Certified Professional Dog Trainer; Karen Pryor Academy graduate and Certified Training Partner; master's-prepared professional adult educator; healthcare professional (RN); speaker; author; contributor, APDT Chronicle of the Dog and 2010 book, Top Tips From Top Trainers; reviewer, 2014 book, Getting to Know Dogs (Australia). Offering pet & service dog training; therapy dog evaluation; American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing; behavior evaluation and modification (e.g., fear, aggression); bite prevention presentations; workshops/instruction on clicker training (dogs and other species); webinars; podcasts; animal handling for photo shoots/advertisements; more than 30 years' experience volunteering in animal shelters

 

Certifications:

 

Designations: CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP

 

Job Title: Owner/Manager

 

Training Equipment: Clickers, head halter, if indicated. No choke chain collars, prong/pinch collars, shock ("e") collars. No leash corrections. I prefer harnesses over neck collars.

 

Training Philosophy: I do not use any kind of force, pain or intimidation. I employ evidence-based best practices, and I tailor my instruction and methods to the needs of individual dogs and their owners.

 

Locations Served: Willard, Missouri and surrounding area; long distance (virtual) training and consultations; on location animal handling for television and print advertisements; assistance/service dog training offered locally

 

Languages: English

 

I am a graduate and Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP) of the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior and attended the Purdue University Principles and Techniques of Behavior Modification course for licensed veterinarians, vet techs, and certified dog trainers. I have continued my education in dog training, behavior, and behavior modification by attending seminars and workshops offered by top professionals, and have completed post-grad coursework in dog and wolf behavior, and pet nutrition. I worked as a field representative/service dog instructor with Paws with a Cause in Michigan for 3 years, and have worked with wolves and studied graduate level wolf ethology. While living in Iowa one of my dogs, Opal, earned the first Dog Scout title in the state, and I founded the first Dog Scout troop in Iowa. This same dog I clicker trained to be a certified demonstration service dog. We were members of the Badger Kennel Club Drill Team, and performed annually at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. I have a professional teaching career which spans 50 years, a master's degree in higher & adult education, and a bachelor's degree in natural science. Additionally I have been a licensed registered nurse for 45 years, which uniquely qualifies me to perform professional assessments using the medical model, as well as applied behavior analysis. This background, including a prior specialty and certification in critical care nursing (CCRN), enables me to understand the physiological basis of behavior, and the use, and mechanisms of action of pharmacologic agents in the treatment of behavior problems. My graduate work at the University of Missouri included work in an animal learning laboratory performing experiments in operant conditioning. My volunteer work includes many years in animal shelters, rescues, and animal-assisted activity ("pet therapy"). I was a certified evaluator for a major pet therapy program until I founded a new and unique program in 2012. I have been a certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator with the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 2009. I work collaboratively with general practice veterinarians as well as board-certified behaviorists, and believe in a team approach. My tools and techniques are compliant with the Joint Practice Standards of the APDT, IAABC, CCPDT, and KPA and are in agreement with the recommendations of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.