At AZ Dog Sports we follow CCPDT guidelines in our training.
You may book a class or private lesson with our trainers by calling our registration desk at 602-237-6775.
Or you can sign up for one of our Small-Group Classes by clicking the button below.
Debbie Nichols – Trainer, CCPDT-KA , CGC Evaluator, Service Dog Trainer
Debbie has been working with dogs her entire life. Her love of dogs started early on with 4-H, then as Vet-Tec and as a shelter manager, in L.A., Las Vegas, and Maricopa County. Debbie’s passion for working with dogs introduced her to the sport of Agility. Her love of Agility is one of the reasons she teaches her favorite leisure past time at AZ Dog Sports.
Debbie has been an instructor for Contact Zonies Agility Club since 2006, when she was training her own competition dog. She teaches foundation, novice, and competition Agility. Her creative courses are now part of our indoor venue all year around. In her spare time, Debbie also fosters many rescue dogs for Boxer Love Rescue and has fostered and trained over 30 dogs in the last 10 years for that organization. Debbie provides basic obedience and level 1 training as part of our Board and Train program, where the trainer houses and trains the dog over a 2 to 4-week period. This is a great way to have your dog develop the practical obedience and manners that most guardians would like for their pets.
Debbie is a Realtor by vocation and loves living and training in her space designed for dogs to have fun and exercise in her own spacious home venue, including outdoor agility field! She also shares her passion for clean living with her dogs and has educated herself in raw feeding. In addition she has interests in Natural/Homeopathic care for them as well.
Lynn Brand – AKC
CGC
Evaluator, STAR Puppy Evaluator,
APDT
Professional Member, AZ Dog Smart Academy Instructor
Lynn Brand has been training at AZ Dog Sports for ten years. Her focus includes training companion dogs in obedience; both puppies and adult dogs. Lynn is an AKC Approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and tests candidates for the basic CGC title up to the advanced AKC Urban Canine title and the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program. She is a professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Lynn is skilled in training all breeds of dogs including rescues. Lynn also helps train Therapy and Service Dog and teaches several courses in the AZ Dog Smart Academy. Lynn believes that early development and a strong bond of trust and love between dog and handler is critical to success and is best achieved through methods based on positive reward and reinforcement. She wants her clients to know the pleasures of responsible dog ownership and the joy of having a well-mannered canine kid.
She began training German Shepherd Dogs in the demanding sport of Schutzhund in 1997. She has taken her own GSDs through all phases of the sport, including IPO3-level titles that entail the most difficult international testing standards. Lynn has a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona and continues training her next generation of German Shepherds in Schutzhund. Lynn is active in the Phoenix Schutzhund Club and currently serves as its President.
Ashley Dunham
As soon as she turned 18, Ashley began her career working with dogs. She volunteered with a local wildlife rehabilitation center, where she learned to work with canids of all types, as well as a wide variety of other wild animals. Following her passion to work with animals, Ashley then went on to graduate from ASU with a B.S. in Animal Behavior, Physiology and Neuro-biology. While getting her degree at ASU, she graduated from a technical school, and has worked for several years in a veterinary setting as a technician and receptionist.
Ashley also has experience in a scientific setting studying animal behavior as an undergraduate researcher at a laboratory at ASU. She spent four years as an intern teacher and dog trainer for local non-profit organizations that provided service dogs to aid people with disabilities.
Her goals in training are to strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners by promoting effective communication and activities both parties can enjoy. Although she loves dogs of all shapes and sizes, she especially enjoys working with giant breeds, and owns a Great Dane named Ziggy, who holds a CGC certification.
Heidi Reth –
AZDS-CPT
, RN
As a lifelong dog lover and rescue volunteer, Heidi wants to increase the bond between people and their pets. Her specialty is great positive training, structure, love, and a calm patient approach.
Heidi has been professionally training dogs for years in obedience and behavior modification. In the past year she started working with service dogs for veterans with PTSD and mobility.
Heidi became a trainer after adopting her deaf Pitbull named Apollo, who challenged her to join the field she always loved. After going through AZ Dog Sports Academy, Apollo has become a mild mannered chunk of love that can go anywhere with her!
She also has 3 other small dogs – Rusty, CC, and Louie. Rusty is a home service dog performing tasks such as opening and closing doors, pushing buttons, picking things off the floor and retrieving items that have fallen out of reach. As an in home trainer, this approach works for clients needing a dog, but wishing to be involved in the training under guidance of a professional.
Heidi has been an operating room nurse for 14 years and is currently studying to be a holistic nurse coach. She would like to integrate dog training into a healthy lifestyle for people to reduce stress, increase physical activity, and increase the bond and love between people and their dogs.
Kim Spelman – AZDS-CPT
Kim has always been an animal lover. She started her career with pets as a veterinary technician and worked with a leading mobile spay/neuter clinic in the valley. Kim has also worked at several valley veterinary facilities. Her work with rescue organizations lead her to pursue a career in training with the AZDS Academy in Phoenix, where she graduated at the top of her class. Kim specializes in individualized board and train work for puppies, therapy dogs, and service dog training. She also teaches small group beginner classes in the AKC sports of Rally, Agility, and Scent Work.
Kim is a positive trainer that employs a variety of skills to create the ideal family pet and values the importance of teaching children the appropriate way to interact with pets. Polite canine Day Training is also a favorite activity for her small dog clients and owners can rest assured she will return their dogs mannerly, exercised, and happy.
Her home is host to a horse, a mini pony, a tortoise, and 4 dogs. An avowed animal person, she enjoys all breeds from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds, and is a team member at AZ Dog Sports.
Denise Franczak-Johnson –
AZDS-CPT
, AKC Tricks Trainer,
CCPDT-KA
,
CGC
Evaluator
Denise is a retired high school sculpture teacher who has loved animals since she was a young girl growing up in inner city Chicago. Dogs would follow her home and she would clean them up, feed them work with them and find them a good home. Even on a trip to Mexico and Italy the street dogs followed her. Her compassion and intuitive nature for animals makes her a natural trainer who does what is best for her client and their dogs. She has also worked as a trail guide and horse trainer teaching equestrian camps, raised birds, ferrets and has 3 tortoises as well. Denise rescued her two dogs after her 17-year-old Golden Retriever passed away and discovered one to be extremely fearful and one who was reactive.
It was these two dogs, Levi and Blue that brought her to AZ Dog Sports; as she believes people don’t always get the dogs they want, we gets the dog we need and who needs us. Denise has worked on helping them become more balanced but knows they will need constant work. Just like the street dogs of Chicago, she won’t give up on them. Her years as an educator and dog trainer help people and their dogs communicate so their dogs become well-balanced members of the family and society. Certifications include AZ Dog Smart Academy, certified AKC tricks trainer and CGC evaluator. Denise also is a Doterra essential oils educator for dogs and people! She is currently studying to pass her CCPDT certification now that she is retired as a Phoenix Teacher.
Don Bradley – Director Bridging Forever Families Animal Rescue
Here at AZ Dog Sports Don is our Certified Dog-Walking Supervisor (certified via AZ Dog Smart Academy). He teaches Agility for Beginners and Agility for Fun at AZDS, Swim lessons and Outdoor Adventure, swim and play classes for enrichment as well. Board & Train with Don is also available upon request. Through AZ Dog Smart Academy, Don has learned positive training methods, handling and equipment skills. He does pet-sitting in your home or boarding at his own home. He brings his years of experience to AZ Dog Sports including work as a Vet Tech.
Robert Cantor –
AZDS-CPT
Robert is a Certified AZ Dog Smart Academy graduate and Arizona native. For his fifth birthday, his parents brought home an Australian Shepherd rescue from the AZ Humane Society. Since then his love for canines has only grown. “I consider it a privilege that my livelihood consists of working with dogs every day!” At AZ Dog Sports Robert teaches in-home private lessons, activity and enrichment classes, swimming and games and also does day-training.
Kasey Carbone – Trainer
Kasey has had a love of animals since childhood. Starting first as a volunteer, and then onto her professional path, she began by taking a position as animal care technician at several well known Valley shelters. Kasey cared for, exercised, monitored, and worked with as many as 50 dogs at a time. She worked with all ages and all breeds, honing her skills to relate to many types of dogs and cats. After working with both Freedom Brothers Rescue and Condition Canine, she became interested in the deeper relationship and training that she experienced when rescue dogs are given a second chance at a great life. Participating in Agility, Scentwork, CrossFit, and Obedience handling multiple breeds; Kasey has attended the AZ Dog Smart Academy and will soon complete her CCPDT certification for positive training.
Outside of doing her puppy classes at AZDS, she enjoys exploring the outdoors and kayaking with her faithful chihuahua mix, Bruiser.
Kelsey Coia,
CCPDT-KA
Kelsey is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) who got her start working in shelters – first as an animal care technician and then advancing onto dog behavior and training. She is versed in teaching basic obedience as well as service dog training, though her specialty is working with dogs who have specific behavioral challenges such as reactivity. She focuses on using positive reinforcement methods and creating a fun, fear-free training environment.
Kelsey is a bully breed enthusiast and has two of her own. She enjoys hiking and going to the park with her kids and dogs. Before starting a career working with dogs she obtained her B.A. in Geography with minors in Biology, Environmental Studies, and GIS. She has been passionate about dog behavior ever since she was a child thanks to her love of watching Animal planet and bonding with her rescue dogs at home.
Becky Maxwell –
CCPDT-KA
specializing in service dogs and family pets
Becky discovered her passion for training as a teen working with her family’s rescue dog, Bella. Since then, she worked hard training pets and people in retail pet stores and privately. In 2019, she was selected to become a District Trainer Mentor for Petco in Indiana and also mentored for Petco here in Phoenix. In 2022, she applied for and passed the CPDT-KA exam, becoming a certified trainer through CCPDT. Becky also worked with K9s for Warriors, a non-profit committed to ending veteran suicide by providing service dogs to those in need.
Even with a decade of training under her belt, Becky will admit that experience isn’t everything. She is a voracious learner and is constantly researching, consuming industry science and collaborating with other professionals. She uses all of those resources to tailor custom training plans well-suited to each specific dog. Her mission as a trainer is to facilitate enduring, happy relationships through compassionate training.
Becky shares her life with her two cats, Jinx and Jasper, and three dogs, Caiman, Taz and Ripley.
