Canine Companions Southwest Training Center

Dog Training

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Website | (760) 901-4300
124 Rancho Del Oro Dr, Oceanside, CA 92057, USA

Opening Hours:
Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed


Area Served:
Within 4 miles (6.4km) of 124 Rancho Del Oro Dr, Oceanside, CA 92057, USA
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The Southwest Region of Canine Companions was founded in 1986. We serve Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Southern California, Southern Nevada and Hawaii. The Southwest Regional Training Center is named the Dean, Gerda and Trixie Koontz Campus after our campus benefactors: bestselling author Dean Koontz, his wife and their late Golden Retriever adopted from Canine Companions after being retired from service.

The Dean, Gerda and Trixie Koontz Campus is located in Oceanside, California. We invite you to explore our volunteer opportunities, make a donation or attend an event. Presentations are also available for your group by Canine Companions representatives. Our monthly public tours are held on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30 p.m. at our Oceanside campus. Tours are open to the public. If you are interested in attending a tour, please RSVP to Carrie Linden. For groups larger than 10 people, please contact Gwen Seah to make arrangements.

Southwest Region Staff:Marcell Mallette, Executive Director  | Piero Berlonghi, Director of Philanthropy | Kim Danker, Director of Philanthrophy | Carrie Linden, Development Assistant | Gwen Seah, Volunteer Coordinator | Lauren Marshall, Community Events Coordinator | Sarah Zetlmeisl, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator

Shelley Dickinson, Program Director | Chuck Dickinson, Training Manager | Stephanie Yocum, Puppy Program Manager | Kerri de Jager, Client Services Manager | Madeleine Cullen, Kennel Supervisor | Julia Sanchez, Puppy Program Assistant | Grace Hardy, Program Field Representative | Lindsay Taylor, Senior Instructor |  Sarah Nigoghossian, Senior Instructor | Kate Incremona, Instructor | Aimee Schildt, Apprentice Instructor | Morgan Galovic, Apprentice Instructor | Ashley Wilt, Apprentice Instructor | Anika Schenkel, Apprentice Instructor| Katie Lake, Instructor Assistant | Kerry Wallerius, Instructor Assistant | Patti Irby, Program Assistant | Jennifer Hof, Campus Caretaker | Keerah Caldwell, Kennel Technician | Zyla Guthrie, Kennel Technician | Abigale Vandeven, Kennel Technician

Southwest Region Board of Directors:
Joseph Celentano, President | Sheryl Ishizaki | Kim Haydel | Leslie Hennessy, Ph.D. | Susan Ryan, M.D. | Sondra Thiederman, Ph.D | Barb Beier | Nick Kemp | Alison Gilmore | Jay Orlandi | Cynthia Yankovich

Google Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (49 total ratings)

C. Braddy
5 Star
Took the Canine Companion puppy we are raising and training here to be boarded during her heat cycle. Carrie, their receptionist was great, and very professional. Joe, the kennel manager was friendly and professional when he took Rainy, our puppy to the kennels for her three week "spa treatment". The entire organization is wonderful in providing service dogs to people in need, free of charge.
Sunday 20th November 2022
Angela Nugent
5 Star
A great place and cause! This program grabs your heart and wont let go! Thanks @pravaconstruction for hosting "Yappy Hour'!
Wednesday 21st August 2019
Jolie Marzo
5 Star
Canine Companions is a wonderful non profit that works very hard to help gift quality certified service dogs to people with disabilities and they do it for FREE! They are changing people's lives one dog at a time and that is something I can really get behind. Great organization!
Thursday 26th July 2018
Felice Lococo
5 Star
I Have No Reservations about contributing to this great charity. They do good for people that can't help themselves.
Saturday 15th May 2021
Tammy Anderson
5 Star
Hoping to one day obtain an assistance dog am paraplegic and would love to begin process of obtaining service animal
Monday 4th April 2022