Our Team

Skilled and knowledgeable trainers, motivated by success.

Nicholle Clint – Tampa, FL

Nicholle has been training dogs in New York since 2015.
While training with BFDT she is very popular with our clients. She did in home lessons, board and trains and ran lifetime group classes.
Nicholle in November of 2022 moved and opened a branch in Florida. We are excited to have her expand in the Tampa area!
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Susan Denkewitz – New York

Susan recently started with BFDT in the summer of 2021, but she is a long-time friend of both Scott and Frank, and has been privately training dogs for over 25 years!
She was a certified trainer at Petco for three years while she was also a manager, and has done AKC handling, obedience, and agility in her younger years...she then moved on to IPO, IGP, Mondioring and PSA.
She has achieved many titles with her own dogs as handler/trainer.
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Erin Adam – Virginia

Erin has been with Best Friend's Dog Training for about two years.
Spending most of her life with horses, she quickly translated that experience into the ability to train and care for dogs.
Erin is our training supervisor in Virginia where she teaches the Board and Train dogs, and can often be found teaching at the RVA group class.
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Anthony Ferrara – New York

Anthony retired as a K9 officer with his partner Mac from MTA Police.
After years of working daily with his dogs, he decided to spend some time helping people enjoy time with their pets.
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Michele Calvosa – New York

Michele has been with BFDT since 2017, and began training dogs in her teens!
Using a combination of building motivation and hope for reward, she teaches dogs to actively think and understand that there are consequences for doing and for not doing in the face of conflict and distractions.
She believes training needs to fit the needs of the client and deal with the specific problems of each dog.
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Alicia Curci – New York

Alicia Curci has been around Best Friend's Dog Training for the last 18 years.
We were introduced to her by an old boyfriend who came to us to get some training for his Malinois.
Initially she remained as a friend to the company while working various positions in a veterinary practice, referring patients to us, and staying in touch.
Eventually with all the dogs, rescue, rehabilitation and behavior modification she did, Alicia approached us about formalizing her training and becoming a trainer, and she now provides Board and Train services for our New York clients.

Frank Bonomo – Virginia

Frank Bonomo has been one of New York's premier dog trainers for more nearly two decades.
President and founder of Best Friend's Dog Training (www.muttmanners.com), as well as owner of the New York Academy for Dog Trainers, he has not only trained thousands of dogs, but has also gained a reputation as "trainer to the trainers" with his comprehensive New York Academy for Dog Trainers curriculum.
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Have one to train?

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We can surely help!
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Scott Michelsen – Naples, FL

Scott has been a member of the Best Friend's Dog Training family since 2014 but he is no stranger to training dogs! Beginning his career in 1996, he holds the distinction of being the one Frank (our founder) turned to as he started on this journey asking Scott “how do I become a Dog Trainer.”
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Frank Bonomo – Virginia

Frank Bonomo has been one of New York's premier dog trainers for more nearly two decades.
President and founder of Best Friend's Dog Training (www.muttmanners.com), as well as owner of the New York Academy for Dog Trainers, he has not only trained thousands of dogs, but has also gained a reputation as "trainer to the trainers" with his comprehensive New York Academy for Dog Trainers curriculum.
Know More

Scott Michelsen – Naples, FL

Scott has been a member of the Best Friend's Dog Training family since 2014 but he is no stranger to training dogs! Beginning his career in 1996, he holds the distinction of being the one Frank (our founder) turned to as he started on this journey asking Scott “how do I become a Dog Trainer.”
Know More

Have one to train?

Contact Us
We can surely help!
Contact Us
We asked Nicholle a few questions so that you could get to know her better!
Nicholle: In 2014, I found myself in a position where I was working in an office but felt as though I was missing something. I was able to secure myself a position to apprentice under the guidance of the lead trainer and supervisor for the NYPD’s prestigious Counterterrorism K-9 Unit. It was here that I found my passion as a dog trainer. I was able to work hands on with a variety of dogs from working dogs to pet dogs, and learned how to identify, dissect, and modify both simple and complex behavioral issues.
Nicholle: I believe there are a lot of talented dog trainers in this world, where I can offer the greatest assistance to our clients is by my understanding of how the dogs mind works and, in my ability to teach people. Being a talented dog trainer can’t help our clients if we can’t effectively relay the information so that our clients can be the best dog handlers and pet parents they can be. My number one goal is to help our clients and their dogs live together in harmony
Nicholle: When I was a small child I was deathly afraid of dogs. Whenever we were around a dog my dad had to hold me or I’d cry.
Nicholle: I like to cook and bake, I also love the beach and hiking when its warm enough. This San Diego girl likes to hibernate during the winter with Netflix and snacks.
We asked Susan a few questions so that you could get to know her better!
Susan: I apprenticed under a Master Trainer who was very well known in the dogsport world. I learned my craft on dogs who were bred for policework, security and protection. I became a Petco trainer while I was working a managerial position. I was always wanting to know more so I attended endless seminars around the country…some of the seminars I attended were Bart Bellon, Michael Ellis, Henny Bolster and Mike Suttle. I learned all systems of training obedience as well as scent discrimination and protection.
Susan: I know how frustrating it can be living with a difficult dog or be so overworked that training your family pet can become a daunting chore. I love to teach and simplify the whole process. I love to take that difficult dog whose next stop is the shelter and teach manners. I have patience of a Saint, and will under promise and over deliver. Just as I can evaluate a dog, I can also evaluate the owner and improvise a perfect plan that will suit both. I personalize the experience. No cookie-cutter dog training here!
Susan: I am a tropical fish enthusiast! I am working on my planted discus fish tank as we speak. Another fun fact is that one of my dogs was in the movie The Joker (and we got to meet Joaquín Phoenix)!
Susan: I am an avid outdoorsy type who loves camping, hiking, fishing, mountain biking and exploring waterfalls.
We asked Erin a few questions so that you could get to know her better!
Erin: I apprenticed under Frank right here at Best Friend’s Dog Training!
Erin: I’ve worked with horses for many years and it definitely helps see each dog in a different light and helps me problem solve. I think that I’m relatable to clients, and I’m good at understanding the issues the owners are having and figuring out a way that will solve the problem on both ends.
Erin: I have been riding horses since I was 4, and I graduated high school when I was 16.
Erin: Ride horses and work on my Jeep!
We asked Anthony a few questions so that you could get to know him better!

Anthony: I have been with BFDT for about a year, and I was a K9 patrol/bomb detection handler for 15 years.

Anthony: I trained and worked two patrol/bomb protection dogs for 15+ years as a police officer with the MTA Police Department, and have bomb detection and patrol dog certifications; in addition, I’ve attended countless K9 handler courses and seminars.

 

Anthony: From experience, I have learned how to read and understand dogs, and find what motivates them to want to listen, and learn what the owner is trying to teach them. I feel that training the owner, and making sure they understand the program and why their dog is behaving a certain way is the key to any good trainer.

 

Anthony: I am in my high school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Anthony: I enjoy coaching my daughter’s travel softball team, and attending as many concerts as possible!

We asked Michele a few questions so that you could get to know her better!

Michele: I am a Bart Bellon® NePoPo® Gold School Training Program graduate and have NePoPo® Gold School Training Program Ecollar Training Certification. I am also an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, AKC Fit Dog Level 1 Instructor, and AKC ATT Evaluator. I have attended seminars with: Tyler Muto; Betsy Scapicchio & Linda Brennan (TopDog Obedience School); Diane Bauman; Karen Lechner, Suffolk Nassau Agile Paws, and am a member of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals).

 

Michele: I have my own private company, GoDogGo K9 Academy, and I was also a Nassau Dog Training Club instructor.

Michele: As a school teacher, I work with students from high school to adults. Being able to connect with people and ameliorate their insecurities in a new area of learning is not easy. By trying to teach the practical skills and dog training language in a way that clients can process and understand using in every day language through every day experiences, it helps them feel comfortable with learning a new set of skills.

 

Michele: I am a foodie…I love good food, practicing culinary arts, and trying different, authentic, ethnic foods. I’ll try any strange ethnic food item twice, but I draw the line at bugs–not that I have not eaten one!

 

Michele: I studied music and dance most my life, and I play piano and sing. I competed in ProAm Ballroom dance. I coach swimming and teach American Red Cross lifeguarding and CPR classes.

 

Frank Bonomo has been one of New York’s premier dog trainers for more nearly two decades. President and founder of Best Friend’s Dog Training (www.muttmanners.com), as well as owner of the New York Academy for Dog Trainers, he has not only trained thousands of dogs, but has also gained a reputation as “trainer to the trainers” with his comprehensive New York Academy for Dog Trainers curriculum.

Frank founded Best Friend’s Dog Training in 1999 after completing his initial apprenticeship in obedience and protection training. He quickly made a name for himself in the dog training field, both for his ability to take on “problem dogs” that everyone else had given up on, and for his unique lifetime training program that provided one price “lifetime training” for all clients. His motto, “As long as you keep coming, I’ll keep teaching,” earned him numerous regular clients who stuck around for months and even years, and his weekly group classes quickly became so popular, he had to expand both the frequency and geographic reach.

Before long, he was offering three weekly classes at locations throughout Long Island and Queens. As his business continued to grow, he expanded his offerings even further, providing training for residents of Manhattan, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut and Virginia – and has even had clients fly him out to France to do private training work. He has trained service dogs, rescue dogs, and numerous dogs that were deemed “hopeless,” and is an active supporter of the Therapy Dog program.

Frank built his business on the idea that trainers need to continually evolve, and as such, he has studied virtually every major training methodology. Unlike many trainers who take a “one-size-fits-all” approach to dog training, he believes that there is no one “right” way to train, but rather, the training method must fit the individual dog and the dog’s needs, as well as the handler’s capabilities.

Recognizing that many dog trainers end up trapped in the “one way only” training rut, he opened the New York Academy for Dog Trainers, with the goal of furthering the education of dog trainers from all over the U.S. To address the needs of new dog trainers, as well as trainers looking to broaden their training horizons and grow their businesses, he developed a comprehensive curriculum covering puppy issues (housebreaking, teething, socialization), basic dog behavior, body language and temperament, principles of obedience and behavior, clicker/marker training, treat training, leash training, remote training, problem behaviors and solutions, working dogs/dogs in drive, health and safety issues, as well as a host of business-related issues that dog trainers need to be successful in today’s competitive marketplace.

Frank holds certifications for narcotics and scent-detection training, has titled dogs in protection sports, and does continuing education on a regular basis at various locations throughout the U.S.

He has authored a regular column for LongIsland.com and hosts and assists with seminars for both family pet owners and Police-Only training seminars, and was named a Director for www.NADFK9.org, an obedience and protection dog sport.

He currently lives in Virginia with his wife Kathy and their two daughters, as well as their canine kids, a Malinois/Lab cross named Hemi (his current competition dog), a Malinois named Baci, and a Labrador named Dolce.

frank@muttmanners.com

Scott has been a member of the Best Friend’s Dog Training family since 2014 but he is no stranger to training dogs! Beginning his career in 1996, he holds the distinction of being the one Frank (our founder) turned to as he started on this journey asking Scott “how do I become a Dog Trainer.”

Over the years as their careers progressed, Scott and Frank would meet up at dog events and competitions maintaining their friendship and ultimately Scott joined the Best Friend’s Dog Training team. In 2019 he left Long Island and opened up a Best Friend’s Dog Training in Naples Florida. He is running he lifetime classes all year round due to the amazing weather.

Scott is proficient in all methods of training and not only trains family pets, but he is also involved in competitions, including AKC Rally and Obedience, as well as Schutzhund/IPO with his own dogs.

Nassau County Dog Training, Long Island, NY