TIM VAILLANCOURT
OWNER AND HEAD TRAINER
Meet Tim Vaillancourt, the Owner and Head Trainer of PROFORMANCE K9. Tim has an impressive background as a former Improvised Explosive Device Detection Dog handler in the United States Marine Corps. At the head of the patrol, Tim and his dog, Sage, ensured the safety of the Marines that followed. Tim tried many different avenues to continue working with dogs while still enlisted, but with the drawdown of the war in Afghanistan, options were limited. Tim found his calling while working with Sage in Afghanistan and made the hard choice to leave the Marine Corps in 2014 to pursue other dog training opportunities.
After his military service, Tim pursued his passion for dog training by attending a professional school for dog trainers. There, he excelled in various areas of study, including pet obedience, AKC and Schutzhund obedience, specific odor detection, search and rescue, Schutzhund tracking, protection, and agility. Upon completing his schooling, Tim began working for PROFORMANCE K9 in 2015 under world renowned dog trainer, Deb Zappia. Nine years later and hundreds of dogs trained, Tim took over PROFORMANCE K9 upon Deb’s retirement in 2022.
Outside of pet obedience, Tim is a national competitor for American Schutzhund, of which he is also a founding member and judge. Tim also is a judge and instructor for scent-work sports and continues his education in dog training and behavior by attending seminars on a monthly basis.
Tim's expertise extends to working with family dogs of different breeds, ages and sizes, where he focuses on basic obedience training along with issues regarding dog aggression, aggression towards people and resource guarding. He takes pride in collaborating with pet owners to develop a training regimen that suits both the handler and the dog, with a focus on maintaining a positive attitude, building confidence and improving the relationships between families and their dogs! With Tim leading the pack at PROFORMANCE K9, you can expect exceptional training and guidance for your beloved companion.
COURTNEY O’DONNELL
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT
Courtney has been training under Tim since 2019. Tim has helped her achieve her goals in IGP and continues to guide her in the sport of American Schutzhund. Courtney is a member of the Empire Working Dog Club and continues her knowledge in dog training and behavior by attending seminars on a monthly basis and attends a majority of Deb Zappia’s workshops.
With Tim’s ongoing support and guidance, Courtney became an Explosive Detection Handler Dog Team for the Ottawa Airport and was certified through Transport Canada from 2021-2023.
Courtney supports PROFORMANCE K9 in social media management and content creation! Although she is not an official PROFORMANCE K9 employee, she plays an important role. Her voluntary support ensures that our online presence remains fun and engaging!