Our Story

Having a life-long love and obsession with dogs, Teri started her career as a veterinary technician in the early 90's, teaching professionally in  2003 &  opened  the Maine Dog Training Company  in 2017 . Starla has been professionally training dogs since 2012 and  became co owner  of MDTC in 2020.  The MDTC  mission is to give dogs and owners the quality of life they deserve , and be a beacon of education for trainers,  owners and competitors  by bringing some of the best and most talented speakers to the state of Maine. We are proud members of the  International Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Granite State Working Malinois Club,  American Working Malinois club  & United Schutzhund Clubs of America

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Teri's "staff" dogs - Brees, Zuzu, Porter & Kiddo - have work experience as class assistants, demo dogs, and play therapy experts. Their activities include agility, obedience, protection sports, tracking and nose work.
Brees the corgi is a professional print model with a ton of personality and incredible obedience.   His image has been featured for various dog products  including Subaru dog gear . Contact us for his availability!

Teri Robinson 
Teri Robinson is the co owner of MDTC and  has over 25 years of animal care experience, studied psychology and animal behavior at USM and has been helping dog owners solve problems for over a decade. As the former manager/director of training for a large dog daycare/training facility in Portland, she created the dog training curriculum, taught classes, organized seminars and agility trials and oversaw the care of 50 dogs a day. Teri served as the kennel manager at the Animal Refuge League, overseeing the care for over 700 dogs a year and creating the Shelter Dog Training Program.

While Teri's formal obedience experience stems from IGP (Shutzhund) and AKC Obedience , her adaptation and application of those skills to the real world is what makes her training particularly effective. She has titled dogs in IGP (Schutzhund), AKC obedience, herding, conformation & agility.
 
Teri is a lifetime student and completed  40 hours of an operant conditioning training course with Mike Suttle of Logan Haus Kennel, The Principles of Dog Training with Michael Ellis, and The Shelter Dog Program with Sue Sternberg and Pia Silvani. She regularly attends behavior seminars featuring Kathy Sdao, Sarah Kalnajs, Dr. Nicholas Dodman and Suzanne Clothier &  4 day  NePoPo seminar presented by Pat Stuart.
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Starla Howard
Starla Howard is the co owner of MDTC & has been working and training  dogs since 2012. 
Starla trains, competes and titles her dogs in GRC Dogsports with her pitbulls; Maveric, Tyson  & Cassidy and IGP with her malinois Aria . When she isn’t teaching others,  Starla can be found working her dogs or taking them on various hikes and adventures throughout the state. She is a strong advocate of Pitbulls and other bully breeds, and works diligently to ensure them the best conditions to succeed. 
She has completed courses nationwide including Tar Heel Canine in North Carolina,  completed 40 hours of an operant conditioning course with Mike Suttle of Logan Haus Kennel, and a 4 day NePoPo seminar by Pat Stuart. 

Rachel Perigny

Rachel Perigny joined the MDTC team in summer of 2021. She has been around dogs her whole life and has always had an interest in dogs and training. She has worked at a veterinary hospital for 7 years and as a veterinary technician for 5 years. She has raised and done foundational training for police dog prospects and has completed a small animal behavior class at UNH and strives to always be learning in this field. She has extensive experience with working dogs and owns 2 Beglian Malinois, Tikka & Akki that she trains and titles in IGP. To round out her own pack she also has 2 miniature Dachshunds, Eleanor & Phoenix and cat, Seda.