Our Team

Our staff are certified professional dog trainers through CCPDT, Certified Separation Anxiety Trainers, and are working towards behavior certifications through CCPDT and IAABC

Vanessa Niemi, CPDT-KA, CSAT, is an AKC Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog evaluator, a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through CCPDT, and is pet CPR and First Aid certified.

  • Vanessa belongs to several dog training organizations, including the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Pet Professionals Guild (PPG).
  • She regularly attends conferences and watches webinars at every opportunity in order to remain current and aware of emerging science and training techniques.
  • Her dog Baxter has been involved with Rally-O, agility, lure coursing and dock diving.
  • Vanessa’s favorite part about being a dog trainer is helping pet parents develop a bond with their dogs. Her main interests are in dog behavior problems and how to solve them humanely and using positive methodologies. She has been training dogs professionally since 2015 and has been engaged in dog behavior work since 2020.

CCPDT     IAABC     PPG     APDT     CSAT     Aggressive Dog     AKC     CGC     CGC     CGC    

Our trainers and behavorists are supported by technologists and data scientists who operate mostly behind the scenes – but they too are ever present and instrumental in making Calm Waters Dog Training a reality!