Elsa Larsen began her career in the field of dog training as a volunteer for the Assistance Dog Institute in Santa Rosa, California, a unique program that engaged incarcerated youth in the care and training of dogs to assist people with disabilities.

In June 2000, Elsa moved to Maine to start My Wonderful Dog, Maine’s only non profit dedicated to the training and placement of dogs for the disabled. Due to lack of funding, the non profit had to close it’s doors however, under the banner of My Wonderful Dog, Elsa continues to bring her humane training methods to dogs and their people in the greater Portland area. Elsa works with both puppies and adult dogs, teaches obedience skills and works with behavioral problems, including aggression.

Elsa has been training dogs professionally since 1997 and has earned her Certified Pet Dog Trainer credentials from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. To complete this testing process Elsa had to demonstrate her knowledge of the scientific principles of behavior and learning, ethology, animal husbandry, and business practices and ethics. Elsa continues to stay current on the latest teaching methods studying with some of today's top dog trainers including: Karen Pryor, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, Dr. Nicolas Dodman, Leslie Nelson and Pia Silvani and Patricia McConnell.