Ursa Acree, CDBC

Director of Behavior Services & Certified Dog Behavior Consultant

Of course, I am a dog lover. But I also love working with people. Helping clients and their dogs achieve real trust and communication, which improves their relationship and everyone's quality of life, is what drives my passion for this important work.

Ursa Acree is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Fear Free Certified Trainer. She founded Canis Major Training in 2016 which operated as the premier training, board and train, and daycare facility of Denver, CO through 2021.

In addition to her experience working with private clients, Ursa has extensive experience working with animals in need. She was the Behavior Manager for the Kentucky Humane Society from 2007 to 2010 and the Behavior Manager at the Dumb Friends League from 2010 to 2013. While in those roles Ursa worked with clients to prevent relinquishments due to behavior issues, implemented changes to reduce stress and improve animal adoptability, and trained shelter staff and volunteers in enrichment, body language, humane handling, husbandry, and training. From 2013 to 2015 she did behavior and nutrition research with Hill’s Pet Nutrition as a Behavior Technician. She was responsible for animal husbandry and handling in addition to training animals to participate in preference assessments of new foods.

Ursa co-hosted the Canine Conversations podcast from 2018-2021 and has been featured in the Mile High Dog Magazine, Dumb Friend’s League “Pet Tales” and Kentucky Humane Society’s “Paw Street Journal”.

When not doing dog stuff, she spends every possible moment hiking, kayaking, biking, storm chasing, gardening, and camping with her husband, son, and dog.