Partners Founder, Leighton Qosthuisen, emigrated from South Africa to the USA in 1992.
In 1973, Leighton started training dogs at a mere 10 years old and in 1985 joined a dog training school as an apprentice, going on to become an Instructor and later, Head Dog Trainer.
On its 25th year anniversary of the school, Partners University is launched with its first course, the Pet Parents Guide to Success to assist all of our current and future clients in their journey to a delightful relationship with their dog.
Hello! My name is Leighton and I started Partners Dog School in 1997 after immigrating from South Africa with my family. I am a former K9 handler and have worked with bomb dogs, drug dogs, and Search & Rescue dogs. I have also competed and titled dogs in French Ring, Agility, Dock Diving, and Schutzhund. For the past thirty years, I have specialized in behavior modification. I currently live at our Cave Creek location with my family and an assortment of animals. I am also a World Champion target pistol shooter and represented the USA in 2014, 2017, and 2021 World Pistol Championships.
Hi there! My name is Christopher and I oversee the operations of each PDS location, Partners Dogs University, and Partners Dogs Foundation. I’ve been with Partners for over a decade, and in that time I’ve seen 10s of thousands of dogs achieve a delightful relationship with their Parents. My goal is to empower our team to inspire our guests into making training a daily part of their lives. I also participate in French Ring and rank Top 50 in the world in target pistol shooting. I have represented the USA alongside Leighton in 2014, 2017, and 2021 World Championships.
Hello! My name is Hannah and I am the Head Trainer at Partners Shea/101. I consider myself to be “born and raised” at Partners. I began working here in 2017, first as an Animal Care Tech and Snake Avoidance Handler. Throughout the years, I have instructed Puppy and Me, level 1 – 3 group classes, as well as trained thousands of dogs ranging from household puppies to behavior modification cases.
Hello, my name is Chase! I’ve been here for 3+ years, but I have been working with dogs for 9+ years doing daycare, animal care, and management. I have always been a dog person, but Partners helped me find my true passion which is training dogs, and people. My goal is to help owners build a better relationship and understanding with their dogs while laying the foundation they need to be successful.
Hi there! My name is Nicole and I am the Daycare Manager and Trainer at Partners Shea/101. I have been working with Partners since 2021 and quickly progressed from a Daycare attendant to a Daycare Manager. I absolutely love seeing our guests learn great habits, play appropriately, and enjoy their time with our team. I am also an Instructor for Puppy & Me, Level 1 Obedience, and assist in our Canine Good Citizen tests.
Hello! My name is Megan and I have worked at Partners since 2016. I not only manage the day-to-day operations at the Cave Creek location, I also work with most of our behavior modification cases. Even after all of these years, my favorite moment is still the “Ah-Ha” moment between handler and dog, the moment where communication is clear and we truly understand one another.
My name is Monica and I’m the Boarding and Daycare Manager at our Cave Creek location! I’ve been with Partners since 2021 and previously worked in other daycare and boarding facilities. I teach our Puppy & Me and Zoomer’s Agility classes, and absolutely love socialization and confidence building! Teaching is second nature for me, and I’m so grateful I have the opportunity each and every day to utilize my skills!
Hello! My name is Noa, and I am a Team Success Manager at Partners Cave Creek. I have been passionate about dog training for a long time and started with Partners in 2018. I’ve enjoyed working with puppies, older dogs, and ones with intense behavioral issues. Teaching our team, clients, and dogs have been a massive part of my job. Watching their success has been incredibly rewarding.
Apply to one of the top Boarding, Daycare, and Training Schools in the country and accelerate your career in the pet care industry!