Training Center Staff
Sharon Wirant, MA, ACAAB, CPDT-KA, CAP 1
Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist & Certified Pet Dog Trainer
Sharon has successfully trained dogs in agility, flyball and obedience for nearly 20 years. Her interest in dog behavior and learning led her to pursue and earn a Masters degree specializing in Animal Behavior. Both her undergraduate and graduate research focused on canine behavior. Sharon is one of 50 professionals to hold the unique certification as an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Society ( http://www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/). Certification by the Animal Behavior Society demonstrates that Sharon meets the Society's educational, experiential and ethical criteria as an applied animal behaviorist.
Sharon's role at the Monadnock Humane Society is as the Chief Operating Officer where she oversees shelter and business operations. She is also a Contract Trainer with the ASPCA® where she facilitates the SAFERTM Aggression Assessment tool to organizations around the country. Recently in this role, Sharon was a member of the ASPCA team to assess Pit Bulls, Rottweillers and their mixes for the US Marine Corps in Parris Island, SC and Newburgh, NY to keep families and their pets together despite the breed ban placed on military base housing. Lastly, Sharon is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, Certified SAFERTM Assessor, Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and a Certified Masters level agility judge for the United States Dog Agility Association.
Sharon believes the key to a well behaved pet is understanding canine communication and having clear, consistent expectations. Despite a rigorous scientific background, Sharon employs a fun, playful approach to most behavioral training needs. By combining sound science, the art of dog training and humane solutions, Sharon helps owners resolve or manage their dogs' problem behaviors while strengthening their relationship.
Outside of her educational and career pursuits, Sharon trains and competes in agility and regularly trains with top handlers, trainers and behaviorists. Zippy, her late lab mixed breed and first agility dog, was a Grand Prix Finalist, named to the USDAA Top 10 numerous times, and earned top agility, obedience and flyball titles. Darla, her 15-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, has also earned top titles in agility, qualified for National agility and JRTCA events, and was named several times to the USDAA Top 10.
Sharon and her husband share their lives with a flock of sheep and 6 dogs: Rizzo (chihuahua-x & MHS alum), Darla, Tinq and Killick (Jack Russell Terriers), Scooter (Border Collie/Jack Russell Terrier-x & MHS alum), and Zesty (Border Collie). Sharon, her husband and their dogs all participate in agility, terrier, and herding events. Sharon is available for private lessons to improve your agility and behavior problem solving needs.
Member: Animal Behavior Society, Association of Pet Dog Trainers, International Society for Applied Ethologists
Amee Abel, CAP 1
Amee has been training her own dogs for as long as she can remember. With her sons grown, she‘s focused her energy on helping others train their dogs. Amee has been a frequent and successful competitor in Rally, Freestyle, and Agility. She currently owns and trains 4 dogs; 3 Collies (Batman, Loki, and Spirit) and a Rat Terrier (Basil.) Amee is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)and recently earned a Level 1 with distinction rating in the Clicker Trainers Competency Assessment Program (CAP1.)
As the mother of a child with disabilities, Amee became interested in the healing power of the human/animal bond. Two of her dogs currently hold registration with Delta Society as Pet Partners® Team-members, and work with her visiting in special education classrooms, and senior residences. Amee is the Coordinator of Monadnock Therapy Pets, a group that develops new Pet Partners® Teams and supports existing teams in their volunteer work in Cheshire, NH and Windham, VT counties.
Amee says her dogs are her personal trainers, causing her to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle and to keep learning new things. Currently, her dogs have her dancing--as she embraces the new sport of Canine Freestyle.
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Rachel Brostrom, CPDT-KA, CAP 2
Rachel has been training and showing dogs for over 20 years. She is a Professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, and a Certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator through the American Kennel Club. Rachel is also a trial Representative and judge for APDT Rally Obedience.
Rachel's competitive spirit, interest in training and showing, and love for dogs began as a child and has continued into adulthood. Rachel and her family have constantly shared their house with dogs that she trains and competes with in agility, competition obedience, Rally obedience, herding and conformation. Over the past 10 years, Rachel and her canine companions have earned hundreds of titles in these events.
Rachel holds degrees in Biology and Education. She has found that her teaching and dog training experience work hand-in-hand in the fact that kids are a lot like dogs in their need for positive reinforcement, good motivators, clear boundaries and consistency. Through teaching and training, Rachel enjoys helping people have fun and enrich their relationship with their dog.
Duke Champney, CAP2
Duke has had a lifelong interest in dog training. He has successfully trained many well mannered family canine companions. In 2008, Duke began volunteering at the Monadnock Humane Society. He focused his volunteer time by training shelter dogs, especially the more energetic dog. As a result of his successful work with the shelter dogs, Duke attended and graduated from the Monadnock Trainer's Academy in 2009. Since his graduation, Duke has been a valuable assistant in all classes offered at MHS. Recently, he passed his examination to be a Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.
Duke's breed preference is the energetic Boxer. His boxer Kiah, pictured here, has turned into an accomplished canine learner via Duke's excellent clicker skills. Energetic, rowdy dogs are the type of dogs that Duke likes to train. He has experience working with rambunctious shelter dogs, giving them some self control skills.
Diane Gibbons 
Diane is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is currently a student of the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior. She is also a member and instructor for the Canine Agility Training Society. She has been competing in agility for nearly ten years, and has two dogs who have earned three championships in the CPE agility venue, along with other titles in USDAA and NADAC. Currently she competes with Pilgrim her Australian Shepherd, Skye her rescue Border Collie, Star her tiny mixed breed, and Lexi her Sheltie rescue who she adopted from MHS in 2008.
Diane specializes in bringing together the principles of awareness practice, positive training methods, and "conscious cuing" into her work with dogs. She thinks that there is nothing better than the feeling of feeling completely in sync as partners with a dog. She strives to help people reach that level of communication through agility training.
Kim Welch, CAP 2
Kim is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a 2009 graduate of the MHS Trainers Academy, and recently earned her CAP 2 (Clicker Competency Level 2). She shares her home with two friendly and goofy Labradors: Gus, a Canine Good Citizen, and Woodrow. From their very first Puppy Kindergarten class, Kim was hooked on training and impressed by how easily her dogs learn by simply using a clicker and rewards. Kim has taken many training classes since, including some agility classes and plans to do some Rally classes in the future. She is a newly Certified Dog Walker through dogTEC and is working towards her CPDT through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers.
Kim has fallen in love with training and wants dog training to be mutually enjoyable to the dogs and people. She enjoys helping people build a strong bond with their dog through positive reinforcement training.
