About Us
Crystal Close
Certified Canine Training & Behavior Specialist
Aggression Specialist
AKC CGC Evaluator #96988
Head Trainer
Graduate of Triple Crown Academy's School For Professional Dog Trainers
(now Starmark Academy)
Originally from the small town of Bruce, Wisconsin, Crystal grew up on a farm in the country with animals for siblings. Developing a love for dog training while in 4-H at the age of 13, she always knew she wanted a career working with dogs.
After attending college for years on the path to become a veterinarian, she decided to pursue the behavioral aspect of dogs rather than the medical. She is a graduate of the prestigious Triple Crown Academy outside of Austin, Texas (now known as Starmark Academy). As a student in the academy she learned from some of the best trainers in the country.
After graduation, she was offered an apprenticeship where she worked with the instructors in the academy, and was a member of the training department. Duties included conducting group classes, private lessons and training dogs in the in-kennel board and train program at the world's largest training and behavior facility. She was then hired to write the curriculum for two extensive distance education programs for Triple Crown Academy and acted as the Distance Education Instructor of those programs while remaining a member of the training department.
After working at Triple Crown, Crystal moved back to River Falls WI in 2009 with her three dogs. She then started working as a trainer with The Canine Coach, the largest professional dog training company in the Twin Cities.
In 2011, she branched out on her own and founded Crystal Clear Canine Training. Her true passion lies in analyzing canine behavior, and being a facilitator to clear up the lines of communication between dogs and their owners.
Colleen Van Deurzen
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Behavior Specialist
Graduate of The Michael Ellis School for Professional Dog Trainers
Colleen grew up on a dairy farm in Luxemburg, Wisconsin where her devotion for animals blossomed. In 2007, when she rescued a German Shepherd named Lobo, she knew that she wanted a career enriching the lives of dogs.
A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF), with majors in both Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Colleen has a passion for education. When she enrolled in college, her goal was to become a veterinarian. However, when she started working as a canine caretaker & trainer's assistant for Crystal Clear Canine Training in May of 2016, she knew that she had found her true calling.
Colleen is a full time staff member and is a graduate of The Michael Ellis School of Dog Training in California. She heads our day camp program, trains with the board & train dogs, conducts private lessons, and teaches group classes. Her passion is in making a true difference in the lives of dogs and their owners.
She enjoys canine competition sports work, especially acting as a training decoy (wearing the bite suit) for Mondio Ring.
