Welcome
Sparky's Comrade Inc.
We started out as a dog walking company in 2011, and now exclusively offer Dog Training Services to dog owners in the East End of Toronto. Servicing the Riverdale, Leslieville, The Beach, and Danforth area.
Nicole Barnett - CTC, CSAT
Director, Sparky's Comrade Inc.
Nicole has been working with dogs since 2011, when she started Sparky's Comrade Inc., a small scale dog walking company. Later expanding it to a corporation employing a small team of fellow dog lovers and dog trainer enthusiasts. Sparky's Comrade has grown into a Train and Walk Service for Dog Owners, and a Consultancy and Education platform for Dog Walkers.
Upon her journey with Sparky's Comrade Inc. she became heavily invested in learning more about dog wellness and behaviour. Her journey to become a force free and positive reinforcement trainer started there. She enrolled in The Academy for Dog Trainers in hopes of gaining an in-depth understanding of Applied Behaviour Analysis as well as a foundation of its application to Dog Training. She graduated The Academy for Dog Trainers in August 2019, and things snowballed from there:
Certifications Achieved:
- CTC - Certified Trainer and Counsellor w/ The Academy for Dog Trainers, 2019
- CSAT - Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer w/ Malena DeMartini, 2021
- Living and Learning with Animals w/ Dr. Susan Friedman, 2020
- Family Paws Parent Educator, 2021 (course completed, but not a current FPPE member)
Other Seminars and Certifications:
- Pet First Aid w/ Walks'n'Wags, renewed in 2018
- Defensive Handling with Aggressive Dogs w/ Michael Shikashio, 2018
- Canine Nutrition Seminar w/ Wholesome Canine, 2018
- Lemonade Conference w/ FDSA, 2020, and 2021
- Geek Week w/ Pet Professional Guild, 2020
- Fear Free Shelter Certification, 2020
Nicole is most passionate working with dogs that struggle with Fear and Aggression related behaviour problems. Dog's that have a bitey-barky way of saying 'no thanks' is her bread and butter (or well.. cheese and hot dogs). Her compassion for working so well with clients in these areas of difficulties comes from her own struggles with her dog Peanut. A nearly 10 year old foxy-gremlin who has a lot to say, and packs a lot of punch when she's uncomfortable. Be prepared for some relatable Peanut stories when meeting with Nicole and know you are NOT ALONE!
She is also the owners of a Virtual Dog Training Studio called We Work for Treats.