Chesapeake Dog Training started in 2009 when owner Linda Stallings realized that there was a need for a different kind of dog training in the Annapolis area.  The company initially provided daily walks, overnight pet sitting, and private lessons to a very local group of clients.  Trainer Bethany Cornwell later joined the team in 2018, after Linda and Bethany had met working together at the Maryland Zoo.  Linda and Bethany incorporated methods and teaching styles used working with exotic animals that really compliment the traditional dog training methods. 

 

In 2014, CDT worked with the SPCA of Anne Arundel County to create a training and socialization program for its most 'difficult to adopt' dogs.  This experience provided the CDT team with much more insight into the lives of dogs in shelters and many of the reasons that dogs are surrendered.  CDT worked even more diligently to figure out simple, but effective training methods and exercises to teach frustrated and sometimes desperate owners how to transition and help dogs so that they could adjust to their new homes.  CDT trainers also realized through their experiences at the SPCA the importance of appropriate socialization with other dogs.  Dogs who are comfortable around other dogs and understand how to communicate with their own kind are often more balanced and happy dogs.  This led to the company taking on boarding dogs and training the dogs while they were boarded.  This program allows for dogs to learn basic obedience AND socialize with other dogs at the same time. 

 

Combining all that the CDT staff learned through zoo experiences, shelter work, dog training conferences and seminars, and working directly with hundreds of dogs, staff came to the conclusion that dog owners in the Annapolis area, needed a safe, indoor place to exercise, learn, and have fun with their dogs.  The trainers searched high and low to find just the right place to provide long-term training opportunities to the rapidly growing CDT community. 

 

The addition of an indoor, climate controlled facility in Millersville, MD provides even more opportunities for dogs for training, exercise, and socialization.  With the company’s unique style and proven training techniques, CDT hopes to continue to improve the lives of dogs and their owners for years to come.