Betsy & Portia

Betsy Howell, owner of Redfern Canines, has had dogs as a part of her family for most of her life—starting with a fox terrier named Duke before she began attending elementary school. She currently lives with 3 Labradors—Hanna, Edie, and Lily—and 2 Cavaliers—Portia and Poppins.

Betsy has been training dogs in the Harrisburg area for over 25 years both as a volunteer with local pet dog training organizations and as a staff member of a local service dog organization. When working with the pet dog training organization, Betsy served as instructor (12 years), president (2 years), and training director (5 years). Betsy has shown and titled her dogs in competitive obedience, rally obedience, canine scent work, trick dogs, Therapy Dog titles, and AKC Canine Good Citizen titles.

During the 12 years that Betsy worked with the service dog organization, she trained dogs to assist with mobility, developmental, and hearing disabilities. She also trained dogs to provide Animal Assisted Therapy and developed the organization’s therapy dog program. While working for the service dog organization, Betsy earned the designation of Certified Assistance Dog Trainer from Assistance Dogs International.

In 2003, Betsy Howell became the first person in southcentral PA to earn the designation of Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). This certification requires hands-on experience, a written examination, and yearly continuing education credits.

Betsy Howell is an evaluator for all levels of the AKC Canine Good Citizen program and a therapy dog evaluator for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the Labrador Retriever Club of America, the Harrisburg Kennel Club, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of the Susquehanna Valley, the Keystone Labrador Retriever Club, and the National Association of Canine Scent Work.

Betsy teaches all courses offered by Redfern Canines.