Florenza Pizanis founded Rooby-Doo Canine Academy in 2018 after a personal struggle that shaped her training focus. According to her site, she adopted a severely aggressive rescue dog and couldn't find local help to rehabilitate him. That led her to train under experts at a Los Angeles facility, logging thousands of hours with hundreds of dogs before returning to Fresno to open her own business.
Her credentials include CPDT-KA certification, AKC Evaluator status, and certifications in canine fitness, stunt dog judging, and trick dog instruction. She's also competed nationally in IGP (a demanding protection sport), flyball, dock diving, and nosework—titling her own rescue dog to IGP3 level twice, according to her website.
The academy works with dogs across the behavioral spectrum, from puppies needing foundation skills to dogs with serious issues like aggression, reactivity, and separation anxiety. Their site describes an approach focused on identifying root causes and triggers rather than suppressing symptoms, with mandatory evaluations required before starting behavior modification work. Programs include multi-week board-and-train stays, private lessons (on-site, in-home, or via Zoom), and eight-week group courses covering obedience through AKC Canine Good Citizen certification. They also offer training toward trick dog titles and sport competition.
