Becca Graham - Professional Dog Trainer & Instructor

The newest addition to the Camano Island Kennels training staff is far from new to professional dog training. Becca Graham comes to us from a highly respected Western Washington training facility where she began several years ago as an apprentice and rose through the ranks to Senior Trainer. She worked with some of its most aggressive canine clients in its board-and-train program and in group classes, and is skilled in using her own behavior to calm anxious dogs.

Becca has worked with a wide range of canines representing many breeds, from Yorkshire Terrier to Great Dane to the more obscure Swedish Valhund and Fila Brasiliero. Her experience encompasses not only the American Kennel Club breeds and designer breeds however, but includes pound puppies as well. In 2009, Becca was asked to develop a canine behavior-evaluation test for a Western Washington chapter of the Humane Society to aid in its adoption program. Adopters are able to use the evaluations to consider the temperament of potential adoptees and select the dog that’s right for them. Her system not only helped boost the number of adoptions, Becca says, but – more importantly – has helped boost their success rate. Becca worked with the chapter for a year before stepping down, but remains on call as an expert consultant to potential adopters, to shelter staff and to their new evaluator.

Becca is active in the dog-show world, where she has trained and titled multiple breeds in Rally Obedience, Obedience, Agility and Conformation. She also has trained her own German Shepherd Dog in Personal Protection, and has won several obedience titles with a variety of breeds. The American Kennel Club has designated Becca a certified official evaluator in its Canine Good Citizen Program. As such, she is authorized to test dogs and formally recognize those that meet the AKC’s ten-part standards of good manners both at home and in the larger community.

In addition, she volunteers with Canine Companions for Independence as a puppy-raiser. A puppy-raiser’s job is to take an eight-week-old pup, socialize it and teach it 30 preliminary commands, such as “Sit,” “Down” and “Visit.” At 22 months of age, the puppy returns to California for advanced training. Becca currently is raising Giles, a male Labrador Retriever whom you may see learning social skills in local shopping centers or just hanging out and holding a down-stay in our office.

Controlled socialization is the goal, so by all means ask to pet him when you see him! Giles will be here until May 2011.