Learn from the best! Our team has extensive education, experience and skills in the field of animal behavior and training.
Christina Flynn
Obedience and Agility Instructor
AKC CGC Evaluator
Christina has been participating in the dog world for more than 25 years. She started with breeding Dobermans and showing them in conformation, achieving conformation championship titles and then her interests turned to dog agility and obedience.
She began competing in dog agility in 1995 and after attaining agility titles on several dogs she began to teach dog agility classes along with basic obedience. Her agility classes began in Atlanta and for the past 10 years she taught dog agility for Alaqua Animal Refuge in Walton County . She has also been teaching basic obedience in peoples homes. Specializing in puppies and fear based behavior problems.
Christina has trained with many of the top agility and obedience professionals in the country. These include Susan Garett, Karen Holik, Linda Mecklenberg, Julie Daniels, and Corally Burmaster to name some.
Christina competed in agility first with four of her Dobermans – Beatrice, Maddie,Virgil and Lucia – followed by her Sheltie Brick and then a 10 year career with Kyma, her Border Collie, who became a Master Agility Champion. He competed until he was 12 years old and qualified for Nationals several times. Currently she is competing with her young Shetland Sheepdog who has already reached the Master/ Excellent Level.
Christina’s primary goal is to give owner/handlers the skills needed to train their dogs using positive reinforcement.
Mikayla Bristol
Mikayla began her dog training journey at a dog daycare/boarding facility in the Okaloosa area. From her time there she quickly learned to read canine body language and observe how dogs communicate with each other. This experience piqued her interest into the dog training world and in the Summer of 2020, she enrolled in the Highland Canine School for dog trainers, Master Dog Trainer program. Through the amazing, intense 24-week course she learned everything from behavior modification for personal dogs, training service dogs for certain tasks, and training dogs to track people for search and rescue or police suspect apprehension. Miikayla graduated in December 2020 with her Master Dog Trainer certificate.
Wanting to stay in her hometown, Mikayla returned to Niceville and came to work at Pets Behave in April 2021. Since then, she has taught Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Obedience, CGC Practice Class, private sessions with clients, and is excited to be starting a tracking class in the Fall of 2021. She loves getting to know the dogs and dog owners of the area and helping them build a better bond through training.
Mikayla has a sweet Coonhound boy, Wilson, who loves coming to work with her and getting to meet all the other dogs. Wilson is learning Agility and Tracking and enjoys doing anything that will earn him some cheese.
Linda Culliton
K9 Scent Work Instructor
Linda discovered scent work when she retired her dog, Emma from agility and fell in love with the sport. Linda has studied scent work training with Fred Helfer, Fenzi Dog Sports Academy and is an accredited scent instructor through Dr. Robert Hewings program. She now competes with her dogs in the top levels of scent work in AKC and NACSW.
Linda has had dogs all her life with her family breeding and showing German Shepherds in conformation. She actively trains and competes in many dog sports, AKC/UKC Field, Agility, Rally, Obedience, Trick Dog, Dock Diving and Scent Work.
Linda has two Labrador retrievers, Emma and Bounty, and has achieved impressive titles with her dogs: AKC Advanced Scent Work, Nosework 1, Master Hunter and Hunting Retriever Champion, Master Agility Championship (MACH), and Senior Dock Diving. With each dog sport Linda learns all she can so she can be the best team mate for her dogs and instructor for her students. Linda lives with her 2 Labrador Retrievers and Oliver the cat. Linda teaches beginner through advanced scent work and is available for private lessons.
Lisa Graham
Agility Instructor
AKC CGC Evaluator / Trick Dog Evaluator
Lisa Graham discovered the sport of agility in Palm Beach County with her Golden, Sophie, in 2001. Since that time, she has gained experience training and competing in multiple agility venues including AKC, ASCA, NADAC and USDAA. She has qualified for the AKC Agility National Championships with three of her dogs, and competed at the Championship event. Three of her Goldens, Sophie, Finnegan and Darcy have earned the honorific of the Golden Retriever Club of America’s Agility Dog Hall of Fame and Finnegan and Lisa earned two Master Agility Championship (MaCH) Titles. Golden Retrievers are her breed of choice, and now Lisa is actively competing with Darcy and her young dog Pippin in Agility as well as dabbling in Obedience, Rally and Tricks. Her puppy Cassidy is working on agility foundations as well as enjoying tricks with her sisters!
Lisa has worked with a wide range of breeds and handler skill sets and has taught everything from beginner to advanced/trial preparation classes. She enjoys the challenge of finding the best options for each dog/handler team no matter what their agility aspirations are. Lisa’s approach to teaching is to make sure that in each class, students will learn something new, will improve their existing skills and will be reminded of just how much fun Agility can be. Lisa teaches the intermediate and advanced agility group classes and is available for private lessons.
Adrain Sulewski
Dogs have always been a constant in Adrian’s life. She grew up in a household with four adult Rottweilers and many litters of puppies bred for temperament and confirmation. In this environment she learned how to respect dogs, and earn their respect in return. Over the course of her life she has owned and trained multiple breeds including Heelers, German Shepherds, and Chihuahuas.
Currently Adrian and her Rottie Tali are Test Pilots for the Animal AIC program and research study. She has been teaching Tali to communicate using buttons since Tali was 12 weeks old. Future goals for the team include increasing our button communication skills, Scentwork, Rally, and Urban Mushing.
While taking a puppy class at Pets Behave her instructor noticed what a skilled trainer she was and asked if she would like to apprentice under her. She will be completing her apprenticeship early in 2022. She has regularly been assisting with obedience classes, nose work classes and private instruction.