Biography
Claire Kilcullen brings energy, curiosity, and a natural enthusiasm for teaching to the Philly Unleashed team. She especially loves working with puppies, working breeds, and high-drive dogs, and has a passion for helping dogs build confidence through training that is active, engaging, and fun.
Claire’s interest in dog training started early with her childhood dog, Oliver. She spent hours after school teaching him tricks—from rolling over and playing dead to balancing treats on his big black nose. What started as a kid having fun with her dog eventually grew into a much deeper interest in how dogs learn and how training can strengthen the relationship between dogs and their people.
She began gaining professional experience with dogs in high school through dog daycare, pet sitting, and dog walking. During college, Claire interned at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, where she gained hands-on experience training working dogs involved in search and rescue, law enforcement, and research. The experience gave her an opportunity to work with highly driven dogs while developing her skills in learning theory, behavior, and positive reinforcement training.
Claire also served as a Head Coordinator for the Working Dog Center’s Canine Handler Academy, an immersive summer program that introduces middle school students to dog training and the world of working K9 teams. The experience combined two things Claire loves: training dogs and helping other people get excited about learning alongside them.
At Philly Unleashed, Claire particularly enjoys puppy training, scent work, and agility. She loves giving energetic dogs a job to do and watching them figure things out, but she has an equally strong appreciation for the seemingly simple skills that help a puppy grow into a confident, capable adult dog. Her approach emphasizes trust, communication, and making the learning process rewarding for both ends of the leash.
Outside of dog training, Claire is happiest staying active and spending time outdoors, especially on a long hike. She also loves cooking and experimenting with new recipes, spending time with the people she cares about, or happily trading an adventure for a good movie on the couch.
