About Us

The Pooch Partners Story

Founded in 2011 to combat pet obesity through fitness classes for people and their dogs, we now have comprehensive service offerings including unique and specialized dog training and fitness services, annual fund raising events, and more!

We believe your dog's best life starts with a real partnership and understanding of their deepest needs. Many modern dog behaviours are a direct result of an "evolutionary mismatch"— most dogs weren't bred to be "pets" but for specific jobs that our world often struggles to meet. We help you bridge this gap by teaching your dog to navigate our human world while providing opportunities to honor their natural instincts. This approach goes beyond traditional training to focus on a welfare-first perspective, helping you build a partnership based on cooperation, respect, and a deeper understanding of your dog's unique personality and needs —from their physical environment and health to their innate need to express natural behaviours—so they can be confident, happy, and truly understood. This isn't just about teaching obedience commands or suppressing/managing unwanted behaviours; it's about giving your dog the best possible life by empowering them with the skills they need to navigate the world confidently and joyfully while creating a happier, more balanced life for you both.

As a client-driven business, we take a long term view of our relationships. We're committed to inspiring and motivating you and your dog to achieve your goals in a safe, effective, and fun manner. Through our innovative games-based concept training, you'll be inspired by your dog's transformation and empowered to keep othe fun going!

Meet the Team!

Shelly Korobanik

Owner & Trainer

Since childhood Shelly has had a passion for fitness and dogs, but it was only in 2011 that she pursued combining the two to create Pooch Partners. As a personal training specialist with experience in a variety of sports and success competing in the World Tri-fitness Competition (finished first in her age category) and winning the 2005 B.C. Provincial Competition Figure – Masters (Over 35), she is the perfect trainer to assist you in attaining your fitness goals! But why do it alone when you can work out with the best training partner ever....your pooch!

Shelly is also an experienced certified professional dog trainer that uses games-based concept training to inspire you and your dog to not only learn, but have fun doing it! She believes learning is a life time activity and continues to enhance her education as is evident from her credentials below.

Shelly loves sharing her knowledge of positive concept-based training with people and their canines to help them achieve a healthier, happier and stronger relationship over the years!

Sila

Sila brings a ton of enthusiasm and energy to everything he does, even as a senior. Life is always an adventure with him. Canicross, agility, weight pulling, skijoring, kicksledding, and scootering – Sila has done it all, along with competing in conformance, obedience, tracking, scent detection, tricks, stunts, canine fitness and has earned numerous titles. More importantly, he has been an amazing companion in my life!

Suka

Suka is a joy to work with even with his shyness of strangers . He is very strong, fast and overflowing with enthusiasm no matter what I may ask of him. Like Sila, he has done canicross, agility, weight pulling, scootering, tracking, scent detection, and more! He also competed in conformance, obedience, tracking, scent detection, tricks, stunts, canine fitness and has earned numerous titles. He keeps our journey in life exciting!

Kallik

Kallik is our newest team member and is currently a learning sponge! So he has already got titles in Novice, Novice Masters, Intermediate, Intermediate Masters, and Trick Puppy Champion. He is going to be a go getter for sure and I am excited to see what the future holds for him in my pack!

Qilaq

(In Memoriam) Jan 18, 2007 – Jul 4, 2018

I thought we’d have more time to spend, but it was not to be.

He’s now with his sister Sesi, forever seizure-free.

My soul’s filled with great sadness and my heart feels such great pain,

I will miss my sweet boy Qilaq, until we meet again.

Run free my boy…..

Qilaq was an amazing dog, and with his sister Sesi, was an active participant in activities since Pooch Partners was created.

He was epileptic and despite being on daily medication, experienced 20-35 seizures over a 1-3 day period every month. It wasn’t always easy having an epileptic dog, but it was so worth it! He taught me many important lessons and I miss him every day.

Sesi

(In Memorium) Jan 18, 2007 – Jul 4, 2017

The decision was not easy,

but because I loved her so,

Her pain has now been ended

and I have let her go,

To be in peace and comfort,

more coughing, pills or pain,

I will miss my sweet girl Sesi,

until we meet again.

Run free my girl….

Sesi was an active participant in activities since Pooch Partners was created. Sesi tore her ACL at age of 1, but after a slow recovery period she was good as new! She also suffered from a breathing disorder which she was on medication for, and while it slowed her down, she always enjoyed her outings although less often in her senior years. Sesi was definitely the leader of my pack and kept the boys in line.

Sadly, due to deteriorating health, Sesi departed on her journey over the rainbow bridge July 4, 2017. She is thought of and missed every day.

Giving Back

Pooch Partners believes in giving back to the community! Our annual Doggie Duathlon and other fundraising events have allowed us to support animal related charities, including but not limited to the Vernon and Salmon Arm SPCA branches, Sit Pretty Pit, Hug-A-Bull, Vernon & District Animal Care Society, the Okanagan Humane Society, Vernon Pet Soup Kitchen, the Road Home Safekeeping & Rescue Society, Critter Care Wildlife Society, Forever Home Sanctuary, and the University of Guelph’s Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund.

What Our Credentials Mean

Certified Dog Trainer

Animal Behaviour College - clicker training

Professional Dog Trainer

Absolute Dogs - games-based concept training

Diploma - Animal Behaviour Science & Technology (ABST) for dogs, cats, parrots & equine

Certified Canine Fitness Trainer (CCFT)

University of Tennessee, Veterinary Academy of Higher Learning (VAHL) - Assess fitness level and create fitness plans for dogs

Certified Dynamic Dog Practitioner

Dynamic Dog Practitioner Programme - intensive functional analysis resulting in a 2-page report for vets with accompanying photos and video

Certified Licenced Whole Energy Body Balance™ (WEBB) Bodywork & Energywork Practitioner

Dr. Edward Bassingthwaighte BVSc - WEBB is a healing somatic bodywork system that interacts with the entire physical body and energy systems of pets to relieves tension in the neuro-fascial network, that has a positive flow-on effect for the entire body. WEBB also has profound effects on mental and emotional issues, releasing and integrating trapped layers of trauma and post-traumatic stress

Certified SA (Separation Anxiety) Pro™ Behaviour Consultant

Julia Naismith’s program to help dog’s that struggle with separation related behaviours.

**Licenced Family Dog Mediator* (FDM)**

Kim Brophy, CDBC, CPDT-KA. Applied Ethologist -incorporating the L.E.G.S. (Learning, Environment, Genetics and Self) model into dog services to satisfy their natural needs in training

Treat/Retreat Certified Instructor

Suzanne Clothier - program to help dogs fearful of people

Certificate - Aggression in Dogs Master Course

Mike Shikashio – approaches to training and management when dealing with aggressive dogs

Certified Predation Substitute Training Instructor

Simone Mueller – a program developed to enable prey motivated dogs an outlet for their natural behaviours in a safe way

Certified Trick Dog Instructor

Do More with Your Dog – assist clients to achieve titles up to Grand Master champion recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club

Certified Canine Conditioning Fitness Coach

Do More with Your Dog – assist clients to achieve titles up to Grand Master champion

Trick Dog Evaluator

Do More with Your Dog – enables me to evaluate clients and their dogs for all levels of their trick dog titles

Stunt Dog Judge

Do More with Your Dog – enables me to evaluate clients and their dogs for all levels of their stunt dog titles

Certified Animal Actor Evaluator

Do More with Your Dog – enables me to evaluate clients and their dogs for all levels of their Animal Actor titles

Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) Judge

Canadian Kennel Club - enables me to evaluate dogs for their CGN title

Pet First Aid

St. John Ambulance and Absolute Dogs

Fear Free Certified Professional

Fear Free - works to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating veterinary and other pet professionals as well as pet parents and rescues.– provide support to pet

Grief Coach for Pet Loss

Certified Excellence guardians during preparation and loss of their beloved pet.

Personal Trainer Specialist

CanFitPro – personal trainer

What Our Clients Are Saying

"Shelly was amazing! She taught us basic games, boundaries and all the tools we need to be successful on walks! I highly recommend Pooch Partners."

-Ashley Browne

"Absolutely amazing! We learned so much and Moose is now a different dog! He understands boundaries, and has manners! Would definitely recommend."

-Candice Mikkelsen

"Shelley is very thorough and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend Pooch Partners for anyone looking for personal training for their dog or group classes."

-Alana Tkachenko-Shultz