Cherie Maitland,
Owner, Trainer, Behavior
Specialist and Canine Good
Citizen Evaluator
Helping you train your
dog to be a good
California citizen with
an excellent
education!
Principal  Trainer
El Dorado and
Amador County
Campuses
Fair Oaks Classes
Welcome to Canine College - California
   . . .  Dog Training for Real Life in Your Neighborhood
About Us:
Trainer
Sacramento
County Campus
Alan St. Andrew,  
Trainer and Canine
Good Citizen Evaluator,
Canine Communication
Specialist
Cherie Maitland
Principal, Training Director,
Therapy Dog Training &
Behavior Specialist
Cherie Maitland  moved to California from
Vermont in 1984. Cherie began working with dogs
at the SPCA as a volunteer in the 80's on the
California Coast. In the early 90's she was
introduced to the world of Natural Horsemanship. It
made so much sense to Cherie to train and guide
a horse by understanding their point-of-view, that
she sought out people who were doing the same
thing with dogs. She assisted with dog training
classes, behavior problem appointments and went
back to the shelter as a volunteer adoption
counselor and dog handler. She studied and
trained with a variety of other trainers from a wide
range of philosophies. After adopting a
challenging dog, Cherie also needed the
behavioral expertise of several local, prominent
trainers. After years of studying with and assisting
these other trainers,
Our Furry Friends was born
in 1999 in Santa Cruz, California.
Alan St. Andrew: Trainer, CGC
Evaluator and Conformation Handling
Fostering homeless and
"problem" dogs for 16 years, plus
another 6 1/2 years professionally
teaching people to get better
cooperation from their pets, has
given Alan an "inside"
perspective on problem behaviors
and their resolution. With a
faith-based passion for helping,
an abiding love for dogs, and a
gift for modeling their inner life,
Alan empowers pet owners to get
the cooperative pets they dream
of, by understanding and meeting
the needs of their "pack."
In 2004, Cherie moved to the foothills and continued teaching in Amador and El
Dorado Counties. She uses effective and humane methods to teach basic
obedience, Agility For Fun, Training for Therapy Dog Visits, and a wide variety of
other types of classes at her 2 Training Locations in Diamond Springs and Fair
Oaks.  She also helps with more serious problems including fearfulness, anxiety,
aggression towards people, dogs and cats, nuisance barking, and safety with kids
and dogs
.

She hails from the new school of training, incorporating learning theory and
understanding canine psychology, in order to teach people to be great dog owners,
handlers and leaders. When needed, other approaches are incorporated, because
she believes that there is something valuable to learn from most approaches and
that flexibility and tailoring methods to a specific owner, dog and situation is crucial.
Cherie's instincts about what people and their dogs need to be a better team,
combined with her practical knowledge and step-by-step teaching style is extremely
effective.

In 2009, Our Furry Friends expanded into Sacramento County - offering private dog
training for real life in people's homes and own neighborhoods. For details see
Programs and Prices.
With his prize-winning Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, Ch El Dorado's Whoa
Nellie, Alan is active in Champion Class conformation competition in the United
Kennel Club (UKC), as well as conformation and ranch trials in the National
Association of Louisiana Catahoulas (NALC), and is a Certified AKC Canine
Good Citizen Evaluator. He has served as Judge for conformation and obedience
competition in the NALC, is currently training Nellie for obedience and weight-pull
competition, and is ALWAYS alert for opportunities to work her with cattle and
hogs for the ranch trials. Alan lives in Shingle Springs, CA with his dog Nellie.
Contact us
about mobile
Agility For Fun
classes in your
local park!!