About Us

Meet Our Team

Gwen Little is a passionate and devoted dog trainer with a CPDT-KA certification, underscoring her commitment to sound training principles and ethical standards. She also holds a Pet First Aid certification and a BSc. in economics. An honours graduate of Animal Behavior College, Gwen was mentored by Sharon Worsley and has furthered her education through Absolute Dogs' PDT and Geek programs. She is also a judge with CARO Rally Obedience and an accredited evaluator for Life Line Canada for Therapy Dog candidates. Most recently, she graduated from Atlas Assistance Dogs to assist people in training their own service dogs.

Gwen's passion for helping owners train their own service dogs stems from a deeply personal place—the loss of her brother, a military personnel who succumbed to PTSD. This drives her dedication to supporting others facing similar challenges.

Her commitment to ongoing education is paramount. Gwen actively participates in conferences and consistently pursues additional courses through Animal Behavior College, Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, Karen Pryor Academy, Hannah Brannigan’s Z2CD program and ClickerExpo, ensuring her knowledge remains current. She advocates for science-based training with a focus on positive reinforcement, promoting a humane and enjoyable approach to training that strengthens the bond between dogs and their owners.

Kyla McNeill, Certified Professional Dog Trainer and lead trainer at Paus-n-Train, joined the team in the fall of 2018. Kyla is passionate about helping dogs and their humans build a rewarding, lifelong relationship grounded in mutual understanding.

Her love for dog training began at the age of 8 when her family adopted a high-energy, independent Siberian Husky, sparking her journey of research and hands-on training with her own dogs, as well as those of family and friends. Over the years, Kyla has worked as a dog walker, in a dog daycare, and apprenticed with another trainer before transitioning to full-time dog training.

Kyla places great emphasis on continuing education, regularly attending seminars, workshops, and courses, both in-person and online, to keep her skills sharp and up to date. She believes in the power of positive reinforcement and motivational techniques to create well-understood behaviors while fostering trust and communication between dog and handler.

Beyond her professional work, Kyla has achieved significant success in agility. She and her border collies, Niamh and Lennan have competed in Regional and National agility competitions and are members of the Woofjocks Canine All Stars performance team. Notably, Kyla qualified and competed in the IFCS 2024 World Championships in France and has also qualified for the 2025 Canadian World Team with her youngest border collie, Lennan.

In her personal life, Kyla shares her home with her beloved fur-family, which includes two cats, Niamh and Lennan the border collies, and a rescue dog—a miniature dachshund named Penny. She enjoys competing in agility with her border collies.

With 18 ½ years of dedicated service in the military, Nathalie transitioned into civilian life as a Licensed Paralegal and Environmental Technician. However, her passion for working with animals led her to pursue a career she truly loves. After completing her Professional Pet Dog Training program at Good Dog Academy, she’s been happily working alongside Gwen at Paus-n-Train since December 2023.

Dogs have always been a part of Nathalie’s life. Her mother bred dogs and immersed herself in obedience training, passing that love onto her. She’s owned and shown many dogs over the years, particularly Rough Collies, a breed she also used to breed. Currently, she shares her life with Leroy, an American Bulldog, and Nalu, her daughter’s Border Collie. Soon, she will be welcoming Naya, a Rough Collie puppy, who will begin her journey as a future service dog.

Now, Nathalie is working towards her Canadian Certification as a Professional Dog Trainer. Every day, she’s grateful for the opportunity to help dogs and their owners strengthen their bond and better understand each other. Her own dogs have trained at Paus-n-Train and will continue to do so, because she always want to learn and grow. She’s excited to meet you and your furry companions!

Stephanie has always been passionate about all animals, helping friends and family with pet sitting at every opportunity.

Stephanie has been playing agility for 4+ years with both of her dogs. She has achieved multiple Q’s working towards her first titles. She has been apprenticing under Kyla for more than 2 years and is now teaching our Beginner Agility classes.

Stephanie is attentive to detail when teaching. She wants to give every team as much information and feedback for them to be as successful together as possible and her students love her for it.

She started as an assistant agility trainer with Kyla and has been apprenticing for more than 2 years.

Stephanie is positioning herself to learn from every member of the team to develop her handling and teaching skills. She is also working towards her CPDT-KA designation.

Jess’ love of animals started early on in her childhood where, for fun, she would spend time memorizing dog breeds, horse breeds and different species of animals.

Jess always wanted to train with her family dog growing up, an American Cocker Spaniel named Taffy, but with limited knowledge, resources, and guidance, it proved to be difficult. She would later on try her hand at trick training with her beloved rabbit, Flower, with much more success.

When she was ready to get her first solo dog, Jess did extensive research on training techniques, mental enrichment games, different puppy stages, and dog body language in preparation. Finally in September of 2021, Jess brought home Fennel, an 8.5 week old Miniature American Shepherd.

Jess has loved training with Fennel on a daily basis, and watching as he has turned into the dog he is today. They work on basic manners, agility, and trick training, having earned their Advanced-Masters trick title in July of 2024. Jess loves strengthening her bond with Fennel and trying new dog sports, and is always striving to learn how to be a better handler.

She currently works as an assistant trainer at Paus-n-Train in the Puppy Prep and Manners Masterclass classes, and loves helping clients to better understand their own puppies and dogs, and give them the building blocks for a great life together.

Jess also works as an illustrator, where she designs and makes greeting cards, stickers, enamel pins, prints, and also pet portraits.

Jacquie possesses the remarkable ability to steer the Paus-n-Train Team on a steady course. With a warm and welcoming demeanor, she's the cheerful voice guiding phone calls and managing inquiries.

A dedicated canine enthusiast, Jacquie has honed her training skills in nearly every class offered by Paus-n-Train. In the near future, she'll open her heart and home to a new four-legged companion. Notably, she has also accomplished the rigorous PDT and Geek training courses under the tutelage of Absolute Dogs.

Jacquie's passion for training and her role in team coordination make her an essential part of Paus-n-Train, where her expertise, enthusiasm, and commitment shine.

Jen started as an assistant trainer in 2010 with Who’s Walking Who Dog Training when she was looking for new things to try with her first dog, a Havanese, named Missy. Together they found agility, and have never looked back! Missy earned her agility Gold Standard Title and Gold Award of Merit, as well as her Silver Versatility Award, and won the 2018 AAC National Championship.

Her current dogs include Master Chief, a Havanese, River, an Australian Shepherd, and Ivy, a German Shepherd. All of her dogs play agility, and Chief has also competed at the Agility Association of Canada's Provincial and National competitions. Chief is already at the Masters level, has earned his Expert Trick Dog title, and has also earned his Excellent title in Rally-O. River is just getting started in competitions, and is working on her Novice Rally-O title, and has already earned her Expert Trick Dog Title! Ivy is a high-energy girl who is teaching Jen how to up her training game!

In real life, Jen is a high school Music Teacher, and when she isn't performing with her bands, she can be found performing with the "Woofjocks Canine All Stars" at various fairs and festivals, and attending dog competitions or seminars almost every weekend.

Mission Statement

"Empowering Bonds, Transforming Lives: Unleashing Possibilities Together"

At Paus-n-Train, we’ve always believed in the life-changing power of rewards-based dog training. Over the years, we’ve focused on creating happy, well-mannered dogs and building strong, lasting relationships between pets and their people. But now, we’re ready to take our mission even further.

Our goal is to be a source of hope and empowerment in the world of canine companionship. We're not just training dogs—we’re nurturing lifelong connections that enrich the lives of both humans and their four-legged companions. As we commence on this exciting new chapter, we’re thrilled to introduce an initiative that will impact lives on a deeper level.

We believe every dog has the potential to be a cherished family member and a source of steadfast support. But we’re aiming higher—beyond happy pets—to make a broader impact.

Partnering with Atlas Assistance Dogs, we’re launching owner-trained service dog programs that redefine independence and purpose. By blending proven rewards-based techniques with the unique needs of those seeking assistance, we’re shaping a new era of compassionate, effective service dog training.

This initiative is more than task training—it’s about empowering individuals to live fuller, more independent lives. We envision a world where every service dog showcases the remarkable capability of teamwork between humans and animals. With a foundation in science-based methods, an unwavering dedication, and the undeniable magic of the human-canine bond, we’re driving this vision forward.

Join us as we build a future where dogs aren’t just pets, and owners aren’t just caretakers—they’re partners in a transformative journey. Together, we can open the incredible potential within every dog, every person, and every relationship. Let’s create unbreakable bonds and inspire lives to reach new heights.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to transcend the realm of traditional dog training. We are a guiding light, leading the way to a future where the relationship between humans and dogs is a harmonious symphony of love, trust, and endless potential.

In this vision, we stand at the forefront of progress. Our methods are deeply rooted in cutting-edge research, and we are unapologetic champions of humane practices that elevate your dog's well-being and enhance your journey together. We don't just train dogs; we unlock their true potential and enrich your life in ways you never thought possible.

Values

Passion – the fire within us inspires those around us to achieve their training dreams
Transparency – open and honest for all to see HOW we interact with ALL species including the human end of the leash
Continuous Learning / Constant Improvement – stagnation is not an option for our Team of trainers
Commitment to Customers – they are the reason for our success and why we remain so passionate about training
Diversity – we are inclusive of all dogs and all their people