Kim Cooper
Kim is the owner and senior instructor at Best Friends. She has been training dogs for over 25 years, and has been instructing training classes for 17 years. She earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Royal Military College and served for 14 years as an officer in the Air Force before making a non-traditional career move and becoming a professional dog trainer.
Kim actively competes in obedience, agility, tracking and other sports with her dogs. In the winter, she can often be found skijoring on local paths and trails. But her true passion is training search and rescue dogs. She has trained and handled 4 exceptional SAR dogs over the years, and revels in the special partnership that exists between a working dog and it's handler.
Some of Kim's accomplishments:
Certified 3 SAR dogs to OPP standards (only 12 dogs have ever achieved this certification, Kim is proud to have coached 6 of them)
Certified 1 SAR dog to RCMP standards
Certified as a FEMA Canine Search Specialist (1 of only 2 Canadians to ever achieve this certification)
Certified 1 cadaver dog with Int'l Work Police Dog Assn
Veteran of over 100 searches for missing persons
Founder, Ottawa Valley SAR Dog Association
Founding Director, Ontario SAR Volunteer Assn
Trainer of #5 Obedience Dog in Canada (all breeds) 2006
Earned first Grand Master Obedience Trial Championship on a Belgian Shepherd
Earned over 60 High in Trials
Titled multiple dogs in obedience, agility and tracking
CKC Agility judge (retired), Masters level
AAC Agility judge (retired)
Canine Good Neighbour evaluator
Canine Good Citizen evaluator
Member of the Cdn Assn of Professional Pet Dog Trainers (CAPPDT)
Long Service Member of the Canadian Kennel Club
Member of the International Police Working Dog Association
Member of the Agility Association of Canada
Member of the Canadian Disk Dog Association
Member of the Ontario Dock Dogs
Team Manager of the Ottawa Valley SAR Dog Association
Guest speaker, CAPPDT Annual Conference
Guest lecturer, Algonquin College Veterinary Technician Program
Guest speaker, Health Canada - Veterinary Drugs Directorate
Guest Speaker, SARScene National SAR Conference
Lecturer and Instructor, Camp Dogwould
Kim is not alone when it comes to the training that takes place at Best Friends. She has a staff consisting of many fully qualified instructors who are able to help train your pets and answer any questions that you may have.