Meet Your Local Officials
(Our Team)
Paula Nowak
Paula Nowak, owner of Canine Country Academy, LLC, began her dog training passion seven years ago by taking her own dogs through various group classes at Canine Country Academy. While she was enjoying teaching her own dogs she was also training sales professionals in the corporate world. She soon realized that training people with dogs brought her much more joy! She started learning all she could about dog behavior and training through books, seminars, conferences and apprenticing with CCA’s founder Cathy Bruce. Paula now runs the business side as well as teaching group classes, private lessons and presenting educational talks with the goal of injecting fun into all aspects of dog training to help dogs and their owners live together happily.
Paula has been featured on Atlanta Plugged In helping even more people learn about various dog training and behavior topics. She also contributes to blog posts including: Brit & Co, Chewy.com and CEO Blog Nation.
She shares her life with her husband Buddy, who has been a huge support in her following her passion of dog training and their four amazing Terriers. Paula has earned her AKC Novice Rally title with one of her dogs, Curly. She has also achieved a NW1 and NW2 title with her dog Molly and looks forward to their first attempt at NW3. Curly also has an Advanced trick dog title through Kyra Sundance’s Trick Dog program. Norby, their 2 year old Toy Fox Terrier, is working on Nose Work Competition and his first Trick Dog Title.
During her training at Canine Country Academy she fell in love with teaching not only her own dogs, but the ability to help other dog/human relationships develop the close bond she experienced through training. Her love of animals dates back to early childhood and continues to grow with each new experience. Over the last 9 years, she has also been involved in rehabilitating Rat Terriers through rescue organizations. She has worked with New Rattitude Rat Terrier Rescue & Adoptions. She also works with Rescue Ranch a local dog rescue organization. Teaching people and dogs has connected her with an amazing organization, Mister Migs, where she is currently partnering as a mentor. Mister Migs makes Dog Gear for Good providing real-life work and community experience to marginalized youth.
Paula is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), AKC Star Puppy and Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, Connection, Cooperation & Control – Level 1 Instructor and Certified Trick Dog Instructor through Kyra Sundance’s program. �She is also a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. While educating others is her passion she also takes every opportunity to learn from some of the best educators by attending seminars, conferences and reading their books. These include: Suzanne Clothier (currently working on C.A.R.A.T. 1.2), Clicker Expo speakers, S.A.N.E. Solutions for Challenging Dog Behavior with Kathy Cascade, International TTouch Instructor and more. In 2017, sheattended the Association of Professional Dog Trainers conference in Richmond, VA.
Paula is excited to be a part of Suzanne Clothier and Cindy Knowlton’s newest relationship centered program Connection, Cooperation & Control. She is one of the inaugural pioneer trainers bringing this program to the Southeast. It is absolutely amazing!
Hannah Pemberton
Ali Weihl
Rachel Emery
Group Classes
A cost effective way to get you and your puppy and dog training. Classes are typically 6-weeks in length meeting for 1-hour each week. Click a destination below to learn more about the classes offered.
Take Me Straight to Registration!
Private Coaching
We offer custom 60 to 90 minute coaching sessions in the comfort of your own home, at our training facility or out and about.
This is great to get one-on-one coaching for specific skills, address behavioral issues and help you prepare for your new puppy.
Gwinnett County, GA and surrounding areas
Additional Training
Need a professional to jump start your puppy’s training and socialization? We understand you have a busy life with work and family. Our team loves building the foundation to set you and your new addition up for success. These sessions can be done in the comfort of your own home or at our training facility.
Enrichment at VCA Falcon Village
Gwinnett County, GA
Behavior Consulting – The Canine Country Approach
When necessary, we also work closely with your veterinary team to ensure that any behavior issues potentially caused by physical problems are brought to light, and that any physical problems can be remedied by a veterinarian expert. If fact, we are proud to have many great cross consulting relationships with veterinary clinics in the area.
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100% Positive Reinforcement
The use of punishment or aversive techniques can be a recipe for disaster for a dog suffering from reactivity, aggression or fear. Beware of “dog experts” who would try to convince you that your dog suffering from behavior problems is trying to dominate you. In many cases, dogs with these types of problems are dealing with fear issues that have been completely misunderstood or overlooked.
Our role as your behavior consultant is to help you better understand what your dog is communicating, and to fix the root cause of that fear.
Check out our Reactive Dog Program CLICK HERE
Let’s Dig Deeper…
- Aggression
- Reactivity
- Fear
- Separation anxiety
- Housebreaking Issues
- Destructive chewing
- Other stress-related behavior problems
If so, please call us directly at (678) 979–2016 or contact us to discuss.
We are happy to customize and quote a tailored, consultative solution for your dog’s particular behavior issues. Generally lasting about 90-minues, our in-home or on-site behavior consultations will HELP YOU get your beloved canine back on the right track to a happy and more balanced life!
Lawrenceville / Gwinnett
975 Cripple Creek Drive
Lawrenceville GA 30043
(678) 979-2016
Lawrenceville
Georgia
Lawrenceville/Gwinnett and surrounding area: Group Classes, Private Lessons & Behavioral Consulting
(Please note: Our Athens facility is no longer open.)
Upcoming Events
K9 Nose Work Workshops
Friday, August 16th – Sunday, August 18th with Jill Marie O’Brien at Canine Country Academy in Lawrenceville, GA
Three days of workshops focused on the fun sport of K9 Nose Work!
Friday, Aug. 16th from 9:00am to 4:30pm Private Coaching Workshop *Audit spots available
Saturday, Aug.17th from 9:00am to 4:30pm K9 Nose Work Shelter Project Workshop *benefits Rescue Ranch
Sunday, Aug. 18th from 9:00am to 12:30pm Containers: Thinking Outside the Box *Audit spots available
Sunday, August 18th from 1:30pm to 4:30pm NW3 Challenges *Audit spots available
Sloppy Sits and Little Limps – Decoding Normal vs. Problematic Movement Patterns
Saturday, June 11th at 5:00pm April 13th at Canine Country Academy
This two hour lecture and live demonstration with Lisa Bedenbaugh will discuss normal movement pattern in different breeds and ages of dogs vs. those movement patterns that could indicate underlying problems. *Demo dogs only.
Fee: $20 per family
Conformation Workshops
Join us for three days of conformation education with Vicki from Show Dog Prep School. She has a wealth of knowledge in teaching, showing dogs and dog behavior. If you want to teach conformation, get coaching or just learn more….please join us!
Friday, June 21st from 9am to 1pm – Teaching Conformation
Friday, June 21st at 2:45pm – 30-minute Private Coaching
Saturday, June 22nd from 10am to 5pm – Show Like the Pros
Sunday, June 23rd from 10am to 5pm – From Shy to Showy
For almost two years I have had the privilege of training at CCA. My dog Harper is unique in many ways. From the age of 12 weeks she has worked her way through the requirements to become a trained service animal. Harper isn’t your traditional service dog. She weighs in at 13 pounds, has never met a task she couldn’t master and is full of attitude. CCA has guided us through many challenges that are specific to our daily work, as well as the many “normal” issues that coming with having a dog in your life. The trainers have managed to challenge us in creative ways through agility, rally, tricks classes and more. Their care and concern toward us is evident in the planning they put into every class. I am grateful to have found these wonderful trainers and I frequently recommend Canine Country Academy to everyone who compliments Harper.
We found Canine Country Academy we read every book and watched every video we could find about training. Overwhelmed and frustrated by so much conflicting information, we bought into training methods that only made things worse. We care about our dogs like family members and we were so lost. After a very bad experience with another trainer, a trusted friend referred us to Canine Country Academy. Our trainers have been absolutely amazing and incredibly caring. Their knowledge and experience has taught us so much and helped all of us and our dogs have better lives. We would have been lost without them. Thank you all!!!
We love Canine Country Academy. When Cait was only nine weeks old we started puppy classes just to learn basic manners and socialization skills. She is now four years old with titles in Nosework and Rally Obedience, Advanced Trick Dog, and serves as a therapy dog (TDI) to schools, retirement centers, and hospitals. The best part is that all her training has been positive and fun. We have had a great time at CCA!!!
I can’t say “Thank you” enough to CCA. From my very first interaction with them I could tell that they put the needs of the dogs, first. They were looking out for me and my dog instead of just trying to make money. I have a fearful, 2 year old Chihuahua named Aurora, and our trainer has helped us both tremendously. We have had private lessons and Shy Dog class. We have a long way to go, but we have come so far! Our trainer has given me an abundant amount of resources and techniques and tools so that I can continue our work at home between classes. Aurora and I have become closer throughout these classes because I’ve learned how to anticipate her needs and I’ve learned how to help her deal with her high anxiety triggers. I can’t wait for the next class for Aurora and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her and how far she will go!!!
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