OUR TEAM
OUR GOALS, AS A TEAM, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO TEACH WITH KINDNESS, COMPASSION & MODERN SCIENCE BASED TRAINING methods.
Candace Dryden, RLA
CPDT-KA, IAABC-ADT, Cert-CN, cert-ff
My family always has told me, you should be a Veterinarian. I have always been interested in nutrition, wellness, and I truly had a tender connection with animals.
I grew up with all sorts of small animals, dogs and over my life having owned approximately 30 cats. I took years of horseback lessons, native bird rehabilitation courses, and even took multiple college courses in Fisheries and Wildlife while obtaining my Bachelors in Landscape Architecture at UMass Amherst.
My journey as an animal trainer started in 2009 when I adopted an umbrella cockatoo and I realized that I didn't know anything about owning a parrot. I stumbled across a parrot group on a yahoo group called "Feeding Feathers" (now on Facebook). It was a nutrition group for parrots, and the moderators were also well versed in Applied Behavior Analysis to train the parrots/animals. I was hooked!
I absorbed as much as I could about parrot nutrition and training, by taking as many workshops as I could. After a year on the group, I became a moderator and helped hundreds of members with their parrots nutrition, training and care.
After working part-time, as a dog trainer, at a local pet store training puppies, adult dogs, and working with hundreds troubled dogs, I knew it was time to offer more to our community, and Creature Connections Behavior Alliance was born.
Heading into my 16th year of my animal training career, I have helped thousands of owners with their pups. I have also worked with hundreds of parrot owners, reptile owners, and cat owners. My education in animal science and dog training continues to grow, by attending multiple workshops/seminars, reading research papers, and attending certificate courses offered by reputable organizations in all things animal.
I’m also a proud mom to my 3 yo Standard Poodle “Rocket”, my 26 yo Umbrella Cockatoo “Sukee”, and my 2 cats “Kitkat and Dusty”
You can read more about my education and experiences here.
SHANE HIBBERT
Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer
Assistant Manager
Growing up with an emphatic interest in animals, I have always had a desire to foster a compassionate connection with them. I love animals of all types! I keep and breed reptiles as a hobby: Royal Pythons and Leopard Geckos, which are two of the most docile and colorful pet reptiles available. I became a Dog Dad in 2022. Choosing to intentionally raise a high work-drive dog, I brought home Gimli, an energetic German Shepherd Dog / Malamute / Pitbull mix and began my deep dive into dog training. Very quickly, I fell in love with dog training and the two-way communicative bond that Gimli and I were able to form through Positive Reinforcement techniques. I was elated to join CCBA in 2023, where I was able to begin my official education as a dog trainer under the mentorship of Candace! Since, I have obtained my Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification and I am currently working toward obtaining more.
In 2017, I obtained two bachelor’s degrees: one in English Literature and one in Secondary Education. As a licensed MA Teacher of High School English, I have been able to leverage those skills to help human owners with their pups during our classes.
caroline colorusso, MS, CCC-SLP
CBATI-KA, FDM, PST-CI
Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer
Senior Trainer
It's been no surprise that since 2022, I began pursuing an additional career in dog training, inspired by my passion for improving communication between both ends of the leash. I've been fortunate to have been and continue to be shaped by several mentors, though my greatest teachers remain the animals who have come through my hands or shared their lives with me. I'm currently the full-time pupil of my personal dog, Dani, a greyhound from the racing industry who has taught me so much about what TRULY matters in the dog-human partnership.
At present, I hold certifications as a Family Dog Mediator (FDM); Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor--Knowledge Assessed (CBATI-KA); Certified Instructor in Predation Substitute Training (PST-CI); and as a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG). Rest assured, though, that my learning journey is far from over! I also hold a Master of Science and national Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech and Language Pathology, with 2 state licenses as well.
My professional interests are vast, and stretch from dogs who are shy/anxious seeking confidence, to those struggling with reactivity and aggression; dogs with high prey drive; and dogs who are less "biddable," but far from being "stubborn." My approach is largely shaped by Suzanne Clothier's Relationship-Centered Training, as well as Kim Brophey's Family Dog Mediation/Total Welfare and L.E.G.S. models, among others. I'm proud to use the skills from my other career as a neurodiversity-affirming speech pathologist to provide guidance to human-dog teams and families of all kinds.
It's an honor to be a member of the CCBA team, and to help you and your dog understand each other for the better.
Everything in my life has always led back to dogs: from the earliest artwork my parents hung on our refrigerator, to the books that filled my backpack and shelves, to the endless knowledge on different breeds that left my lips (sometimes appreciated, but often unprompted). There were playdates and ice skating lessons and sleepovers with friends... And dogs. Years of lessons in horsemanship and horseback riding... And dogs. Interests in art, and psychology, and eventually the decision to pursue my initial career in speech therapy... And dogs. To paraphrase the common saying, it's "dogs all the way down" for me.
karen burdick
Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer
Senior Trainer
Super Mom to 2 amazing children and 2 awesome pups! More to come.
caroline porter
Junior Trainer
Coming soon.
haley roy
Junior Trainer
Coming soon
haley parker
media & operations extrodinaire
Outstanding Mom to an energetic 10 year old and Dog mom to two very different pups. I joined CCBA after attending a basic manners class with my four month old Boxer/Hound Puppy. My eyes were opened to more than I ever knew about Dog training. I quickly knew I wanted to be a part of CCBA, and I became a client for life. I assist CCBA with their Social Media by creating fun clips of our classes and snippets of learning for our clients.
