Southern Charm School for Dogs - About Us - Mississippi Dog Training- AKC CGC, Pet Therapy

Suzanne began training animals as a young child working with the family pets, which included dogs, cats, horses, along with Jersey and Charlotte, pet cows. This love of animals eventually led Suzanne down the path of assisting others with their companion animals, originally due to a large number of companion animals being turned into the local shelters for simple, easy-to-correct behavioral problems.

After adopting two adult dogs with no prior training from shelters, Suzanne trained and loved both through their Therapy Dog certification, and has been actively making pet therapy visits to local area facilities for over fourteen years with her certified pet therapy dogs.

Over the past fourteen years, Suzanne has offered behavior modification and private lessons, and has taught puppy agility and obedience classes. Southern Charm School for Dogs was formed to assist loving pet owners with their problem pets and to provide a place for owners desiring Therapy Dog certification for their dog to come for appropriate therapy dog training.

Suzanne believes in finding what motivates the pet, then using the motivator as a positive method of training to teach your pet. There are times, however, when corrections are needed. Suzanne believes in administering fair corrections, but only when necessary.

In today's society, all dogs need obedience training. The dog deserves it, we deserve it, and our neighbors deserve it. It is a fact that a well trained dog is more fun to be around. Suzanne believes strongly in helping owners to achieve a well behaved dog without breaking the dog's spirit.

Suzanne works full time as a professional Web Developer and Graphic Designer, but her love of animals inspires her to assist others with pet behavioral problems, as well as Therapy Dog training and certification, and AKC CGC (American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen certification) preparation. She serves as a certified AKC CGC and therapy dog evaluator.

In her spare time, Suzanne raises St. Croix sheep, enjoys herding cattle, sheep and ducks with her Bouvier des Flandres and Aussie, and volunteering with her therapy dogs. She and her husband Greg share 8 year old Trouble (Bouvier des Flandres), 5 year old Baker (Australian Shepherd), 3 year old Doc (Australian Labradoodle), 22 month old WiseGuy (Bouvier des Flandres), 11 year old Mannix (Black and White Domestic Shorthair), 1 Grey Toulouse goose, and 30 sheep.

WiseGuy earned his AKC Championship at 19 months with very limited showing as well as his American Temperament Test Society Temperament Test in May, 2010. Suzanne and WiseGuy traveled to 3 conformation shows earning 14 points, and then traveled to Perry, GA, where WiseGuy took Best of Winner's on the first day to finish his CH and earn his TT. He finished with 3 majors, 5 Best of Winners, and a very proud mom.

Also pictured below are four who have gone on to watch God's flock in Heaven; Suzanne's beloved Sissy, a Wheaten Terrier mix she rescued at the age of 2 years, dear sweet Magnolia, a Great Pyrenees rescued at the age of 10 months, dear, dear Adam, an Australian Shepherd rescued at 15 months, and the dog who taught Suzanne so very much, her beloved first Bouvier des Flandres, Casey.

Suzanne and Greg lost Sissy in December 2001 at the age of 12.5 years. Suzanne credits Sissy with much of her knowledge regarding hard-to-handle dogs. Allowed to roam, 30lbs underweight, matted to the hilt, Sissy belonged to owners who seemed to care little for her welfare. Sissy was to become a companion for Suzanne's mom, but gave her heart to Suzanne instead. Sissy was the first dog Suzanne took formal obedience classes with, and Suzanne and Sissy went on to earn their CGC and therapy dog certification. Sissy and her sunshiny attitude are missed deeply by both Suzanne and Greg.

Adopted at the age of 10 months, after watching Suzanne and Greg's flock of sheep for almost 5 years, Magnolia of Three Dog Farm developed bone cancer in the Spring of 2006. Once diagnosed, Mags was retired as a Livestock Guardian Dog, moved inside where she was in heaven, and began visiting local rehabilitation center patients (some of whom she inspired to continue with their own rehab) and a library where children read to her. Mags lived for pet therapy days, and was on her way to earning her AKC CGC and therapy dog certification, when in early October, the pain began and Suzanne and Greg, with the help of their loving vet, sent her on to Heaven to be with Sissy. Suzanne, Greg and all the kids, (including the sheep) really miss the sweetness and lovingness Magnolia displayed to everyone and everything she met.

Adam, brought in to MARL (Mississippi Animal Rescue League) at the age of 12 months, appeared to have been abused and abandoned by his owners who had moved out of state. Adam taught everyone around him how to persevere, and went on to become an extraordinary Therapy Dog, helping start many of the therapy dog visitation programs in his community. Adam never met a stranger nor anyone he couldn't help with a little love, Australian Shepherd style. At almost 15 years of age, after acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and anything else to help ease the pain from arthritis, the pain became too much for Adam; Suzanne and Greg, again with the help of their loving vet, sent Adam to Heaven right after Thanksgiving 2006. Not only do their hearts grieve for him, but so do the countless others in the community whom Adam gave his all to each time he visited with them, from young children at the library, to patients recovering from accidents or strokes, to those living in retirement homes; Adam loved them all.

After falling in love with a beautiful yet disobedient black beast in a Kodak commercial, Suzanne spent several years reading and learning about the Bouvier des Flandres and later, took three years to find just the right breeder. Fortunate to happen upon a litter where the great-grandfather was her favorite Bouvier, then another year waiting for the Bouvier puppy who would later become CH B.Witchn's Justin Casey Howlz JHD~s HCT~s PT~s HT~s ThD CGC VCC VBB, Suzanne patiently waited for over 7 years for her first Bouvier. Getting just what she asked for, a dog with lots of drive, Suzanne and Casey finished his Championship with 4 majors with limited showing in less than a year, and went on to herding. Work with Casey was a challenge, as he was a most dominant dog. In all her behavior consultations, rescue work, and classes, Casey was the most dominant dog she has ever worked with. He serves as a prime example of dominant dogs who, with the right owner, can become loving family members. His dominance and their work in providing the leadership needed to solve this issue has assisted her in helping others with their dominant dog problems. In the last few years, Casey fought allergies brought on by the Southern humidity, and for the last year, Cushings disease. They knew the Cushings was pituitary induced, which could mean a tumor, but at almost 13 years, their decisions were based on Casey's comfort alone. In their efforts to bring his Cushings under control, the decrease in cortisol showed a problem with Osteoarthritis, but he was still happy, with meds controlling the pain. Suzanne and Greg were thrilled when the Cushings symptoms disappeared and the disease appeared to be in control with his medication. Then, Casey seemed to really go down, fast, losing control of his back legs, and anyone who knew this independent boy, would know how unacceptable this would be to him. Suzanne and Greg, along with their wonderful vet sent Casey along to Heaven in October 2008. There are so many things that Suzanne misses about Casey, but she most misses the elbow kisses he came to give her each and every morning, refusing to go outside until he had made his way to her bedside to make sure this was taken care of.

Heaven is most fortunate to have them, but we still grieve for them.

Collage of pets of Suzanne and Greg Vening