About Us
Since 1993, All About Dogs LLC has been dedicated to providing the best possible counseling and training for you and your dog. Programs focus on teaching your dog to be a well-mannered dog, which the whole family can enjoy. We believe in the highest quality service for all our customers and are dedicated to teaching humane, dog-friendly training methods.
We're proud to announce Washingtonian Magazine once again listed All About Dogs as one of the top dog training facilities in the area!!! We were also voted the number one dog training facility in Prince William County!
Pam Nashman, CPDT-KA
Owner
Pam Nashman, CPDT-KA, is simply “all about dogs.” Although her career plan initially led her into another genre, her passion for animals, and dogs in particular, never subsided, so she became a dog trainer. Pam enjoys reading books and attending seminars related to animal behavior and dog training. She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and has earned Level 1 certification through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the first national certification for dog trainers. For the past ten years, Pam has spent a great deal of time as a volunteer socializing parrots and exotic birds and educating children on bird handling and behavior. Pam also worked as a volunteer in the Education Department at the National Zoo in Washington, DC for several years. Pam earned a B.S. degree from George Washington University. She is a Human Resources Consultant who loves to work with both people and animals. Pam is active in a number of non-profit community service organizations including those raising funds for AIDS, affordable housing for low-income families in Washington, DC, and Darfur.
Colleen Pelar, CPDT-KA
Training Manager
Colleen Pelar, CPDT-KA, is All About Dogs' training manager. She oversees all of our training programs, which currently include group classes, private lessons, day school, off-leash playgroups, and monthly Q & A sessions. Colleen has been teaching dog obedience classes since 1991 and has earned Level 1 certification through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the first national certification for dog trainers. Colleen enjoys attending the many high-quality continuing education seminars and conferences that are now being offered for dog trainers; she goes to several each year. Colleen has a B.A. from Penn State. When she is not training dogs, she's busy with her husband and three sons. She is also the author of Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind, which won the Humane Society of the United States Compassionate Care Award, and Kids and Dogs: A Professional's Guide to Helping Families.
Robin K Bennett, CPDT-KA
Robin Bennett, CPDT-KA, successfully owned and operated her own dog daycare for many years. Her book, All About Dog Daycare: A Blueprint for Success is the number one reference on owning a daycare, and Robin is a highly sought-after speaker on numerous dog daycare and playgroup topics around the country. Her latest book, Off-Leash Dog Play, is the leading source for those who want to learn how to keep dogs safe in playgroups. She is an active member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and has a B.A. degree from Roanoke College. Robin regularly attends dog training seminars, has earned Level 1 certification through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the first national certification for dog trainers. Robin is a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and is married with two children.
Vicki Gotcher
Vicki has trained at All About Dogs since 2004 and joined the staff in 2007. After the great experiences and fun she had while training her two yellow Labs, Nilla and Bodie, she decided to share what she has learned (and is still learning) with other dog lovers. In addition to Nilla and Bodie, Vicki shares her home with another dog lover, her husband Scott, and two dog loving cats, Sadie and Bagheera. Vicki is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She has earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and a Master of Music and a Certificate in clarinet performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She is also a clarinetist with The "President's Own" U. S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C.
Eileen Fulk
Eileen joined All About Dogs in April 2004. In a nutshell, she simply loves dogs. Her 2-year-old Australian shepherd, Lucy, rules the household with iron paws. Eileen is training Lucy to become a certified hearing and therapy dog. Eileen attended George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College. She’s a program manager for the Defense Logistics Agency and devotes her free time to reading, making stained glass creations for her family and friends, and spending time with her husband, Tony, and Lucy. (Hopefully Eileen is going to give us a color photo soon!)
Diana Craig
Diana began training with All About Dogs in April 2005. She was born and raised in Central Illinois and married her hometown sweetheart (and husband of over 30 years) while he was serving in the Navy. The couple lived in Scotland for almost 4 years, and their two children were born during their tour of duty. They’ve lived in Woodbridge since 1978. Being a stay-at-home mom allowed Diana the privilege of volunteering with the local schools for 14 years in various capacities including 2 years heading PTO Volunteers Committee responsible for finding and scheduling other volunteers in various capacities to aide the school, students, and teachers.
Diana’s love of animals was encouraged by her parents. Her dad’s fondness for farming and animals has always been a big influence on her love and gentle care of animals. This affection toward animals continued on with her caring for the neighborhood animals. She is currently a member of the Professional Paws team and cherishes the moments with each little paw. Diana is also a proud “doggie mom” and always eager to return home to Missy, a shy Pomeranian, who has thrived in her new home and recently achieved the CGC award. They also share their home with their “grand-kitty,” Dakota, grey tabby kitten of their daughter’s. Diana is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Amy Tram
Amy began training at All About Dogs in 2006 and became part of the staff in 2009. Amy's border collie Mango, a Rowdy Rover, inspired her to learn more about dog training and behavior. They have taken a variety of training classes and were thrilled to have found a home at All About Dogs. Amy understands the challenges and rewards of working with rowdy rovers and is excited about the opportunity to share her knowledge and experience with other dog lovers. Amy and Mango are members of the FBI Flyball Team and when they aren't practicing flyball, they can be found exploring local parks and playing frisbee and fetch. Amy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Virginia and works in marketing for the architecture/engineering industry. Besides Mango, dogs, and AAD, Amy loves yoga, cupcakes, and spending time with her family and friends.
Megan Brooks
Megan joined All About Dogs in 2010 and couldn’t be happier! After counseling dog owners and working with dogs for over 20 years in the animal sheltering field, she’s very excited to be able to continue this through All About Dogs. In her shelter work, Megan has had the joy of meeting thousands of dogs and learning something from every one of them. She has given numerous classes on living with adopted dogs, contributed to national publications on animal sheltering, and has received commendation for her work with shelter animals.
Having owned eight of her own dogs and fostered countless others, Megan has helped owners work through a wide variety of dog behavior/training dilemmas from a positive and practical perspective. She particularly enjoys helping families with their dogs and helps teach summer camp for children to learn about dogs. Megan works for a local non-profit that provides opportunities for children to be healthy and active outside. She also volunteers at her kids’ schools, with Australian Shepherd Rescue and Placement Helpline, and is a board member of GoodDogz.org. Megan is a recent convert to mountain biking and enjoys reading and gardening. She currently lives with two dogs, two children, two cats, a bunch of rescued fish and one very understanding husband.
Marika Vaden
Marika originally came to All About Dogs for classes with her dog, Dozer, in 2010. After many months learning training techniques and seeing the hard work pay off with her own rambunctious (but infinitely lovable) dog, she was delighted to be invited to join the staff. She earned her B.A. degree in Anthropology and Psychology from Juniata College, and graduate degrees in School Psychology from The College of William and Mary. She is looking forward to helping others as they work through the training process with their own dogs.
Sarah Wakamiya
Sarah came to All About Dogs in 2011 to help her Rowdy Rover, Miso, learn to cope with the scary world! Having a love for dogs as long she can remember and a strong interest in animal behavior, Sarah was thrilled when invited to work with the staff. After going to multiple trainers and feeling helpless, she's excited to learn the creative techniques All About Dogs employs and to share her experience so others don't have to go through the same thing. Sarah has a B.S. in Neurobiology and Physiology and a M.S. in Wildlife Ecology. When she's not playing with dogs, Sarah's out saving the planet as a Data Manager and Biologist for the National Park Service.
