys photography, hiking, and reading.

Aislinn joined What a Great Dog! In October 2021. She is a shift manager and pet manners trainer at our Frisco Location.

With a passion for pups, Aislinn joined the WAGD team right after finishing High School and receiving a certificate in Wedding and Event planning in 2021. She completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in 2023 and the WAGD Trainer Education program in 2024. Aislinn has also been certified in Pet First Aid through Pet First Aid 4U as of 2023.

She has worked through the checklist of Trick Dog Novice skills with her 12 year old German Shepherd, Lexi, and continues working with her on manners as she enjoys her senior years.

Her dedication is to ensuring that all WAGD families have the best future possible!

Brittany joined the What a Great Dog! Team in January 2017. She trains in our Manners Boot Camp program and does In-home lessons through our WAGD on Wheels program. She also teaches Nose Work and Pet Manners. She enjoys teaching pet owners all about positive training, building relationships, and better communication between pups and their owners. Brittany Wingfield  is an Accredited Dog Trainer and a Certified Family Dog Mediator (FDM).

Brittany shares her home with Valkyrie the Dutch Shepherd and Turk the Pug. Turk has played in any sport that involves snacks but Nose Work is their true passion. Brittany and Turk have competed in every level of UKC Nose Work and take great pride in his many ribbons! Turk is two legs away from his Master title and has legs towards his Elite title, making him the most decorated Pug in UKC Scentwork. Valkyrie has also started training in Nose Work. Brittany has spent years studying under Bob Rodriguez and Ellen Heavner as well as researching on her own through other seminars and workshops. She has also developed her own Nose Work seminars that she hosts at WAGD. Brittany believes that having fun and trusting in your dog is the key to success that she likes to share with her students.

Brittany has her Bachelor of Sciences in Biology from the University of Louisville and got hooked on positive reinforcement training while volunteering at the Louisville Zoo in 2010! This started her passion for training and helping clients build trusting and fun relationships with their dogs. Prior to taking her full-time role with WAGD, she was a Senior Zoologist with Carnivores at the Dallas Zoo.

Cindy Dalton has been competing in flyball since early 2008, starting with her rescue cattle dog Bentley. The club she competes on, BreakThrough, is the 3rd all time fastest team in U-FLI flyball, and 4th fastest in the world. BreakThrough travels to the U-FLI Tournament of Champions and in 2022 placed second in Division 1. She currently has four border collie/whippet mixes and a border collie.

Cindy started teaching flyball classes at Dog Quest in Lewisville in 2014 and started at WAGD in early 2017. Her philosophy is for dog and handler to have fun together and deepen their bond and learn to work as a team. She has worked with a wide variety of dog breeds, some not often seen in flyball including French bulldogs and a Xoloitzcuintli! Her retired flyball border collie, Myles, assists with training advanced dogs in class.

Before working as a flyball trainer, Cindy worked for American Airlines for 19 years and graduated from University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism.

Diane Cocchiara joined WAGD in 2018. She teaches Pet Manners, Puppy Preschools and Private Lessons. She completed her Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in 2018 and WAGD Trainer Education Program in 2019. She now is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers and an AKC Evaluator.

Diane has two dogs of her own, Eugene a Lab/Hound mix and Arnold a feisty little Pembroke Welsh Corgi. They enjoy a variety of sports together including agility, rally, dock diving and tricks.

Diane graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Oklahoma (Boomer!) and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Kansas State University. Soon after graduation a foster puppy fell into her arms, dog training became a new passion and life never was the same since!

Eugene: Rally – RL1X, RL2, FL1   Tricks – TKI

Arnold: Agility: ACT1J, P1J    Dock Diving: GNJCH    Rally: RL1    Tricks: TKI

Fable Gay joined the What a Great Dog! team in 2017. They are an Accredited Dog Trainer through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a Certified Family Dog Mediator through Kim Brophey’s Applied Ethology LEGS Course, and an AKC CGC Evaluator. They studied under Michael Shikashio CDBC and completed his Aggression in Dogs Master Course in 2022. They teach a variety of classes at WAGD such as Manners, Trick Dog, and Nose Work. They also do one-on-one lessons with clients to work on an assortment of issues they may be experiencing, including fear, aggression, and more.

Fable’s story starts as many dog trainer’s do: with a dog that presented behavioral challenges. Potter, a Treeing Walker Coonhound mix with big feelings and an explosive personality, was Fable’s introduction to the world of behavior modification. Working with Potter and helping him learn how to navigate a world that overwhelmed him sparked a deep passion in Fable, pushing them to learn as much as they could about dog behavior. Fable now uses that knowledge to help others strengthen their relationships with their dogs by helping them understand each other and how to navigate the world together. Fable puts an emphasis on clear communication, compassion for handler and dog, and having fun in training. They believe in looking at the whole picture for both humans and dogs to help them live their best lives together.

Fable currently has two dogs: Potter the Treeing Walker Coonhound mix and Lazuli the Silken Windhound. Although Potter is mostly living the retired life now, he has spent his life doing a combination of adventuring, demo work for classes, nose work, and tricks. Lazuli can often be found at WAGD prancing through the hallways with Fable, doing agility, and helping with classes and lessons. More than anything else, Fable, Potter, and Lazuli enjoy nature walks with Ashon’s partner Lyndis. When Fable isn’t working with dogs or learning more about them, they enjoy photography and an assortment of video games.

Ellen is Director of the nosework program at WAGD, and joined the team in 2020. She teaches at all levels of nosework/scentwork and is designing the curricula used by the other nosework instructors at WAGD.

Ellen started training dogs in obedience when she was 14 in 4-H. She has dabbled in most dog sports over the years, but in 2014 she discovered Nosework and found her true passion.

She has been teaching nosework for the last 7 years, competes in four nosework venues, and is a judge for UKC, AKC and USCSS. Ellen was one of the judges at the first AKC Regional Scent  Work Competition in 2022, and writes a blog: sniffingaroundscentwork.com

Ellen competes with two dogs in nosework/scentwork, both Lagotto Romagnolos, and has a third dog, (Riley the Chihuahua), who is retired from nosework after being the 19^th dog in the US to earn the UKC Elite Nosework title. Astra, her senior dog, has her Elite Nosework title (UKC) Nosework Champion (UKC), Scent Work Master, Scent Work Detective (AKC), and Elite 2 (NACSW). Astra has won many placements and High in Trial Awards. Yeti, her younger dog, has recently finished his first year of competition with his Scent Work Advanced title, and three High in Trial awards.

In addition to Nosework, Ellen works as a full time Research Analyst at a global law firm.

Gabi Vannini CPDT-KA joined the WAGD staff in fall 2018. She teaches barn hunt, agility, conformation, rally and manners. She is an AKC CGC, trick, ACT test, temperament test and farm dog evaluator. Gabi competes in a variety of dog sports with her own dogs and has titled in obedience, agility, rally, conformation, lure coursing, dock diving, barn hunt, tricks and herding. She has a particular fondness for rare breeds and has titled multiple “off” breeds in various dog sports, including Icelandic Sheepdogs, Norrbottenspets, Great Pyrenees and mixed breeds. She is heavily involved with her two rare breeds, as the president of the American Norrbottenspets Association and a board member of the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America and the National Icelandic Sheepdog Rescue Alliance. Her Icelandic Sheepdog, Link, has been among the top ranked in his breed in agility, obedience, rally, conformation, coursing, barn hunt and dock diving. He has won High in Trials, competed at Westminster, the AKC Rally National Championship, AKC Obedience Classic and AKC Agility Invitational. She has a degree in Journalism from Michigan State University, and has worked in marketing for various animal shelters. Most recently, she managed the equine adoption program at the SPCA of Texas. She and her husband Chris have fostered more than 400 animals in the last few years. When she’s not competing or hanging out with her dogs, she enjoys traveling and trying unique new foods.

Julie is a self-described nosework and dog training nerd. She began nosework
instruction in 2018 and began working as an AKC Scent Work Judge in 2022.
Julie’s love of nosework began while working with her reactive Australian
Cattle Dog mix, Eleanor Frisbee. Julie and Ellie began their nosework
competition career in 2016 and competed until Ellie’s retirement in early
2024. Together they earned titles in UKC, AKC, NACSW, and USCSS.

As a dog training nerd, Julie is interested in interspecies communication
through training and enjoys incorporating best practices from successful
trainers such as Bob Bailey, Sue Sternberg and Denise Fenzi into her training
toolbox.

Julie has experienced first-hand the benefits of teaching a dog to use his or
her nose and the partnership created in the process. She sees nosework as a
dance and loves watching the dog/trainer team learn the steps.

Julie Prigmore teaches Nose Work classes at What a Great Dog!  She has enjoyed all forms of dog sports for over 37 years, competing and titling in conformation, obedience, agility, fast cat competitions and coursing. She has also achieved certifications in working aptitude, CGC, and Nose Work. Julie has handled and finished multiple champions, Doberman Pinschers, Alaskan
Malamutes and Tibetan Spaniels in the breed classes, but to her, the most rewarding moments involve training with and working beside a dog to achieve its peak performance at sporting abilities.
She admires a structurally sound dog and loves to see dogs of every breed achieve success in whatever job they were bred to do.

Julie began scent work with her own dogs in 2021 and fell in love with the sport. It thrills her to see dogs performing with different techniques, and even more importantly, watching the exciting aspects of the communication between dog and handler, and the ever-evolving bond that develops and grows as each team works together. She has been competing in nose work since 2022 with her Dobermans, Shine and Charlie and trains under Ellen Heavner. She competes in AKC, UKC, and NACSW.

Lindsey has had a passion for animals from a very young age and currently works full time at a veterinary clinic. Her intro to the dog sporting world began with a rescue 6 month old Great Pyrenees mix named Zeus. In 2011, when he was 2 years old he became a therapy dog with Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Throughout the years they have volunteered countless hours sharing the joy her dog brings with others.

In 2018, she acquired Summit, a working line German Shepherd. As a puppy she went through the WAGD manners program and has gone on to compete in several different sports with him. They have competed in a variety of sports including dock diving, rally, fastcat, agility, and scentwork. Their primary passion is agility, where they compete with the RAD organization, and scentwork.

Lindsey has been an active member with Alliance of Therapy Dogs for over 12 years and has gone on to have 5 dogs become certified therapy dogs. Zeus is mostly retired from therapy visits these days but her 3 dogs, Valor and Chymyra, both German Shepherds, and Goose, a Great Pyrenees have happily stepped into their therapy dog roles.

Lindsey lives in Wylie with her husband, Ryan, their 7 dogs, and backyard chickens.

Liz earned her Certified Canine Training and Behavior Specialist certification
through the Animal Behavior Institute in 2021 after becoming a client of WAGD in
2015 with her rescue dogs.  She has stepped through the programs of Manners,
Agility, Rally, Tricks, CGC and Barn Hunt.   She understands the importance of
bonding with her dogs using positive reinforcement training methods and also keeps
them exercised in the fields of Scent Work, Fast Cat, Flyball, and Fetch.

Her love for her rescues and her enthusiasm for dog sports has earned her multiple
titles in every endeavor of dog sports she and her dogs have undertaken.  Liz knows
no free time.  In addition to working with her own dogs, she volunteers with her local
shelter in providing comfort, enrichment, and stimulations to the rescues easing their
stress.   Her work in making them a happy, adoptable dog is of upmost importance
and provides the dogs with basic manners and introduction to the new owners.

Training Barn Hunt is a favorite for Liz.  Although Barn Hunt is based on the traditional
roles of several breeds, Liz is capable of training any dog of any breed or mix who
wishes to play the game.  Liz has learned to train and motivate dogs by adapting
techniques to the traits of the handler and dog to become a team in the sport as we
have seen her earn championship titles for both of her very different rescue dogs
Penny and Lincoln, including 7 Barn Hunt Championships (RATCH) and 2 Barn Hunt
Elite Master Champion (RMEX).

Martha is a Pet Manners Trainer who teaches both private lessons and pet manners group classes.

She started her dog journey in January of 2019 boarding and walking pups while her husband was stationed in Virginia Beach, VA. She gained experience working with dogs of all ages, breeds, and personalities. This exposure really got her interested in pursuing dog training as a career. She completed the necessary education to become a Certified Dog Trainer through CATCH Canine Trainers Academy. With that program she gained valuable hands-on experience under a training mentor.  During that time, Martha and her 8 year old Rat Terrier, Ella, achieved the Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog titles. When she and her family relocated back to Texas, she started a mentorship with a canine behavior specialist and also joined the team at WAGD as a desk associate. She has completed the Trainer Education Program at WAGD. 

Martha started her agility journey with her pup, Ella, proving that a dog is never too old to learn a new trick.  Martha also officially adopted her long-term foster, Lady Bird, a 7 yr old Blue heeler/terrier mix who is a bit timid but is the silliest and sweetest girl.  Martha is currently working toward achieving certification through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and is very excited about her journey ahead at WAGD.

Matt joined the What a Great Dog! Team in March of 2022. He completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in the fall of 2022, is currently finishing the WAGD Trainer Education Program, and will be teaching Pet Manners classes at the Richardson location.

Matt was raised in upstate New York, but he has called Texas home since 1997. He holds a master’s degree in English and a doctorate in Humanities and is currently a faculty member at Dallas College, where he teaches courses in composition and literature. His experience as an instructor has prepared him well for teaching at WAGD and helping clients learn how to build stronger relationships with their beloved dogs.

While an undergraduate student, Matt followed his lifelong love of animals as he worked part-time jobs at a veterinary clinic and at local pet stores. Over the years he has provided a loving home to a variety of rescued cats and dogs. Most recently Matt has served as a foster for the Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas, and he adopted his current dog, Bella, from GRRNT in April of 2022. Matt and Bella are working toward becoming a certified Therapy Dog team.

Mickey has been involved with dogs for over 40 years and has competed in conformation, obedience, rally and agility. She started an in-home training business (Four Paws Training School) in 2002 and worked with owners using reward based training. Some of the trainers who have influenced her most are: Susan Garrett, Bob Bailey, Pat Miller, Kathy Sdao, Jean Donaldson, and Ken Ramirez.

An owner and fan of big dogs for most of her life, she has now downsized to a couple of little guys: Micah (terrier mix), and Harper Lee (Papillon). In 2012 she went to a seminar to learn about K9 Nose Work, a new dog sport, and it quickly became her passion. She has been teaching nosework at What A Great Dog! in Frisco since opening in 2012, and has several classes each week. Her favorite venues to compete in are NACSW (National Assoc of Canine Scent Work) and USCSS (United States Canine Scent Sports). Above all, she believes that competition needs to be a great experience between you and your dog, and that success is completely secondary.

Pam joined the WAGD team in 2019, bringing extensive knowledge of both training and competing in Barn Hunt. She has been an integral part of launching Barn Hunt at WAGD. She is teaching all levels of Barn Hunt at WAGD

Pam began training and competing in dog sports with her miniature schnauzer Lucy in 2012. Lucy has earned numerous titles in various agility venues including 2 championships in TDAA agility. Pam has also trained, competed and titled Lucy in Nose Work and earned her CGCA and Intermediate Trick Dog titles.  Pam started in the sport of Barn Hunt at the sport’s inception. She is co-founder of North Texas Barnhunters, the local barn hunt club and has served on the board for the past 6 yrs as well as serving on the National committee for the 3 yrs that the club hosted the Barn Hunt National. Pam was a National Judge for the first National held in Mo in 2014 and was recently a National Judge for the 2019 Barn Hunt National.

Pam has been a Barn Hunt judge since 2014 and has traveled across the country to judge in various clubs. She’s also a club and judge mentor for the BHA. She has been teaching barn hunt classes since 2015 and has developed training methods aimed at enhancing the dog’s natural hunting as well as teaching handlers how to read their dog’s indicators. All dogs hunt differently in Barn Hunt and Pam adapts her classes to fulfill each dog’s individual needs.

She currently competes in Barn Hunt with her three dogs. Lucy and Katniss are miniature schnauzers and Ante is a Russell Terrier. Lucy currently has earned her RATCHX3 which is 4 Barn Hunt championships and is over halfway to her RATCHX4. She’s also earned her CZ8PS title with is 3000 Crazy 8s points. Katniss has her Open title. Ante came to live with Pam, Lucy and Katniss at the end of April 2019. While working on teamwork with Ante she has been competing in Open B and has earned her RATOX title. In her spare time she’s begun running Ante in Earthdog and Lure Coursing.

When she’s not working with dogs Pam is an Account Manager at an electrical enclosure manufacturer. She has 3 grown children as well as a 3 yr old granddaughter.

Rhea Northcut, CPDT-KA ABCDT CSAT is a Senior Trainer with What a Great Dog! She joined the WAGD family in 2016. Rhea teaches Pet Manners and Nose Work in both group classes and private lessons. She also provides a training program aimed at resolving issue with Separation Anxiety.

Rhea is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and an Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer. Additionally, she has earned the Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer designation through extensive coursework with the global expert on this issue, Malena DeMartini.  She enjoys teaching owners how to better communicate with their canine companions. She has a special place in her heart for rescues and shelter dogs, having spent a large portion of her free time volunteering at animal shelters.

Rhea also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Tech University. While at Tech, she started her first volunteer work with shelter dogs at The Haven Animal Care Shelter in Lubbock, Texas and also took a course on Human-Animal Interaction. This is what initially sparked her interest in dog training. She started her Masters in Counseling at the University of North Texas with the goal of doing pet therapy. She quickly realized that it was the dogs’ training she was most interested in and was more than willing to give up her spot in the counseling program to fully commit her education efforts to dog training.

Rhea spends her free time volunteering with Collin County Animal Services in McKinney and spending time with her husband, daughters, and her dog Lizzie, an Icelandic Sheepdog. Rhea enjoys trail running, hiking, and training and competing in Nose Work.

Ryan joined WAGD in May of 2011, teaching Agility and Pet Manners classes. Ryan worked in the commercial construction industry for 22 years.

When she earned her CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer)  in 2013, Ryan left the corporate world to pursue her dream of working with and training dogs as a full-time profession. Ryan’s utilizes positive reinforcement training methods, including clicker training and free shaping. She has a reputation of running classes that are as fun for the people as they are for the dogs!

Ryan lives in Allen with two dogs; Australian Shepherd, Ping and Border Terrier, Bunker. Both of the dogs currently run in agility and Bunker is on his way to his conformation championship. All of her dogs have always had golf-themed names. Previous dogs were named Divot, Bogey, Driver and Caddyshack.

Stephanie joined What a Great Dog! in August of 2020.  She is a shift manager and Pet Manners trainer in our Frisco location.  If you have visited our retail store you may know her as “Aunt Stephanie”.  All the pups know she’s always ready to give some extra love and treats, for good behavior of course.  

Before joining What a Great Dog!, Stephanie managed a pet boarding, daycare and grooming facility in McKinney for 12 years.  She has shown her dogs in conformation and obedience for over 25 years. Stephanie and her dog, Brooke, took manners and CGC classes from Maureen in her barn in Prosper 13 years ago.  She was taught and loved the positive reinforcement training that Maureen coached her and all of us on since she has started.  

Since Stephanie has been active in working with dogs, she has had Siberian Huskies, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and German Shepherds.  Currently she and her husband share their home with Stella, a 3-year-old German Shepherd rescue that they adopted just weeks before the Covid lockdown.  She is her “work in progress”. 

Stephanie hopes with her experience to provide our WAGD families with helpful advice and guidance to assist them in having lifelong GREAT DOG family members.

Victoria is a trainer for Manners classes, Puppy Preschool, Barn Hunt and private lessons at our Richardson location.  After joining the WAGD team in 2020, she completed WAGD’s Trainer Education Program and the Karen Pryor Academy Foundations course.  Absolute Dogs’ Pro Dog Trainer and Pro Dog Trainer Geek programs were completed in 2021 and she is enrolled in their ongoing Training Academy and PDT Club focusing on positive games-based concept training.

Victoria discovered WAGD in 2017, where she worked her rescue Chi/Terrier, Audrey, through Manners, Agility, and Tricks classes and attained several tricks titles.  She currently works with Audrey and her other Chi/Terrier rescue, River, in Barn Hunt, Tricks, and Freestyle.  River, too, has earned multiple Tricks titles.

Exposure and hands-on experience in dog conformation, breeding, and training of Standard Schnauzers during her early years kicked off her love of working with animals.  Numerous dogs (rescues, mixed breeds, and purebreds) have been owned, trained, and cared for.  In over a decade of equine riding, training, and competing, Victoria developed an affinity for working with “hard case” horses using natural horsemanship methods.  This desire to work with animals who have challenges naturally spilled over to dogs.

While completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech—Language Pathology and Audiology at UT-Dallas, she worked at a doggie daycare/boarding facility that also assisted in temporary fostering for a rescue group.  She had many opportunities to observe dog behaviors in group settings and help dogs overcome struggles they were facing such as fear and anxiety.  Through both formal and informal studying and experiences, Victoria has acquired a particular fondness for working to build confidence and optimism in dogs through utilizing rewards-based methods within a concept framework to build solid relationships between owners, their dogs, and the world around them.