Shannon was introduced to Schutzhund, a European canine sport that tests a dog’s tracking, obedience, and protection skills. Shannon learned how to train dogs using this method, under the tutelage of 1988 World Schutzhund Champion Gene England, owner of the renowned Advanced Canine Academy in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
While continuing to work with world-class trainers, Shannon competed and titled at local, regional, national, and international levels for 10 years, winning the 2003 European Championship in Diest, Belgium.