“Words cannot express how great Kim is with dogs. She took the time to work on the things that my Mini Australian Shepherd puppy, Cricket, really needed, as well as things I never thought of – things she knew would benefit us. Her approach to training is built on positive reinforcement and has set me and Cricket up for success. Kim has set the right foundation for me to build on, so I can continue to strengthen my bond with my pup. I highly recommend her.”
~ Lynn and Cricket
Awards
About Tumblewood Canine
Tumblewood Canine’s training facility located on our 93 acre, fully-forested property. It provides the perfect environment to optimize your dog’s ability to learn with an indoor training space that can be used in all seasons, an outdoor obstacle course and fully-fenced outdoor training space. So whether you need to limit distractions and triggers, provide exercise and mental stimulation, or develop your dog’s ability to focus with distractions, we can work with you and your dog to help them be the best they can be.
Training Philosophy
We know that most people who get a dog want them to become the perfect canine companion. They want a versatile, well-behaved dog that integrates well with friends and family, does what it’s told, and that can go anywhere. We believe that the biggest key to success when training your dog is building a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. We’ll work with you to become a good lifelong leader for your pup, giving you the tools you need to set them up for success. Through a combination of proper socialization and formal training, we’ll help you lay the foundation for your pup to become the perfect addition to your family.
Training Methodology
We use the ‘Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive’ (LIMA) training methodology for all training and behaviour modification therapy. Before starting any training, we must first make sure our dog’s physical needs are met. For example, a dog will not be able to learn if it is too hungry, thirsty, injured, or simply has too much energy. We must also control our dog’s environment to improve their ability to learn. This could be things like the cues we are giving, the setting we are in, and what we are using to motivate them to work. We use positive reinforcement as our primary training technique, which is associated with the lowest incidents of aggression, attention seeking, avoidance and fear in dogs.
About Kim
Kim French started training dogs in 2010. She decided to leave the corporate world behind after 15 years to pursue dog training full-time and founded Tumblewood Canine. Kim is passionate about teaching and coaching people and their dogs. She loves working with dog owners to build a better understanding of their dog, helping strengthen their bond and get measurable results with their training.
Kim has passed the Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) examination through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She graduated with the highest honours from Canine Academy’s Professional Dog Training and Canine Behaviour Therapy program, with a final grade of 98%. She is a member of the Canadian Kennel Club, Canadian Association for Professional Dog Trainers, and is certified in Canine Emergency First Aid through Canine Health Canada. She has taught at various dog training schools as well as privately, and has experience in puppy development and socialization, obedience, rally obedience, agility, scenting, tracking, and canine behaviour modification.
Certifications and Memberships
Testimonials and Reviews
“Kim is a natural when it comes to training dogs and graduated from Canine Academy’s Professional Dog Training and Canine Behaviour Therapy program with the highest honours. Kim understands that different dogs require different training techniques to be successful and can apply them effectively. She is also excellent at communicating with clients, helping them to learn how to get the most out of their dog. I would highly recommend Kim to anyone looking for help training their dog.”
Sue McMullen, Owner and Trainer at Canine Academy
“This training facility is amazing. I have learned SO MUCH about consistency and expectation setting with my dog, and Robin is learning to make good choices!! Kim and her team make each training session valuable and the lessons translate so easily at home. Tumblewood has turned chaos into harmony with our dog… and it gets better every day. Highly Highly recommend!!!”
~ Heather and Robin
“I could not be happier with Kim’s training of both our dog, and us. Kim is the kind of trainer who thinks about things. Not only was she able dig into the underlying causes of certain behaviours, but she also used that information to adjust her training. I feel like I have learned to speak a whole other language, and communicate more effectively with my canine family member thanks to Kim!!”
~ Carrie and Kevin
“I was totally impressed by these classes! Ashley has been to two (or three) other group classes, and none of them were nearly as effective as yours! She listened, she was attentive, and she picked up on things very quickly. I will most definitely be back.”
~ Lisa and Ashley
“Kim has a wealth of knowledge and does a great job of explaining the theory behind the training and why we are working on a technique. She has many strategies and provides options and advice on what will work best for each dog and handler. Awesome and highly recommend her to anyone.”
~ Steve and Alfie
