Trainers
Meet Our Training & Behaviour Consultants
Companion Veterinary Clinic’s Training Team offers professional positive, science-based methods of training and behaviour modification. Our classes and training sessions are fun, positive and designed to increase the bond between you and your pet!
Jessica Benoit
RVT, VTS (Behaviour), CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, Fear Free Certified Trainer
Jessica graduated from the NAIT Animal Health Technology program in 2010. In addition to being a Registered Veterinary Technologist, Jessica is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behaviour; she is the second Veterinary Technologist in Canada to earn this designation and among 25 in the world. She is also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and Fear Free Certified veterinary professional, trainer, and speaker.
Jessica is proud to be the co-owner of Companion Veterinary clinic, a Fear Free Certified Practice since 2018. She developed the training and behaviour program at Companion Veterinary Clinic in 2013, developing curricula for dog training classes, kitten classes, trick training, and offering private training and behaviour modification sessions. Her goals have always been for clients to see their veterinary clinic as the first step to helping them with their pet’s behaviour, and to ensure the emotional welfare of patients during veterinary visits.
She is passionate about teaching pet guardians how to best motivate and connect with their pets using positive, science-based methods of training. She has a special interest in teaching in cooperative veterinary care and enjoys training canine and feline patients to have control and choice during veterinary examinations and procedures.
Jessica enjoys educating and sharing her knowledge through speaking engagements which include Doggone Safe presentations for children, guest lecturing for post-secondary institutions, providing client education seminars as well as continuing education events for veterinary professionals. In addition, she provides mentorship for veterinary technologists and trainers interested in animal behaviour.
In her spare time, she loves being outdoors with her husband and two children, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and 10 chickens!
Chantal Turcotte
KPA CTP, Fear Free Certified Trainer
Chantal is a valuable member of our animal training team. She has always loved animals and surrounds herself with them as much as possible. She became interested in training and behaviour after getting her rescue dog Blu. Blu struggled on-leash and helping her overcome this obstacle made Chantal realize how much she wanted to help other dogs with behaviour challenges.
Chantal graduated from the world-renowned Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional program in 2019 and is a certified Fear Free Certified trainer. She keeps up-to-date with humane, ethical, and evidence-based training techniques by continuously attending continuing education courses. Chantal also has a special interest in child-dog safety and setting families and their puppies up for success.
Chantal has been working at Companion Veterinary Clinic for the past 8 years. She shares her life with her husband, 4 kids, and 2 dogs.
Chantal is currently teaching Puppy Socialization and Exploration, Puppy Foundations, Trick Training 101 and Door Manners for Dogs.
Janna Stachniak
RVT, Fear Free Certified Trainer
Janna has completed Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals: The Fundamental Principles and Procedures of Teaching and Learning. She is currently enrolled in the Karen Pryor Academy Professional Dog Trainer Program.
She also has her diploma in Photographic Technology and has found a passion for taking photos of pets. She is currently a volunteer photographer with several animal rescues in hopes that she can help these animals find their forever homes.
Janna loves to spend time with her husband and their two cats, Frodo and Ginny. She enjoys hiking in the mountains, spending time with family and friends, wall climbing, and of course, taking photos of her cats!
