1996-present
For years we have interacted with dogs and people in business
and in volunteer work. By 1986 we were eager and ready to open a business
providing canine behavior counseling and teaching to the public. We
work with behavior problems as well as helping people establish healthy
relationships to prevent problems. Our company does both private and
class work. Our
careers have been devoted to developing our skills as behavioral instructors.
Behavioral teaching means we establish why the dog is behaving as
he is; helping the owner to understand why the dog is behaving as
he is;
and then designing a program that will change the dog's behavior and
help the owner understand how to use the programme. Our approach is
highlyinteractive both with the dog and the client. Our skill is in
our ability to observe the dog. The dog's progress defines the course
of the program. There is no one right or appropriate technique. Techniques
are a dime a dozen. Our job is to find the ones that will work for
the dog and the owner. Our goal is a dog that can be a good citizen.
We believe that dogs are valuable members of our society and contribute
to our lives in many ways. Dogs behaving appropriately in public are
ambassadors for all dogs. We will return their love and devotion by
helping them to be well behaved and self-controlled in all situations.
Owners must teach their dogs to be good citizens. We teach our clients
that this they're main responsibility in owning a dog. A well-taught
dog is a polite dog, an asset not a liability. We also have an apprenticeship
program. We are dedicated to bringing an understanding of the need
to teach civic responsibility for both humans and dogs. And we are
dedicated to educating the public, helping them to understand that
teaching a dog is about building skills and abilities. Corrections,
reactive techniques and punishment do not build better behavior. And
often, especially with aggression such techniques make problem behavior
worse. These apprentices are the future. They are learning to teach
responsible ownership and to challenge old fashioned, reactive, negative
training styles that cause so much harm.
We believe strongly that problem behavior arises out of a poor human/dog
relationship. The human does not understand his dog and the dog does
not understand his human. The dog behaves poorly because he is confused
or he misunderstands what the human wants. The human often shows poor
behavior too in his reaction to his dog's poor behavior. Our job is
to stop this reactive cycle. By teaching the human what his dog needs
and by providing the human with the skills he needs to teach his dog
the dog will be able to learn how to behave appropriately. Punishment
simply avoids the causes and prevents solutions. Force, control, and
punishment will not make a good dog or a good relationship. Teaching,
guidance, and success will bring get the owner and dog working as
a team in a happy, healthy relationship.
1986 to present
Consultant to staff and volunteers of several non-profits and government
organizations: Burnaby SPCA, Vancouver Pound, North Shore Animal Advocates,
North Vancouver SPCA, West Vancouver SPCA, Workman's Compensation
Board, the Provincial Courts, Pets Ltd., Mercy, Volunteers for Animals,
Mission-Northwest Spay and Neuter Society, are the major groups. We
can deal with problem dogs that others have given up on or don't have
the experienceor knowledge to deal with. We volunteer our time and
expertise because it is something of value we can do to help those
many dogs that lose homes and aretoo often euthanised for problems
that are so easy to solve.
Since one of our specialties is aggression and all its complexities
these groups also call us in to help them decide the form of aggression
and the dog's personality to decide if the dog can be rehabilitated.
Usually the aggression is fear based or based on poor guidance, usually
owner taught and highly solvable. Most owners simply do not understand
that all living creatures need to be taught boundaries and guidelines.
If your dog were not taught proper manners and respect they would
not display it. The potential result could be a dog making a poor
decision.
Over the years in our private practice, our various program and seminars,
and our volunteer work we have assessed between 400 and 500 dogs annually.
In our years of assessing dogs, many displaying serious behavior problems,
we have developed and honed our assessment skills. We can assess where
a dog's personality and the owners teaching style meet to create a
problem dog. We have developed clear and simple methods that reveal
a dog's trigger responses and his willingness to use or not to use
his teeth when he is upset or frightened. Our assessments will also
tell us how redeemable a dog will be and what kind of work will be
necessary to provide the dog with more appropriate coping mechanisms.
1981 to 1985
Four year apprentice with Kathy Gibson to develop skills as a dog
teacher/behaviorist.
1986-1990
Hugs & Kisses Pet Sitters Inc.
Founded and operated to provide an alternative form of pet care. We
provided home environments where the dog could be safe and have fun
with his 'second family''. Our company was the first in the Lower
Mainland and throughout B.C. We selected and trained pet sitters who
would take care of pets in their own homes.
1989-1992
B.C.Society for Human/Animal Interaction - Training Directors and
Volunteer Trainers. We developed standards for the training and placement
of therapy and institution dogs throughout the Lower Mainland. We
also developed a program to work with psychiatrists who help people
dealing with their fear of dogs. In our work we were responsible for
assessing and selecting the therapy dogs.
We also assured their handlers had the necessary skills to work with
people and to help their dogs work and recover from their work.
We developed programs to assure the maintenance of the therapy dog's
training and held regular sessions with the volunteers to provide
support for them in their work. We also gave presentations to the
public and to prospective financial contributors.
1989-1998
Canine Corrections - Kathy & Gary were the founding trainers for
this canine program. We developed this program at Lakeside Correctional
Centre for Women and later moved it to the newer Burnaby Correctional
Centre for Women. The goal of this program was to provide dogs who
would act as facilitators for inmates personal growth. We used the
approach that built on success and personal growth and development
for both the dog and the person.
Using this approach, inmates took orphan dogs with problems and helped
them become successful pets. In the process inmates learned to apply
anger management skills, cognitive skills, parenting skills, conflict
management, etc. Inmates personal development grew out of their personal
success in helping dogs become good citizens. Our 'jail house dogs'
were well known and people went on waiting lists to get one of our
dogs.The dogs chosen from our local SPCAs and other rescue societies
were not t hose dogs easy to adopt. Rather they were the ones who
had a history of aggression.
1990
Received Certification to adjudicate the Canine Good Citizen Test,
an internationally recognized standard for companion and therapy dogs.
Co-developed the Canine Super Citizen Test, which is being used as
a standard for social and assistant dogs in B.C.
1991
Kathy was a representative to the Premiere's Advisory Council on legislation
for the standards and regulations pertaining to "Service Dogs"
in British Columbia (Bill C147) Gary developed an assessment standardfor
selecting older dogs from the rescue societies who had the potential
to become good service dogsCo-founders, in coordination with the Model
Community in Powell River, for the Development
of an apprenticeship program for "Service Dog" trainers.
1992
Association of Canine Behavior Consultants - we founded this association
to promote and provide education to support the human/canine relationship.
Our goal is to bring non-reactive, non-coercive behavior training
into the forefront. We want positive, constructive education for dogs
that will help assure their place and value in our lives.
1996 to Present
Founded Custom Canine. We added a 4000 sq. foot teaching facility
to our behavioral program. Once our clients have completed their in-home
teaching they can come to our centre and continue their work. The
facility is a place where people can learn to play with their dogs,
work with
their dogs and resolve problems and concerns. Our classes are all
year round. Our primary goal is to give people a place to come and
be with
their dog and with other dog owners. People learn living with and
teaching a dog is a life long job but a job that provides many returns.
Virtually
our entire operation is referral based: veterinarians, clients and
people in the industry. With the opening of this centre we have expanded
our
apprenticeship program and started a junior apprenticeship program.
Each apprentice in our program is required to do volunteer work in
the dog community.
1996, 1997
Seminar Presentations at the University College of the Cariboo. -
We taught the veterinarians, instructors and students how to create
a calmer,
safer environment for dogs when they come into veterinarian facilities.
Our main focus was dealing with tough, scared, biting dogs without
using force, confrontation and punishment - all of which only worsens
the situation and creates havoc for the dog, the owner and the clinic.
1998 to Present
Our Headstart Program - a free program established to help owners
of newly adopted dogs from the pound and SPCAs. Most dogs are returned
to these societies because people can't solve basic problems like
house soiling, chewing, poor manners etc. Our 'Hot Dog Phone Line'
is available to new adopters because with quick but good information
we help keep the dog in the home. Each new owner can also attend 2
classes designed to address the problem most new owners run into with
a shelter dogs. Our apprentices, under our guidance, operate these
programs. Or goal is to keep dogs in homes.
1999
Our P.A.T.T. Program - Our years of teaching has confirmed to us that
the public and many official animal organizations do not fully understand
aggression. For them aggression is simply bad dog doing bad things.
What we found that most so called aggressive dogs are highly intelligent,
highly social animals that will learn more appropriate behavior if
they are given the boundaries and guidelines that teach them to earn
there place in our society. We learned that with a little good information
and the willingness to help their dog most owners can help their dogs
to become is good civic citizens.As long as the public views aggressive
dogs as spontaneous eruptions that come out of nowhere they are missing
the point. A dog bite is not a natural spontaneous event. It usually
rests on a history of human input that has actively or passively allowed
a dog to believe that using his teeth with humans is okay. We have
the ability to control our dog's behavior. We have the responsibility
to control our dog's behavior.Our P.A.T.T. Program is specifically
designed to meet the needs of owners with all types of dog aggression.
This program teaches owners how to be calm and self controlled and
how to teach calmness and self-control in their dogs. Each certification
level indicates the owner increasing ability to have verbal control
and the dog's increasing ability to show self-control. Our P.A.T.T.
Program entire focus is assuring that the owners can and will keep
their dog and their community safe. The ultimate goal is a dog that
has been successfully taught and able to be appropriate in all situations.
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