I am a dog trainer and behaviorist and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), a Control Unleashed Certified Instructor (CCUI) and an Accredited Dog Trainer (ADT) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). I earned a diploma with excellence in Canine Behavior Science and Technology (CBST) from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute (CASI). I have completed Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals (LLA) course, Terry Ryan’s Chicken Camp, graduate-level courses in behavior, studied with brilliant trainers and am always reading and taking courses.
My Philosophy
I love dog training and behavior because I can improve the quality of a dog’s life, and consequently, everyone who lives with that dog. We work together to give your dog the skills and behaviors he needs to be successful in your home, and in our human world. Generally, we don’t understand why our dogs are exhibiting particular behaviors or how to modify those behaviors. I can help you understand how to read and communicate with your dog through training and understand the function of your dog’s behavior – and how we can move your dog toward new behaviors in a way that feels joyful and bonding for everyone. I know some people worry that through training, we’ll be taking away some of our dog’s freedom or turning him into a robot dog. It’s just the opposite! We train the dog in front of us and through training, increase your dog’s choice, control over his environment, confidence, freedom, responsiveness and engagement — and improve everyone’s quality of communication and day-to-day living. We shape dogs who WANT to train with us! They WANT to learn!
“Training should not be considered a luxury; it is a key component to good animal care.”Ken Ramirez
The Approach
I use LIMA, which means “least intrusive, minimally aversive”. Because there is a lot to unpack in that acronym, know that I primarily use positive reinforcement when I work with dogs. Unfortunately, many people think that positive reinforcement means that we’re willy-nilly raining food onto the dog or that the term ‘positive’ means I use unicorns and sparkles to train. What it actually means is that I use an approach that is science-based and consequently, is very effective! Positive simply means the addition of something, not that beams of sunshine stream from my eyes. Every moment of your dog’s life, he is using this same framework to get his needs met. When we start communicating with your dog using positive reinforcement, he knows exactly what we’re saying! We’re communicating! The lightbulb goes off … and so starts the journey.