Let’s Meet Christopher! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I live in a rural town with my wife and 2 dogs. I have a Chocolate lab named Chloe and a Beagle/Bassett Hound named Annabelle. I currently work in manufacturing. I make high performance foam that goes into NHL, NFL and NBA gear. Our foam is in almost all hockey helmets and hockey gloves. We also make high impact foam for NFL players. Now that I’ve graduated I’m building my own business in dog training; you can visit my website at www.knutsonscaninetraining.com

How did you benefit from your experience at ABI?

My ABI education has laid a really great foundation - they really gave me a strong understanding of the canine species. There was an awful lot of material covered in the two programs I completed. I review it on a weekly basis; I have a binder with all of the classes organized by program with study guides. I stumbled upon ABI by accident trying to do independent research on canine behavior. ABI really made me want to further my education. I also am working toward my CPDT-KA certification. ABI gave me a push and helped me realize my academic potential.

What was your favorite course?

I can’t really say I had a favorite class. They were all good in their own respects. I will say that the professors were a good pick for the classes they taught.

How did you complete your field experience?

I completed my field hours with a hunting dog trainer, at my local animal shelter, and through dog training clients.

Would you recommend ABI to others?

I would recommend ABI to other people that are looking for a specific area of study. The canine programs had more than enough information to effectively and confidently train dogs and take on clients. Once you get out of school it’s not easy. Building a business, and a reputation, is a lot of work.

I would say networking with other like-minded trainers is a must. Having someone to bounce ideas off of is a great resource. You will inevitably encounter situations that the online study and field requirement didn’t completely prepare you for. Knowing someone with experience is invaluable. Working with dogs is an easy task, working with people can be difficult at times!