Dogs in The Park operates in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and was founded by Sue Alexander in 1993, in response to the needs of her friends who wished to train their dogs. We have grown from a small group of people training together for fun, into a club and then into a business. Over the years we have had puppy parties, celebrations of achievement, dog walks, special guests and several very tasty pot luck suppers.

Currently Dogs in the Park offers two main services. In our Good Dog Program, we specialize in developing customized training plans to address the needs of dogs with behavioural problems. Each student takes weekly private lessons, and may also participate in a variety of group classes and activities, as their dog is ready to do so.

In our training program, puppies and adult dogs can participate in group classes to meet their needs. Puppies can participate in a specialized puppy program beginning as early as eight weeks. Older dogs can participate in an activity-based, weekly obedience training program that will prepare them to participate in nearly any dog sport.

About Sue Alexander, CPDT CDBC

Sue Alexander has over twenty five years experience training and handling dogs, both her own and those of her clients. Sue has also been teaching dog obedience lessons since 1993. Sue occasionally participates in a variety of dog sports including obedience, tracking, retrieving, Schutzhund and agility with her dogs D’fer and Eco. When traveling or going to school, Sue is accompanied by D’fer in his role as her service dog, mitigating the effects of anxiety, depression and hearing loss.

Along with several other community members, Sue helped to found K9 Helpers a charitable organization that trains and places dogs to assist people living in the Guelph/Wellington area who have psychiatric disabilities. Sue is currently the head trainer for K9 Helpers. K9 Helpers can be found at www.k9helpers.org.

Sue is particularly interested in the rehabilitation of aggressive dogs and the resolution of behavioural problems with dogs in family homes. In 2003, Sue wrote and passed the Certificate of Pet Dog Training and in the fall of 2004, she was accepted into the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants as a clinical member.