About Canine Manners and More

Canine Manners and More is owned by Gretchen Chapman Stephenson and is located in Fayetteville, NC. Gretchen's love for animals began as a young child training the dogs and cats at her grandparents farm. She soon persuaded her mom to allow her to have two thrown-out mixed breed dogs and started teaching them many tricks. Gretchen's love of dogs inspired her to work for a veterinarian during high school and college where she fell in love with the Weimaraner breed. Through Gretchen's degree in communication and her years working in train-the-trainer programs for the US Army, she has a unique ability to help people understand how to communicate effectively with their dogs. Gretchen soon decided to put her love of dogs to work and decided to train dogs full time. She attended the prestigious Tom Rose School for Dog Training in St. Louis, Mo. She graduated from the professional dog training course with honors, was awarded the Professional Trainer certificate and was asked to attend the Master Trainer program where she was awarded the Master Trainer Certification and graduated with honors. While attending TRS, Gretchen worked with many different owners and dogs in group classes and private lessons teaching them such varied things as narcotic and bomb detection, search & rescue, tracking, beginning and advanced obedience. Since attending the Tom Rose School, Gretchen has continued her education by attending seminars, classes and keeping up with cutting edge information in the field of dog training. Gretchen is one of two people in Fayetteville that has earned the elite title of Certified Pet Dog Trainer by the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She is an evaluator for Therapy Dogs International, Inc and the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program. Gretchen is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, International Association of Canine Professionals, secretary for the Tarheel Weimaraner Club and is active in rescue. Besides the in-home training business in Fayetteville, she has taught group classes in basic and advanced obedience, puppy kindergarten, pre-agility/therapy dog classes and tracking classes at the Bon Clyde Learning Center in Sanford, NC.