The Trainers Behind Dog Alchemy

Simona Cozzi

Simona has been a certified canine educator since 2011, and holds a specialized certification as a Scent Game® instructor (2019) — a discipline that builds a dog’s confidence and focus through structured scentwork. She completed her sportive mantrailing instructor certification alongside Francesco in 2026. Beyond formal certifications, Simona is the one who never stops studying: she has completed dozens of additional seminars and webinars on canine behavior, welfare, and cognition over the years, training under recognized voices in the field including Prof. Angelo Quaranta, Dr. Brian Hare, and ethologist Roberto Marchesini.

Francesco Vischi

Francesco has worked professionally with dogs since 2011, when he earned his national canine educator qualification through Italy’s APNEC-accredited training program, followed by an official Level 3 brevetto through F.I.S.C. (Federazione Italiana Sport Cinofili). That same year, he also completed the professional licensing required in Italy to legally train, board, and handle dogs commercially — the kind of unglamorous paperwork most self-taught “trainers” skip entirely. In 2026, he completed certification as a sportive mantrailing instructor. Francesco is also the voice behind most of what you read on Dog Alchemy, translating what happens in real training sessions into articles you can actually use.

Dog training isn’t a licensed profession in most places, which means anyone can call themselves a “trainer” after watching a few videos. We think you deserve to know exactly what we’ve earned, and who taught us. Here’s what stands out:

• National Canine Educator Qualification — Scuola Nazionale di Formazione Cinofila (APNEC-accredited) + national Level 3 F.I.S.C. brevetto (2011) — held by both of us
• Scent Game® Instructor Certification (2019) — Simona
• Sportive Mantrailing Instructor Certification (2026) — held by both of us

Beyond these three, we’ve completed more than 40 additional courses, stages, and professional webinars since 2011, covering everything from canine communication and body language to behavioral disorders, scentwork, and welfare in senior dogs — taught by figures including Dott. Maurizio Dionigi, Dott.ssa Alessandra Cerri, Prof. Angelo Quaranta, and Dr. Brian Hare, among others. We keep learning because the field keeps evolving, and a diploma from 2011 doesn’t teach you anything about the dog in front of you today.

For Your Dog

We focus on trust, clarity, structure, and emotional balance — the four things that let a dog feel safe enough to actually listen, instead of just reacting out of stress or confusion.

For You

We help you get clearer, more consistent, and more confident, because dogs read the person on the other end of the leash far more closely than most owners realize. Training your dog usually means training yourself first.

We write Dog Alchemy the same way we train: no gimmicks, no fear-based shortcuts, no promises we can’t back up. Every article comes from what we actually see working with real dogs and real owners in Bologna — and when we recommend a resource, like the free training linked throughout this site, it’s because we’ve used it ourselves and believe it holds up to the same standard we hold our own work to.

If you’re dealing with a specific problem — pulling, reactivity, separation anxiety, or anything in between — browse the blog. And if you want a deeper, structured path forward, the free workshop linked below is the best next step we can point you to.