Private Lessons - What a Great Dog! Training Center
Private lessons at our facility can be the ideal way to start your training or bring focus to particular problem areas. Your trainer will focus on your priorities, and help you meet your training goals. Our Pet Manners trainers are highly skilled with typical training issues like jumping on people, pulling on the leash, excitement around strange dogs or people, minor to moderate fear-based Issues, training obedience and tricks.
If your dog is experiencing more significant behavior issues, however, you will need to request your private with one of our Senior Trainers. With their extensive education and experience, they are also qualified to help with the more challenging behavior issues:
- Reactivity to dogs (barking and lunging toward them)
- Fear related behaviors
Please note we are not able to accommodate aggressive dogs in our facilities. If your dog lunges aggressively toward people, or has bitten a person, we can help with a referral to a qualified behavior specialist. Puppy play biting is not included in this category.
If you’re interested in learning more about our option of a Virtual Private Lesson via Zoom, please click here.
Specialty Lessons: We also offer private lessons in all our specialty areas: Agility, Conformation, Barn Hunt, Nose Work, Rally, Trick Dog
- Pet Manners Lessons
- Senior Trainers are $75 for 40 minute lessons
- Standard Trainers are $60 for 40 minute lessons
- Make-up Lessons for missed Pet Manners classes are $40 / half hour.
- Specialty Lessons are $60 / half hour
- NOTE: All private lessons must be prepaid. Lessons must be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance to be eligible for a credit or refund.
To schedule your private lesson, call our Front Desk:
Frisco 214-297-3000 or Richardson 972-677-7094
Your Instructors
Founder / Head Trainer
Maureen Patin CPDT-KA Head Trainer
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, […]
Co-owner / Head of Operations
Sharon Lacaze – Operations Mgr / Trainer
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 […]
Co-owner / Head of Operations
Kenna Sloan – Director of Business Services
Kenna joined the What a Great Dog team as the Business Manager back in 2011 when WAGD was just a single, small facility in Prosper. She put some skin in the game in 2016 when she joined the ownership team. Kenna is responsible for procuring the great products you find in both our retail locations. She enjoys attending educational seminars […]
General Manager of WAGD and Nose Work Trainer
Brittany Wingfield ADT, FDM, General Mgr / Trainer
Brittany joined the What a Great Dog! Team in January 2017. She is the General Manager for both our Frisco and Richardson location. 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 […]
Our Training Team ➡️
Adrian Phillips
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 […]
Pet Manners Trainer
Ashton Gray IAABC-ADT FDM
Ashton Gray 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 […]
Flyball Trainer
Cindy Dalton
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 […]
Courtney Brown
Courtney Brown is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who joined the WAGD team in 2023. Courtney began her dog training career working with service dogs at Texas A&M University. She assisted in the raising and training of service dogs for four years, including one year serving as President of the organization. Courtney’s passion for detection work grew while volunteering as […]
Nose Work Trainer
Devin Turk
Devin Turk joined the What A Great Dog team in 2019. He and his wife, Ash-Leah, have been involved in dog shows, sports, and training for twelve years. They have been involved in everything from Rally, Obedience, Conformation, Agility, Lure Coursing, Fast CAT, Nose Work, Barn Hunt, Dock Diving, as well as K9 Search and Rescue, Tracking, and K9 Scent Detection. […]
Pet Manners Trainer
Diane Cocchiara CPDT-KA
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 […]
Ellen Heavner
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 […]
Specialty & Pet Manners Trainer
Gabi Vannini CPDT-KA
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 […]
Senior Pet Manners Trainer
Jean May CPDT-KA
Jean is a Senior Trainer who joined What a Great Dog! in April of 2017. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) who teaches Pet Manners classes and privates lessons at both locations. Jean has always had a passion for dogs and the desire to work with them. She has a degree in Emergency Management and retired from the […]
Jessica Ibarra
Jessica began attending agility classes at What a Great Dog! in 2018. She quickly developed a passion for agility and for understanding the applied behavior analysis behind positive reinforcement training in order to be a better handler. During the day you will find her working as a Senior Payroll Manager. Jessica has her Juris Doctor from Texas A&M School of […]
Agility Trainer
Katie Sharp
Katie Sharp, PhD, has her doctorate degree in clinical psychology and has always been passionate about dogs and dog training. During her undergraduate years, she spent time in an animal learning lab clicker-training shelter dogs to help make them more adoptable and was heavily involved in fostering for the Nebraska Humane Society. Katie has always loved the sport of dog […]
Kim Cameron
Kim Cameron joined WAGD in 2023. Kim’s journey into the world of dog therapy work began almost 20 years ago with a rescue Great Dane, Gandalf. His gentle nature and amazing abilities as a friend and partner compelled Kim to search for a way to share her dog with others. Kim continues today to follow her passion for therapy work […]
Senior Pet Manners Trainer
Kristi Bass CPDT-KA
Kristi joined the What a Great Dog! team in 2016. She is a Senior Trainer, teaching Pet Manners in both group classes and private lessons at our Frisco location. While working with dog playgroups in the daycare setting, she became fascinated by canine behavior. After 8 years in banking, she decided it was time to change careers. She completed the Karen […]
Pet Manners Trainer
Laura Arasmith Wilson CPDT-KA
Laura Arasmith Wilson is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She joined the What a Great Dog! team in 2018. She teaches Pet Manners in both group classes and private lessons at our Frisco location. She also teaches our Enrichment Seminar: Beyond Squeaky Toys! In 2013, Laura graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin at […]
Mads Mathias CPDT-KA
Mads Mathias, CPDT-KA joined What a Great Dog! in 2022. They completed the WAGD Trainer Education Program and teach Pet Manners at our Frisco and Richardson locations. They love helping humans build a relationship with their pets using positive reinforcement and patience! Mads began their dog training career in New York City. They were a musical theatre actor and walked […]
Martha Connell CDTK
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 […]
Matt Henry
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 […]
Agility & Senior Pet Manners Trainer
Meagan Johnson FDM, CPDT-KA
Meagan Johnson is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (Knowledge Assessed) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and a Certified Family Dog Mediator (FDM). Meagan joined the WAGD staff in 2018. Meagan has worked with families and their dogs around North Texas and virtually since 2012. She teaches Agility, Tricks, Rally, and Pet Manners classes, while also working one […]
Michael Roderick ABCDT
Roderick is a WAGD Pet Manners trainer, teaching group classes, private lessons and Great Puppy Day School. He joined WAGD and completed our Trainer Education Program in 2022. He graduated from the Animal Behavior College Dog Training Program, while working as a dog walker. Roderick has a deep passion for helping people build a better relationship with their dogs. He was […]
Nose Work Trainer
Mickey Schufman
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 […]
Barn Hunt Trainer
Pam Opanowitz
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 […]
Paige Varvel
Paige Varvel joined the WAGD staff in January 2023 as an agility instructor. Paige had a passion for animals from a very young age, and has built her career in various areas of the animal care and rescue fields. She has her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, and had the honor of working with Glen […]
Separation Anxiety, Nose Work & Senior Pet Manners Trainer
Rhea Northcut CPDT-KA ABCDT CSAT
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 […]
Agility Trainer
Ryan Shaw CPDT-KA
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 […]
Stephanie Schwanke
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 […]
Victoria Johnson
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 […]