ABOUT OUR TRAINERs
Meet The Off Leash K9 Team
Chris Darhower - Owner
Chris is the Owner of Harrisburg Off-Leash K9 Training.
From a young age, Chris worked on horse farms and trained horses until he answered the call for the military. After 9 years in the Army including a deployment to Iraq, Chris became a municipal law enforcement officer in the state of Pennsylvania and transitioned to K9 during his tenor there. Chris and his partner, K9 Pedro were certified by the National Police Work Dog Association in basic obedience, handler protection, narcotics detection, suspect apprehension, building and article searches, and tracking. While their favorite activity was foot patrol, Chris and Pedro also participated in community events, raising drug awareness and demonstrating Pedro’s awesome skillset. While training, Chris was able to work with multiple dogs of varying breeds and ages and their handlers in basic obedience and K9-related skills. Chris also attended a K9 Medic course and works with rescue animals.
Chris has eight dogs at home, all of whom were rescued. He calls them his “Muttley Crew” and they range from 10lb miniature dachshunds to a huge St Bernard named “Barlow”. Chris lives with his family in Newville, PA. Chris is also an avid fisherman and loves the outdoors and nature. Chris recently obtained his instructor certification in Pet First Aid and CPR through PetTech and founded a non-profit called “Cumberland Valley Animal Assistance Program” (www.cvaap.org) which feeds local pets.
Chris believes in the quote by author Dean Koontz, “Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.” He says, “I treat dogs like I treat my daughter. I respect them. I admire them for their own unique personalities and differences. It reignites my passion to train every time I see that light bulb come on and they master a skill. The pride you see come over them and the happiness on their owner’s faces. That’s what this job is all about.”
COurtney Cavanaugh - Lead Trainer
Courtney is the Lead Trainer of Harrisburg Off-Leash K9 Training.
Courtney Cavanaugh is a passionate and dedicated dog trainer at Off Leash K9 Training Harrisburg, where she has been transforming the lives of dogs and their owners for over five years. Courtney’s love for animals led her to leave a career in nursing to pursue her true calling in dog training. Her impressive ability to connect with and train dogs is only matched by her deep compassion for them.
Courtney is a proud dog mom to four adorable pups, three of which are rescues with behavioral issues. This personal experience has given her a unique understanding and appreciation for the challenges that come with rehabilitating and training dogs with special needs. Residing in Carlisle, PA, Courtney has created a loving and supportive home for her pack of mutts.
In addition to her work at OLK9, Courtney is an active member of her community, serving as both an EMT and firefighter. Her dedication to helping others extends to the animal world as well, as she co-founded and currently serves on the Board of the Cumberland Valley Animal Assistance Program. This local non-profit organization provides pet food to residents in need throughout South Central Pennsylvania, ensuring that no pet goes hungry in their time of need.
Cavanaugh’s unwavering commitment to her dogs, her clients, and her community sets her apart as an exceptional dog trainer and a valued member of Off Leash K9 Training Harrisburg.
Adrienne Womelsdorf - Trainer
Adrienne is a Trainer for Harrisburg Off-Leash K9 Training.
Adrienne has had a love for animals her whole life and grew up wanting to be a veterinarian, but a doctorate degree was not in the cards. Adrienne went to Elizabethtown College and played basketball for their D3 team and graduated in 2002. After earning a Master’s Degree in Psychology she quickly stepped up and took on a role in Management at a Psychiatry Hospital in Harrisburg. Adrienne led a crisis team and addressed behavioral issues on locked units to ensure safety of the patients and staff. Adrienne married her husband in 2014 and then welcomed the birth of her first son, Kyler, shortly after. In 2016 they welcomed their second son, Jaxon, and have been adding to their “WoStead” ever since. Adrienne would love a farm one day and currently takes care of three ducks, five chickens, a bearded dragon named Oscar and their two personal dogs.
Daily life at the “WoStead” is all but typical but Adrienne enjoys the outdoors and spends her time playing sports with her two sons and tending to the animals. On top of their farm life, she also has two personal dogs, Nala – a rescue Mastiff/Hound and Coco – a German Shorthaired Pointer. Nala and Coco have helped transition over 20 dogs into their home to be trained and every day is different, which is what keeps the job so interesting. Along with her youngest son Jaxon, training dogs has become her passion. Adrienne cannot wait to help you have a balanced puppy so life as a family can be harmonious.
Nick White is the Owner and Founder of Off Leash K9 Training. Nick is a former US Marine and former US Secret Service. He currently has over 130+ dog training locations throughout the United States.
Nick is globally recognized as being one of the top dog trainers in the world. He has 2 official world records in off leash obedience, named on Wikipedia as one of the top 20 dog trainers in the world, recently named top 10 trainer in the world by bestdogtrainers.org, has been featured in many magazines and shows, and he is regularly requested by the top celebrities and athletes! He has been called upon by people such as actor Ryan Reynolds, WWE’s John Cena, MLB All Star Max Scherzer, UFC World Champion Jon “Bones” Jones, and many more!
You can visit our YouTube Channel and watch over 1500+ before/after videos of Nick and his team’s work! Off Leash K9 Training has more documented videos than any dog training business in the entire world!
