A few of Chris’s Credits:

• Certified Member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
• Taught for 2 years college credit course Introduction to Animal Behavior
• Instructed applied behavioral science courses to animal control officers & veterinary technicians
• Served as Educational Director for a non-profit humane education company
• Published many behavior and training articles in respected dog journals
• Earned titles in the most complex and demanding forms of dog performance competition, including AKC and SCC sports
• Trained and handled narcotic detection dogs
• Coached problem solving with both hobby competition and police dog teams
• Trained a dog born and living feral for two years to work in a children’s humane ed program
• Saved many dog lives and homes resolving difficult behavior problems

Training and behavior modification are both art and science. Just like any artist, a trainer or behavior consultant must be able to have their unique individual art shine through while still abiding by the rules of their medium. In dog behavior the rules of the medium require staying up to date on cognitive research, learning principles, the natural behavior (ethology) of the dog and the human and the work of other professional trainers and behavior consultants. A competent behavior consultant or trainer must also be very familiar with all the health conditions that can adversely affect a dog’s behavior and know when to recommend veterinary diagnostics. A true professional will never rely only on past experience and do things “the way they always did them” without testing results. The art of analyzing behavior and choosing effective training techniques comes only through years of really getting to know both the science and the essence of dogs and understanding that different owners have different images of how they want their dog to behave. Getting the two species coordinated is the key to success. You, the dog owner, need to assure yourself that the trainer you choose has a broad enough base of experience, accomplishments and knowledge to serve you fully.