FAQs
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First visit we talk about the issues and start with training. I prefer to give my clients as much information as they can handle to keep sessions to a minimum.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
As a volunteer in the shelter when I was 11. I apprenticed for 10 years before taking on clients of my own. I crossed over to scientific based approach to training around 1999.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Make sure the trainer is Certified. The only independent certification agency is the CPDT. You can go to their web site at ccpdt.org to check for yourself. Make sure the trainer uses positive methods. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior AVSABonline.org says "punishment1 (e.g. choke chains, pinch collars, and electronic collars) should not be used as a first-line or early-use treatment for behavior problems." Using these products can cause long term behavior problems.