Meet the Shoreline Dog Training Office Team
John Van Olden – President/CEO
John Van Olden started Canine Trade Group to help overwhelmed dog owners learn how to help their pet, young or old, fit in better with the family. Whether the problem is aggression, housebreaking, anxiety, or a more rare behavior issue, CTG’s certified in-home trainers can handle it and teach owners the tricks of the training trade.
CTG trainers are available across the country, and each one has been hand-picked by John to participate in this exclusive network of trainers. With over two decades of training experience himself, including presiding over two training companies and helping to found the International Association of Canine Professionals, John has a knack for recognizing the best of the best in dog trainers.
Cristin Ellis – Operations Manager
Cristin is Canine Trade Group’s Operations Manager, and she knows the ins and outs of the office better than anyone. She also knows the ins and outs of canine behavior. In addition to ten years of experience in training dogs for agility competitions, she also took it upon herself to learn and practice CTG’s in-home training methods. This helped the most recent addition to her family, a Border Collie named Sike!, ditch the anxiety and fear aggression from which he initially suffered.
Cristin knows the psychology, theory, and science behind CTG’s methods, and she’s seen firsthand just how effective they are.
Nicole Zulkowski – Veterinary Relationship Manager
Ever since she was a child, Nicole knew that she wanted dogs to be involved in her life and her career. She attended Ursinus College and graduated with a BS in Biology, aiming to work in the animal field. All throughout high school and college, Nicole worked various jobs involving animals. Later after graduating, she worked as a veterinary technician and as a handler at a dog daycare. It was here that her interest in dog behavior came to full fruition, and began seeking opportunities in the dog training industry.
Nicole found Canine Trade Group and joined their office staff, talking to owners about their dog problems and guiding them to the right training program that would address all their needs and training goals. She has studied the dog training course that Canine Trade Group’s trainers take, which has built her understanding and experience in complex canine behaviors.
She lives happily with her two dogs: her Pitbull mix named Willow and a Boston Terrier/Pug mix named Brooklyn.
Dr. Karen Usselman V.M.D. – On Staff Veterinarian Consultant
Dr. Usselman is originally from western New York, attended Cornell University and then the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia. She graduated in 1996 and joined Brenford Animal Hospital in May 1996. She is currently a partner with the practice.
Dr. Usselman enjoys working with dogs and cats. She is particularly interested in internal medicine, ultrasonography, behavior and dentistry. She serves as the treasurer of the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association and has taught in the Delaware Technical College Vet Tech program. Dr. Usselman is married to Dr. Jeff Booth and has two children, three dogs and a cat to keep her busy at home.