About Caroline

Hi I'm Caroline!

Since starting my training career 20 years ago I’ve helped over 6000 dogs and their people live their best lives together!

As both a dog trainer AND a people-coach it’s important to me that my clients get results and feel supported along the way. In addition to the confidence in knowing they are getting unparalleled expertise and experience, Raising Rover clients have peace of mind knowing that they have a coach in their pocket for the journey. I am their biggest cheerleader with each small success, there to support them when they feel challenged and occasionally to hold them accountable with gentle nudges where needed.

A passion born early!

My passion was born early: from the moment I could walk and talk I wanted to be able to communicate with animals. I spent my childhood surrounded by pets who were considered family and devouring books about Jane Goodall and James Herriot. When the time came to choose a vocational path, veterinary medicine seemed the logical choice.

In my first semester of a Biology degree at McGill University I took an animal behaviour elective and had my first big lightbulb moment. Studying animal behaviour was learning to communicate!

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And so I spent the next 4 years completing a specialization in Ecology, Evolution and Animal Behaviour, studying the behaviour of whales, birds of prey and everything in between. But there I was, a shiny new graduate living in a big city with no whales or eagles in sight. With bills to be paid, I veered off-track and became a financial advisor.

The path to launching Raising Rover in 2005

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This provided a great entrepreneurial training ground but I wasn’t happy. When my family adopted a beautiful handful of a puppy a few years later I had another light bulb moment: although we had always had dogs that wasn’t the same as learning about them. Working with dogs using evidence-based methods and kindness wasn’t just about achieving a well-mannered dog, it resulted in a profoundly deeper connection and mutual understanding. Sadly that puppy never saw his first birthday but from the day he passed it became my mission for everyone with a dog to be able to experience the same transformative journey.

After a 2-year mentorship program with one of the city’s leading training schools and evenings and weekends dedicated to learning as much as I could from leading experts in canine behaviour, I adopted my own dog Kali. It was truly love at first sight but she had a number of challenging behaviours (you can read more about our journey HERE). My mentors were unsupportive and suggested more punishment-based methods to manage her. Initially I was discouraged, these were supposed experts that I looked up to. But it only made me more resolute in my commitment to becoming a better positive reinforcement-based trainer. It was also a clear sign that it was time to go my own way so in 2004 I became Toronto’s first Board Certified trainer and with Kali by my side I hung up my suits and left the corporate world to launch Raising Rover in 2005.

Raising Rover now

20 years of experience has only fuelled my passion to keep learning and I still spend my free time taking courses to stay at the forefront of the field. I take great pride in bringing my clients only the most advanced knowledge and approaches and offer full transparency on my educational journey below (I have a list of courses taken on my site).

Kali passed after a rich lifetime of lessons and memories and I now share my life with Rookie the cat and a Cairn Terrier named Harry. Both are rescues and are not only eager training students but important teachers.

Professional Dog Training in Toronto - Raising Rover - Where Good Dogs Grow

Fun facts about me: I can whistle REALLY loudly,  creative salads are my jam in the kitchen and my childhood nickname was Cookie (so it was pretty much destiny) 😀

I look forward to meeting you and your dogs!

Committed to staying at the forefront of the dog behaviour and training field

List of courses completed
Considerations for the City Dog: Placing and Helping Dogs in Densely Populated Areas
Pet Professional Guild: Melissa McCue-McGrath
“It Must Be Genetic”: The Heritability of Aggression
Dr Jessica Heckman
Shaping Up Shaping.
Dr. Karolina Westlund
PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION for Canine Non-Aggression Problems
Dr Ellen Lindell
Trauma, Memory, & Learning – Understanding and Working with Dogs Impacted by Trauma
Pet Professional Guild: Dr Danielle Beck
Aggression in Dogs 3-DAY Conference 2023
Michael Shikashio, Irith Bloom, Dr Christina Calder, Dr Tim Lewis, Maasa Nishimuta, Sindhoor Pangal, Sahari Salazar, Dr Kristina Spaulding, Sue Sternberg, Sarah Stremming, Dr Wailani Sung
Thinking Outside the Box: Visual, Tactile, and Non-Auditory Communication with (Deaf) Dogs
Terrie Hayward, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Getting to Yes: Encouraging Your Dog to Cooperate in His Own Care
Deborah Jones, PhD
The Science of Making Dogs Happy
Zazie Todd, PhD
From Roadblocks to Rainbows: Enhancing Client Consulting Skills
Melanie Cerone, PhD, CPDT-KA
BRAINWORK FOR DOGS: TEACHING COGNITIVE SKILLS TO DOGS: Session 1: Animal as Tool Users, Choice & Imitation
Pat Miller
BRAINWORK FOR DOGS: TEACHING COGNITIVE SKILLS TO DOGS: Session 2: Color, Shape & Object Discrimination
Pat Miller
BRAINWORK FOR DOGS: TEACHING COGNITIVE SKILLS TO DOGS: Session 3: Match to Sample, Reading & Counting
Pat Miller
Learn How to Enjoy More Success with Your Virtual or Live Training Programs
Niki Tudge, Pet Professional Guild
Negotiation: How to Use Body Language and “Speak Dog” to Deal with Aggression Cases
James W Crosby, MS, CBCC-KA
Conducting Successful and Safe Inter-Dog Introductions
Mara Velez, CPDT-KA
The Dog as a Natural Species
Janice Koler-Matznick, MS, ACAAB (Monique Udell, PhD Moderator)
Play Way! For Reactivity and Aggression Challenges!
Dr. Amy Cook
Aggression in Dogs Conference 2022
3 days of world renowned speakers sharing the most up-to-date techniques, developments, and research related to dog aggression.
Genetics of Dog Aggression
Dr Jessica Heckman
Arousal and Aggression: When There’s Fuel Behind the Fire
Michael Shikashio, CDBC
The Secrets Behind Proper Canine Exposure to Novelty
Debbie Martin, LVT, VTS (Behavior), KPA CTP, CPDT-KA
Don’t Get Lost in the Online Sauce: Give Your Clients More Virtual Bang for Their Buck
Jiovany Alcaide, CPDT-KA and Taylor Barconey, CPDT-KA
Arousal and the All-Important “Threshold”
Sharon Carroll, MAnSc, PhD candidate, CDBC, CHBC, CPDT-KA
From Distress to De-Stress: Teaching the Switch from Frantic to Focused
Laura VanArendonk Baugh, CPDT-KA, KPA CPT
The Lemon Puppy
Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP
Learn How to Enjoy More Success with Your Virtual or Live Training Programs
Niki Tudge, Pet Professional Guild
The Adolescent Period of Development and Its Implications for Behavior/Dog-Owner Relationships
Dr. Naomi Harvey
Schedules of Reinforcement and Animal Behavior
Eduardo Fernandez, Ph.D.
Separation Anxiety and Current Research: Time to Toss Grandma’s Training Plan?
Malena DeMartini, CTC, CDBC
Criteria & Rate of Reinforcement: The most misunderstood piece of the puzzle
Susan Smith
Happily ever after..or not: Prognostic factors in Behavior Cases
Dr. Jennifer Summerfield, DVM, CPDT-KA
A breed and need specific appraoch to unwanted behaviors
Chrissi Schranz
Exploring the connection between Behavior and breed with the the Darwin’s Ark project
Elinor Karlsson, Ph.D.
Canine Freestyle
Michele Pouliot
Survive and Thrive coaching program
Dog Biz
The Aggression in Dogs Conference
3 day conference led by aggression expert Michael Shikasio
The Lemonade Conference
3 day conference held by Internatioanal Accociation of Animal Behaviour Consultants and Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Canine Health Seminar: Thyroid Disorders
Dr Jean Dodds
Sugar, Serotonin and Schmackos: Raw Food and Canine Behaviour
Dr Nick Thompson
Canine Health Seminar: Vaccine-Related Issues
Dr Jean Dodds
What a Pithy: Making Classes Memorable
Kathy Sdao
Dog Aggression – What Do We Really Know?
Dr Lisa Radosta
Social interactions between dogs and humans
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Happy Crating! Crating as a Life Skill
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Managing a Skills Class – Ways to Create Success in the Classroom
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Keeping Safe – How to Handle Aggression Cases
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Expanding Your Business with Niche Classes
Teoti Anderson
Knowing Your Limits – Effective Boundary Training
Barbara Davis
Basic Behavioral Neuroanatomy
Dr Lore Haug
Introduction to Neurobiology of Behavior & Learning Part I
Dr Lore Haug
Introduction to Neurobiology of Behavior & Learning Part II
Dr Lore Haug
Virtual Consults
Katenna Jones
Real Resolution: Analyzing and Solving Behavior in Dogs
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
Canine Health Seminar: Thyroid Disorders
Dr Jean Dodds
Sugar, Serotonin and Schmackos: Raw Food and Canine Behaviour
Dr Nick Thompson
Canine Health Seminar: Vaccine-Related Issues
Dr Jean Dodds
A look inside your cat’s head: The science behind your cat and how to strengthen the human
Kristyn Shreve
Chomp: Predatory Behavior in Wolves and Dogs
Monty Sloan
Treating Behavior Problems with Medication: The what, when, why and howDr Lore Haug
The Gift of a Gray Muzzle: active care for senior dogsKathy Sdao
Training a Cat Isn’t Like Training a Dog! Or is it?Jacqueline Munera
C.A.T. Constructional Aggression TreatmentDr Jesus Rosales-Ruiz and Kellie Snider
Fur Babies: From Wolf to ChildShelly Volsche
Do As I Do: using social learning to train dogsClaudia Fugazza
Resource Guarding between Animals: Causes and RemediesKen McCort
Modular Dog Training Courses: An Instructor’s Headache or the Wave of the Future?Terry Ryan, Dr Suzanne Hetts and Dr Dan Estep
ClickerExpo Portland 20123 day conference presented by Karen Pryor Academy
TACT – Touch Associated Clicker TrainingJulie Robitaille
The Bite Threshold Model: Implications for Resolving Canine AggressionKathy Sdao, Dr Suzanne Hetts and Dr Dan Estep
Working with dogs who guard food and other resourcesTrish McMillan Loehr
Advanced clicker skills: shaping and targetingJulie Flanery

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