Athena Canine

Our Story

Athena Canine was born from a lifelong love of dogs and a deep respect for the power of  training to transform lives—both canine and human.

Athena Canine didn’t start as a business plan — it started with a dog.

Lucy, John’s Belgian Malinois, was a once-in-a-lifetime partner. John and Lucy  trained for six years under Mike Lorraine at Lorraine K9 in Palm Beach FL - and Lucy became everything you could want in a dog: joyfully obedient, fiercely driven, yet woven seamlessly into the family. John and Lucy moved north to Conshohocken PA and later to Bucks County training and enjoying winters 

As Lucy aged and her strength began to fade, John knew he needed to bring a new puppy into the home — not just for himself, but so a younger dog could learn from Lucy while she was still active.

Like anyone serious about dogs, John did his research. He contacted world-renowned trainer and breeder Ivan Balabanov and got on a 24-month waiting list. But when he called Mike for a reference, Mike stopped him in his tracks: “Cancel that puppy. I’ve got a client with a championship litter, and one’s got your name on it.” Two weeks later, John visited the litter, studied every pup, and came home with Maple — the little Malinois who would change everything.

That’s when reality hit: it had been over a decade since John had raised a puppy, and he worried he’d forgotten how. Back to Mike he went, who pointed him toward another local legend. Unfortunately, that trainer was recovering from illness. So John searched further and found Katz Dogs K9, run by one of the legend’s protégés, Eric Katz. He booked a session, expecting Eric.

On training day, a black electric Subaru rolled into the driveway. Out stepped not Eric, but Samantha — tattooed, confident, and nothing like what John had pictured. She asked what he wanted to work on. John rattled off his list: core obedience with a focus on recall, rear-end awareness, impulse control, and more. Samantha cut him off: “She’s too young for that. Let’s start with the basics.”

Cue the argument. John thought she didn’t understand Malinois and was another Bark Buster or backyard hobbyist. Samantha thought John was just another guy who bought a cool working dog like the ones he saw on instagram without a clue about what he was getting into. Agitated and disappointed, John brought Maple out to run through his typical training program. Within minutes, it was clear to Samantha that John wasn’t a rookie, he know what he was doing (thank you Mike Lorraine) and John realized Samantha wasn’t just good — she was brilliant and really knew the ins and outs of this incredible breed. They both smiled. She shared stories about her own Malinois, her work with police dogs, and how she’d become such an accomplished trainer at a young age. By the end of the session, they were laughing. John told her, “We’re going to be friends for a long time.”

And he was right.

Over the next several weeks, they trained together weekly. They swapped ideas, challenged each other, and watched Maple thrive. When Samantha left Katz Dogs K9, John reached out immediately. She wanted to build something of her own — a business that reflected her unique training approach and her passion for canine health. With her Canine Nutrition Certification from Cal Tech Veterinary school and years of hands-on experience, Samantha dreamed of helping dogs thrive - living healthier, longer lives.

John and Samantha shared the same belief: the bond between humans and dogs is one of the most powerful relationships in the world. Training dogs and teaching people wasn’t just about obedience — it was about unlocking that bond to its fullest potential.

So, they joined forces. John brought a business mindset and Sam brought her incredible talent for reading and working with dogs while teaching humans.

Athena Canine was born with a vision bigger than training alone. It started with Maple and Lucy, with mentorship and friendship, with arguments that turned into laughter. And it grew into a shared mission: to transform canine care. Today, Athena Canine offers training and nutrition programs grounded in science, empathy, and real-world experience. Tomorrow, the vision expands — veterinary services, physical therapy, sport and working dog coaching, and even long-term longevity planning, so dogs are cared for no matter what life brings their humans.

Because at Athena Canine, we believe every dog has greatness within them. And every person has the chance to unlock it.