Empathetic Dog Trainers

Here to support you every step of the way.

Founder of Honourable Hound*
Principal Trainer & Behaviour Consultant

Holly Chen

CPDT-KA, KPA Puppy Start Right

Holly Chen, professional dog trainer and owner operator of Honourable Hound Dog Training in Vancouver

Hello! I’m Holly and I’m the owner/operator and principal trainer at Honourable Hound. In my 10+ years of training, I’ve seen it all and I wouldn’t change a thing. Before starting my own company, I worked as a behaviour consultant for organizations big and small - from grassroots local businesses to multi-national chain pet stores. Dog training is the only career I’ve ever known and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.

These days you can find me working with pet guardians from all walks of life. From helping first time puppy owners conquer potty training challenges to supporting experienced dog guardians who are navigating complex canine behaviour problems and beyond. I’ve even worked with a number of wolf-dogs!

More than anything, I love helping people make the most out of the years they spend with their beloved furry family members. Training is not about creating the perfect dog, but working with the dog you’ve chosen to create a fulfilling relationship. Good dog training is a journey of understanding and honouring our animals’ needs as well as our own - and we’d love to join you on yours.

* Formerly known as River District Dog Training

  • The Lemonade Conference 2022 - Presented by FDSA & IAABC

  • The Lemonade Conference 2021 - Presented by FDSA & IAABC

  • Fear Free Certification - Completed in 2020

Recent Continuing Education

Credentials & Professional Memberships

Maraysha Kennedy

Trainer & Behaviour Consultant

KPA-CTP

Maraysha Kennedy, professional dog trainer at Honourable Hound Dog Training in Vancouver

Hi! I’m Maraysha and I’m a certified dog trainer and behaviour consultant at Honourable Hound. A dog geek at heart, I graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional program in 2022 - scoring 100% on the Teaching Assessment, and 98% on the Training Exam. Although becoming a KPA Certified Training Partner was a big step, my path to becoming a trainer actually began 8 years ago.

In 2015 I volunteered at the BCSPCA Vancouver Branch as a dog walker and later, as a foster caregiver. While at the shelter I met a Dalmatian cross named Tika who was fearful and shut down as a result of abuse and neglect. Taking Tika home and building trust with her while I fostered her was so rewarding - it ultimately inspired me to work with dogs.

To expand my understanding of canine behaviour, I spent the next 6 years learning everything I could about dogs. In that time I worked as a bather at a grooming salon, learned about consent-based husbandry at a holistic pet company and even opened my own dog walking company, which included 4 employees. These diverse experiences helped to shape me into the well-rounded trainer I am today.

Nowadays, nothing lights me up more than sharing the life-changing benefits of positive reinforcement training and seeing my clients go from unsure to empowered. I’m most passionate about puppy socialization and cooperative care and I believe the best trainers approach every dog (and their people) with sincere compassion - no matter where they’re at in their training journey.

  • Safety & Defensive Handling with Aggressive Dogs - IAABC Self Study Course
    Michael Shikashio, CDBC & Trish McMillan, MSc, CDBC, CPDT-KA

  • Resolving Resource Guarding - IAABC Self Study Course
    Sarah Dixon, CDBC

  • The Lemonade Conference 2022 - Presented by FDSA & IAABC

Recent Continuing Education

Credentials & Professional Memberships

Andrea Tyc

Marketing & Administrative Support

BCIT School of Business & Media

Marketing and business support at Honourable Hound Dog Training in Vancouver

Hello! I’m Andrea and I studied marketing at BCIT where I got my bachelor's degree of Business Administration. I currently work full time as a branding and promotion specialist for brands such as BCLC & London Drugs. As a marketing professional with a passion for community-focused businesses and dogs; being able to support the team at Honourable Hound with admin & marketing is the best of both worlds for me!

I grew up having dogs and being immersed in the dog-world all my life, getting my first dog (a Border Terrier named Ruby) at age 2. My grandparents also show dogs professionally and have owned two dogs that have competed and placed at the Westminster Dog Show.

I’m now a proud dog-mom to a puppy of my own, a Mini Golden Doodle named Ellie! In my spare time, you’ll find me outside in nature, bingeing Netflix, or training with Ellie to try to teach her not to jump for joy on every person she meets (she's a work in progress.)

  • Bachelor’s Degree - Business Admin, Marketing & Management

  • Diploma - Marketing Communications

Education

A dog being handled by a professional dog trainer

Career Opportunities At Honourable Hound

Looking for Mentorship?

The dog training industry is largely unregulated. This means that there’s a lot of outdated and sometimes outright false information to dig through, which makes trying to understand how to effectively and ethically train dogs a pretty big task. You don’t have to do it alone.

We’re here to guide your formative years and get you started with the support you need to become a competent professional. While we aren’t always hiring, we are always looking to connect with like-minded individuals. So if that’s you, drop us a line. We’d love to support your professional journey.

Ready To Connect?