Derek Cotton joins the Holiday House Pet Resort family to lead the training team and manage the daycare program. He is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, is certified in animal first aid, and enrolled in a continuing education program with the Animal Behavioral College studying dog and cat training. While living in Arizona, Derek managed a horse ranch and studied horse training which led to his passion working with herding breeds. He became a dog trainer in 1999 and started his own training business, The Grateful Dogs, in 2009. He moved to Pennsylvania in 2013 and volunteered with local rescues to train shelter dogs to help increase adoption rates. He worked with clients to address their dog's behavioral problems and strengthen the bond with their pet through agility training. Derek is excited about working with the Holiday House Pet Resort team to provide a diverse and effective training program for all levels of learning. He has four furry family members: Chili, a border collie; Batman, an Italian greyhound mix; Rambo, a bichon mix; and Catalina, his cat.