KIND · INNOVATIVE · FUN
About The Canine School
We are committed to using the kindest and most effective training methods for both humans and dogs. We do not use pain, fear, punitive coercion or aversives in our training plans. We view working together as a holistic experience where we will make sure your dog is healthy and comfortable throughout our journey.
We work to stay up-to-date with our knowledge and skills so that we can bring the latest effective, humane, science-based approaches when working with you and your dog. We aim to help you create a strong bond with your team based on mutual trust and cooperation.
Meet our instructors + our dogs! Venez à notre rencontre !
Chantal Mills, BEd., CSAT, FFCP, LLA Graduate 2022
(elle/she/her)
Owner / Head Trainer
Thanks to her 20+ years of experience in the world of education, as an elementary, intermediate and high school teacher, Guidance Counsellor and Vice-Principal, Chantal is at ease working with the most important end of the leash. She has a passion for teaching!
Chantal is a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), certified and mentored by Malena DeMartini, the world’s leading expert on separation anxiety. She is a Fear Free® Certified Trainer (FFCP Trainer), a graduate of LLA (Living & Learning with Animals), a member of the Canadian Association of Pet Dog Trainers (CAPDT), a member of the American Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG – the Association for Force-Free Pet Professionals).
She regularly attends conferences, workshops, seminars and webinars to keep up to date with the latest in the industry.
Chantal’s family includes Bug, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.
Chantal est bilingue et serait ravie de vous aider en français.
Maëva Leblanc, FDM, Cert.CF (elle/she/her)
Trainer / Behaviour consultant
Born in the North-eastern part of France, Maëva settled in Canada in 2014 to start her career in project managing and event planning, which is a real asset in interpersonal relations and organizing!
After years of volunteering at rescue shelters and being involved in pet sitting, a real passion for dogs grew. She started discovering canine behavior, positive reinforcement, how they learn and how to make their experience the best possible! In addition to volunteering and fostering, Maëva is an adoption coach for a local rescue in Ottawa.
Maëva has been specializing in reactivity and pain related behaviours thanks to her multiple certifications and certificates obtained throughout the years. She is an Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation professional, a Canine Arthritis Management advocate (certificate) and has a certification in Canine Fitness to be able to help your dog in a holistic way.
In Maëva’s life, three dogs made a huge difference : Coco, Nitro and Hugo! Beautiful Coco, Maëva’s first dog as an adult, was rescued during his last years. From then on, a passionate love flourished! Nitro was the “challenging” dog: an anxious filled dog that was welcomed to her home for a few months e was the dog that pushed her to go further into her canine education.
And Hugo ? Hugo is the dog in the pictures, her companion on this journey. He is the dog in all the videos and homework for the certifications and classes she took.
Au plaisir de se rencontrer !
Maëva est bilingue et serait ravie de vous aider en français.
Ottawa Dog Training
Happy Dogs, Happy Clients
Not sure if our programs are right for you? Hear from happy clients.
My mom and I took my puppy Marley to puppy kindergarten. It was a very interactive class, I learned quite a lot on some possible behavioural problems. They also have no issues answering any questions you have outside of classes, too. I would highly recommend it, especially since the dogs enjoy themselves so much!
We have done Reactive Rover and private training with a previous dog, as well as the Puppy Kindergartens, and soon will be doing Basic Good Manners and other classes with our new pup. I have never had a bad experience with this school or it’s instructors. They stay up to date on the latest science and truly know how to create long lasting results that strengthen your bond with your dog. No matter what issues we threw at them, the instructors have always been patient and understanding, and helped us come to a plan to solve the issue with our pup’s behavior. They never judge and they love every dog they work with. No matter what problems you might be having with your dogs, I highly recommend Ottawa Canine School. Not only is it cheaper than a lot of other schools in the area that use outdated methods, but the trainers here know dog psychology wonderfully. Pictured is my 6 month old lab puppy in Puppy Kindergarten 3, after successfully completing her first agility course with the help of instructor Liam.
As a long-time client of Ottawa Canine School, I was recently connected with Maëva to address some challenges with my sensitive and fearful dog, Hazel. While it’s still a work in progress, Maëva’s patience, calm presence, and genuine commitment to understanding the root of Hazel’s behaviours have already made a meaningful difference. I especially appreciate that she considers factors like pain, stress, or confusion rather than simply trying to correct unwanted reactions. Every session feels supportive, thoughtful, and productive.