Get to know more about Shannon Malmberg
As an avid runner, Shannon began her dog training journey in 1988 by volunteering with Project Safe Run, a personal protection-dog organization for women athletes, while she completed degrees in journalism and political science at the University of Oregon.
Upon graduation Shannon moved to Vancouver and worked as a civilian decoy with the Vancouver Police Dog Squad from 1991 until 2003: a “hired bad-guy” to assist in the training of young patrol dogs in tracking and criminal apprehension. Hiding in dumpsters, running down dark alleyways, and getting bitten by German Shepherds gave her an insight into working with high drive dogs and dog aggression.
It was here Shannon truly got the dog training bug.
She founded her company Zen Dog Canine Training Ltd. in 2002, teaching dogs and their people across Vancouver and the lower mainland. To date she has worked with close to 10,000 clients on a broad range of issues from puppy raising to behavioural cases, and all things in between.
As a professional dog coach, Shannon is enthusiastic and creative, committed to teaching in a way that is positive for both humans and dogs. She has a gift for bringing dogs and their people closer together while meeting the needs of each client she works with. Shannon stays current with science-based methods and is a lifelong student in all things dog.
My Great Dog Story
She tirelessly attends multiple seminars and on-line coursework a year, getting the opportunity to work with some of the world's leading dog trainers in developing her own craft. Shannon is driven by her passion to learn more and do better by the dogs she lives and works with. She also has a keen interest in building relationships through toy/tug play, and understanding canine nutrition, fitness and body conditioning, rounding out her understanding of dogs' needs.
Shannon is recommended by breeders, veterinarians, rescue organizations and related industry peers for the work she does. She currently shares her life with two amazing border collies and can be found in the agility ring or out in nature.
About the company
The company targets specific classes and personal coaching for rescue dogs, as well as reactive dogs, puppies, adolescent and adult dogs, honouring their unique stages and transitions in life. Zen Dog is committed to positive reinforcement-based strategies when working with clients and their dogs and seeks to engage the learner with effective game-based methods so that learning is fun for all.
What do Dog Owners think?
Shannon was an amazing trainer for me and my rescue pup Rosie, my pup and I were both anxious and Rosie was very reactive with other dogs. Shannon taught me how to deal with stressful situations and create a positive environment for Rosie to be more comfortable / relaxed on our walks when encountering other dogs. She has a wealth of knowledge and is great at passing it on during sessions as well as following up by sending really helpful training exercises to work on at home. I recommend Shannon for anyone looking for help creating a more harmonious relationship with their dog.
Just completed a Rally O class with my 10 month old terrier. It was so much fun! We experienced challenging courses, constructive training and great support from Shannon. I would highly recommend this course to dog owners with good training basics.
Shannon and Zen Dog training are now training our third dog, indicating how satisfied we are with Shannon’s training over the past 15 years! Our previous two dogs started in puppy class and progressed through all the different classes up to the skills and drills classes, ensuring our enthusiastic poodles (and us!) were well trained and socialized. We really enjoy the group classes that Shannon holds outdoors, and value both the instruction she provides in class, as well as the class previews and supplemental on-line information. With her extensive experience and expertise, Shannon uses positive reinforcement techniques to help us train our new 5-month-old puppy. Our new puppy is quite reactive and anxious, something new to us - we are so glad that Shannon has been there to support and advise us, to help us navigate his path through adolescence. In summary, I highly recommend Shannon and Zen Dog training if you are looking to train, socialize and work with your dog in Vancouver and the lower mainland.
We have a rare breed, a Thai Ridgeback, which is known to be a challenging breed. But our Cooper is just like any pup, friendly interactive and now well trained. Shannon and Jen that we have worked in private and in classwork are extremely knowledgeable and use most current and best practice in their training methods. Highly recommend.
Shannon is the best! More than 12 years ago, I was searching out a dog trainer, after purchasing a 'wild child' 6 month old German Shepherd puppy. Lucky for us, we found Zen Dog Training and Shannon has been with us every step of the last 12 years! We still do training as often as possible and keep learning all the time! Thanks to Shannon's gentle guidance and coaching, we are a great team!
Many of my dogs have benefited from attending classes with Shannon. Her experience, expertise and passion for creating a partnership with your dog is evident in every step. I’ve brought dogs and puppies with varying experiences and all have shown marked improvements in being good dog citizens. I would highly encourage someone looking to develop a great relationship with their new puppy or dog to explore the many options and opportunities provided by Shannon.
Absolutely cannot say enough great things about Shannon! She’ll work magic with your dog and teach you how to do the same.Her Rally-O classes are a nice addition to regular obedience training. My dog absolutely loves the fun brain game aspect of it, not to mention it’s social and fun for the humans too! 10/10 recommend and will be returning for more Rally-O
Shannon is a master. Her alternative methods make her training very special and unique. She empowers the dog and the owner to have a healthy relationship based on respect for one another, and choices, versus fear-based training. I highly recommend Shannon if you are getting a new puppy or trying to integrate a second dog into your home. The education she provides will last a lifetime.
I have been taking my feisty young terrier mix dog to Shannon's Saturday morning Skills & Drills Power Hour for the past few months and it has been a game changer for us. He went from being unable to be close to the other dogs and having to do the exercises 20 feet away from the group, to being able to walk past dogs, in between dogs, towards dogs, all a couple of feet away from him with no issues. This class was exactly what we needed for him to feel more comfortable around other dogs and I am so grateful for Shannon's knowledge and encouragement. Shannon has years and years of dog training experience and it shows!! Sylvie Fefer
Remy and I love coming to Saturday classes! Shannon is knowledgeable and kind. We trust her expertise. Saturdays are a wonderful way to supplement our own training and stimulating for my dog :)
Had such a wonderful experience with the first couple of lessons we started with Shannon and our new rescue puppy. She definitely catered the training to exactly what she felt my dog needed and was extremely realistic and understanding with him. We will be looking to continue more in the warmer months, as well as attending group classes!
We had a great training experience with Shannon! Our focus was to work on mild reactivity, focus and recall, and most of all to build a stronger bond with our rescue dog and explore awesome things we can do together. She taught us what we needed and more, is very thorough and a wonderful teacher! Highly recommend
