Meet Our Washington DC Dog Trainers!

Beth Aldrich – Head Trainer

As with most canine professionals, Beth Aldrich loves dogs. Her goal is to give each and every owner the tools and strategies to create a strong and rewarding bond with their dog. Beth has spent almost 8 years in the canine industry of the DC metropolitan area, working as a dog walker, a dog caretaker in a group facility, and a manager of several doggie daycares.

Beth has also donated her time fostering and rehabilitating countless fosters from many local rescues, to include Washington Humane Society, Rural Dog Rescue and LuckY Dog Animal Rescue. Through all these positions, Beth has earned hands-on experience with many different breeds, temperaments, and behavior issues.

Beth reached out to Canine Trade Group because after years of dealing with well-meaning pet owners and their dogs, she noticed a lot of miscommunications between owner and dog. These miscommunications ended up with the dog being labeled as dangerous or unpredictable and sometimes sadly in euthanasia. Beth decided that Canine Trade Group would be the best place to learn how to clear the channels between owner and dog; she was later accepted into the rigorous dog trainer course and completed her study and practicum.

Now a certified dog trainer and behavior specialist, Beth works to alleviate these miscommunications with science-based training methods that give people the knowledge, confidence and information to stabilize communication with their dogs. Beth serves the DC metro area and more, and she cannot wait to meet and help you and your pup!

Bethany Bennett – Professional Dog Trainer

Bethany Bennett has always found a way to surround herself with animals, despite growing up with any of her own. She was always interested in learning what makes them do what they do. Fresh out of school, she was looking for a clear career path and stumbled upon a job opportunity working as a dog handler at a doggy daycare in DC. After landing the job pretty quickly at the doggy daycare, she was greeted by a black Labrador retriever on her first day. The lab pushed a ball under the gate and waited patiently until Bethany threw the ball and the lab retrieved it. This went on for about 2 hours, then it was nap time; it was love at first sight. It was soon after that, Bethany knew she wanted to work with dogs.

After a decade and a half of dog daycare experience, volunteering at the PG Animal Shelter, and working with rescues like Rural Dog Rescue and Homeward Trails Rescue that Bethany saw the bond between owner and dog struggle due to owners failing to efficiently “speak dog”. It’s impossible to speak dog, but we can communicate with them in a way they understand! Bethany knows proper communication is possible and necessary to help owners co-habitate with their canine companions. Somewhere along the road, Bethany met Beth in the canine professional world and was blown away by Beth’s effectiveness in the training field by using a balanced, reward based based methodology. Bethany has been certified by Canine Trade Group and has been mentored by Beth as well. Bethany hopes to help you find that miscommunication gap between you and your dog and help build a stronger foundation together!

Savanna Mitchell – Professional Dog Trainer

As the daughter of a veterinarian, Savanna has been an animal lover her whole life. Growing up, she helped train hunting dogs with her dad and spent time working with dogs at a local shelter in college. After moving to Washington D.C. in 2016, she quickly got involved with a local rescue. She began fostering dogs and eventually adopted two pups of her own.

Savanna can empathize with dogs and owners facing tough behavioral issues. She first discovered Monument Dog Training as a client seeking guidance for behavioral issues with one of her own dogs. After working with Beth and seeing the great progress her pup, Ruby, made with the skills and techniques the trainer introduced, Savanna decided to take the next step in her own career. She became a certified dog trainer and behaviorist. 

The trainers at Monument Dog Training in D.C. have completed their certification through Canine Trade Group’s program for dog trainers. The program was designed by John Van Olden, who first gained dog training experience as a Military Police Dog Handler and Trainer and later founded K-9 Advantage, the first dog training franchise in the country.

He holds his canine behavioral specialists to the highest standard, which means that Savanna spent hundreds of hours perfecting her craft before joining the team at Monument Dog Training. After studying canine psychology, training methodology, and proving herself through supervised, hands-on work, she became a part of the team.