Founder of Gentle Canine Fitness and Training, Nicole Ireland, has been a licensed veterinary technician with a special interest in behavior for twenty years. She is a VSA-Certified Dog Trainer (Online) who practices least intrusive minimally aversive (lima) methods with her patients and in training. 

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Nicole uses skills learned from her Fear Free certification (elite), Low Stress Handling University course, and reading extensively about behavior and training. She also stays current on the science of dog training through webinars and short courses online. Nicole is a Certified Canine Fitness Trainer thru the University of Tennessee, Certified Walk This Way Instructor thru Dognostics, Karen Pryor Puppy Start Right Instructor, and a Trick Dog Instructor thru Do More With Your Dog. 

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Nicole's personal dog training philosophy is to care for the whole dog. She strives to balance the dog's physical, emotional, and mental well-being with the needs of their human's household. 

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Nicole lives with her husband, David, in Bradford, Maine. They share the love of five dogs and one cat. She spends her spare time competing in agility, hiking with her Australian shepherd, and exploring the world through her camera lens.