August Gulden
Co-owner
August Gulden has been an agility fanatic since late 2019, and it has been a part of his life since then. He has been interested in dogs growing up with Belgian Malinois. He has since gotten a Border Collie and handled several other herding dog breeds. His love for training and dog psychology began with an intro to behavioral modification from his mother’s own education. He has done some service dog training.
He has spent a couple of years apprenticing with Annelise and learning about how she teaches foundations and beginning agility. He is very natural teacher and students have really been impressed with his attention to detail and thoughtfulness.
Now, his main interests are in competitive agility and federal detection work.Currently he is doing agiity with his Border Collie Conan and detection work with his Belgian Malinois Victor.
He competes in agility trials in NADAC, AKC, and soon to be CPE and UKI. He has also done Rally with his Border Collie.
August has a deep care and all-over education for dog psychology and arousal mobility. His primary philosophy for training is to do things through play and positive reinforcement. He started teaching puppy classes in 2023 and he has done puppy raising of fosters. He has worked under several well known trainers, ranging from Pat Stewart to Cameron Ford, and has attended the 2026 CANIS conference. He has a huge desire for learning about dogs through hands on experience and through the eyes of other trainers. He is sensitive to the emotions of the dogs and the human students and has a very watchful eye for behavioral changes. He is a kind, quiet demeanor that puts everyone at ease.
Tessa Anderson
Co-Owner
Tessa Anderson is a highly accomplished, certified professional dog trainer and behavior modification specialist based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, with 14 years of hands-on experience. Her career is built on a deep, lifelong love for dogs and an unwavering mission: helping families and their canine companions build harmonious relationships.
Tessa’s extensive background blends high-level operational K9 expertise with advanced behavioral science. She has served for 5 years as a Professional K9 Handler for Dogs for Defense, managed critical rescue operations as the head trainer for The Malinois Rescue League for 6 years, and has dedicated 8 years as a board member at the and assited with the Obedience program at St. Paul Dog Training Club.
Advanced Education & Credentials
Tessa is one of the select professionals to hold a Cyanopraxis certification, having studied directly under its pioneer, Steven Lindsay. Her commitment to master-level education is reflected in extensive training with the industry’s most respected trainers in behavior:
• Steven Lindsay (Cyanopraxis Certification)
• Pat Stuart
• Jay Jack
• Chad Mackin
• Crystal Wing
• Cameron Ford
Areas of Specialization & Teaching
• Behavior Modification & Aggression Rehab: For 10 years, Tessa has specialized in rehabilitation for severe behavioral issues. She takes a special interest in complex aggression cases, transforming fearful or reactive dogs into safe, stable family members.
• Competition Scentwork: Tessa channels her deep passion for canine sports into teaching advanced competition Scentwork classes, helping handlers and dogs unlock their ultimate teamwork and scent-detection potential.
• Sports Dogs & Working Canine Placement: She specializes in foundational puppy raising specifically tailored for high-drive working dog placement.
• Ford K9 Canine Cognition Instructor: She specializes in cognition testing dogs and creating training plans for dogs and handlers for fun, and fast successes.
Personal Life & Breed Passion
Tessa's personal and professional passion truly centers around the Belgian Malinois. She shares her downtown life with her own two female Malinois, one of whom serves as her dedicated operational K9 partner.
An active participant in the local dog sports community, Tessa can be found with her dog running agility several nights a week for students at Agile Canines, doing privates or teaching classes. When she isn't transforming behavior, coaching handlers, or training, Tessa refuels her own energy by playing endlessly with her kids and her dogs.
Annelise Allan: Agility Instructor
Annelise Allan MS has been doing agility over 30 years (since 1990). She has personally trained over 20 dogs in the sport of agility. She has trained Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Jack Russell Terriers, Pyrenean Shepherd, French Brittany and Poodles. She has competed and earned Agility Championships in AKC, CPE, NADAC, UKI and USDAA. She has competed in national competitions in AKC, CPE, NADAC and USDAA. Annelise enjoys training her dogs to be versatile in agility with distance skills as well as complex international skills. Currently she has three young dogs in training. Annelise also trains and competes in Obedience and Herding.
Patty Fulton: Obedience
Patty has been competing in multiple obedience organizations for many years earning UDX and higher titles on all of her adult Corgis. She has competed at the NOC, RNC, and PWCCA National Specialties regularly earning national rankings. Patty is a long time obedience judge for both AKC and CDSP.
Patty is a detail-oriented instructor and a positive trainer known for supporting and encouraging student goals. She also trains and competes in agility and tracking.
Patti Anderson: Therapy Dog & TTouch
Patti Anderson M.Ed C.P.D.T. Pet Partners Evaluator & Tellington TTouch® Practitioner. She has been doing therapy work and teaching classes for the past twenty years with six different certified dogs and several other species as well. She was also a former competitive sprint musher before that, for over seven years with I.S.D.R.A.. She teaches a Therapy Dog Skills Class (or private sessions) to prepare dogs and their handlers to visit facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc., in their community. Patti is also available for private TTouch sessions, which is a positive method for influencing a dog’s behavior.