INSTRUCTORS
Dana Stillinger CNWI, Founder
Dana Stillinger has been training dogs since the early 70’s when she and her husband trained their German Shepherds in Schutzhund. Soon after she began competing in AKC Obedience Trials she titled her Labrador, a Border Collie, and a Dobermann to their Utility titles. With one of her German Shepherds she trained and titled him in Carting tests as well. After beginning to work as a trainer for a field dog retriever kennel she fell in love with a Labrador and began competing and titling in Field Dog tests, but after adopting her high drive destructive Border Collie she started Agility training and has since trained and titled 7 dogs of various breeds and crosses to hundreds of titles including 3 Dual Champions . In 2009 she began training in Canine ScentWork and became a Certified Nose Work Instructor in 2014. She currently lives and trains with a Border Collie, Pic and a Belgian Malinois, Frankie. Dana started Best Friends in early 1999 as the first Dog Daycare in Oregon. She was a founding member of the Willamette Agility Group and Welcome Waggers Therapy Dogs as well as putting on the first North American Schutzhund Trial in Oregon and hosting the first Canine Musical Freestyle events in the state. She was a class instructor for Linn County Kennel Club for over twelve years and also worked and ran classes for Heartland Humane Society for a similar amount of time. Over the years some of her dogs have worked in Commercials, Music Videos, and Movies as well. Ms. Stillinger’s focus with dogs has always been the working bond and sorting out some problems along the way. Her extensive background in training and her diversity in owning a variety of breeds and working with thousands of dogs over the forty plus years has helped her appreciate the problems owners face with blending a multispecies household. Dana has always sought out the most current information and science behind training and constantly seeks out continuing education opportunities. Her focus has always been on what is right for both the dog and the human.
Brittany obermann, Owner, instructor, CNWI
Brittany Obermann has been with Best Friends since 2007. She began her time here as staff in our Doggy Daycare and currently instructs our Nose Work classes as well as training her own dogs in Agility, Rally Obedience, K9 Nose Work, Tricks, and Canine Good Citizen.
Dogs are her favorite thing in life.
Nina Feltmann CPDT-KA
Nina has enjoyed the company of dogs and other animals all her life. In 1986 she and her husband got their first dog together, a Border Collie Lab cross named Oreo. Nina got hooked on training while working with Oreo.
From 1987 to 1999, Nina was a leader of Benton County’s 4-H Eyeraisers Guide Dog Puppy Project. She assisted families raise pups for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc and raised 5 Guide Dog puppies with her husband in their own home.
Joining Best Friends Doggy Daycare staff in 2004 gave Nina further opportunities to increase her understanding of dog behavior and training. She began assisting Dana Stillinger with Puppy Kindergarten and Beginners Obedience classes. In 2009 Nina became a lead instructor for those and other classes offered at Best Friends.
In 2015 Nina studied for and earned her CPDT-KA Certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She enjoys continuing education through classes, seminars, mentoring opportunities and reading.
Currently Nina and her husband have two canine family members. Dart, an energetic 75 lb male Sable German Shepherd Dog and 50 lb Treha, a lovely female Belgian Malinois.
Having titled dogs in Canine Good Citizen, Rally Obedience, Tricks and Lure Coursing, Nina and her dogs continue to play in those sports as well as Agility, Barn Hunt, Dock Diving, Nose Work and Dog Parkour.
Nina values helping Best Friends students teach their dogs to be well socialized, enjoyable family companions and active life-long learners. She says, “I love to watch people and their dogs learn to work together as a team, and see that relationship blossom.”
Laura Poppitz, Instructor
Laura has been working with dogs since 2013, and joined us at Best Friends in 2018. Training has been a passion of hers since she was young, and currently holds titles in Rally Obedience, Agility, Tricks, and Canine Good Citizen. Laura and her dogs are working towards titles in Competition Obedience, K9 Nose Work and Hunt Test/HRC.
Laura loves to help people realize how much potential their dogs have, and how much FUN training can be!
Dogs are her life - “anything my dogs love, I love!”
Shahayla Callison
Shay joined Best Friends in 2021. An experienced groomer, Shay has also been heavily involved in dog sports for most of her adult life.
She loves training her personal dogs in Agility, Competition Obedience, Rally Obedience, and Barn Hunt. She spends most of her time training her dogs, traveling to train her dogs, and learning about….training dogs!
“Seeing my dogs work at their full potential is truly amazing!”
Robin Puccetti
Agility Instructor, info coming soon!
arlene courtney
Agility Instructor, info coming soon!
Pati Craven
Agility Instructor, info coming soon!
Deanna lyons
Agility & Rally Instructor, info coming soon!