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You have to your own skills

Because there are no legitimate professional state licenses or governing bodies that oversee dog training in USA most dog trainers work under more seasoned dog trainers. Yes, there are some schools out there like in Texas and Ohio that teach basic dog training skills but you have to develop your own dog training skills and that takes many years.

In my case my undying love for dogs my whole life lead me to dog training

Since I couldn’t find any dog training in USA I trained under John Toutloff of ABC’s of Dog Training in North Lauderdale, Florida. He has been dog training in obedience, housebreaking and protection since 1965. After a lot of thought he agreed to train me 1-on-1 in Florida and has taught me his proven dog training methods. He taught me about the basic 5 commands in dog obedience training which is the foundation of all dog training.

I learned how to teach a dog how to heel, sit, stay, down and come. He has shown me a lot about what I know about being a professional dog trainer including but not limited to teaching puppy training classes and resolving unwanted behaviors in dogs. I will always be grateful that he took me on. He is my primary mentor.

I’ve also taken dog training instruction from distinguished multi U.S. Schutzhund Award winner Beth Bradley of Beth Bradley Dog Training, Denville, New Jersey.

Beth taught me how to obedience train a dog while in group classes. I was also instructed by Edward Przybylski of Working Dog K9 Academy, Frenchtown, NJ. Edward is a well-respected professional trainer and “The Master Rehabilitator” as he is known throughout the industry. He has rehabilitated thousands of dogs throughout his illustrious career and has appeared on the t.v. show Animal Planet. He taught me how to fix unwanted behaviors in aggressive dogs.

I then mastered methods in off-leash remote collar dog training taught to me by Richard Heinz, the highly sought after “dog trainer to the Stars”, aka “The Miami Dog Whisperer” and his company Dog Force 1, Miami, Florida. Most recently I’ve training in basic obedience and behavior issues with Eric Gonzalez, of Bite Life K9 in Miami Lakes, Florida.

Eric is very versed in protection work and aggression issues. Eric and I work on very aggressive cases where two dog trainers are required to resolve issues in very dangerous dogs. Today I am a proud Associate member of the IACP, the International Association of Canine Professionals.

Student, On-Leash Basic Obedience & Dog Psychology, Ecollar Training, ABC’s of Dog Training in North Lauderdale, Florida
Student, On- Leash Basic Obedience, Beth Bradley Dog Training, Denville, New Jersey
Student, Unwanted Behaviors in Aggressive Dogs, Edward Przybylski, Working Dog K9 Academy, Frenchtown, New Jersey
Student, Off-Leash Advanced Obedience, Richard Heinz, Dog Force 1, Miami, Florida
Mentorship Program, Basic & Advanced Obedience & Behavior Issues in Aggressive Cases, Eric Gonzalez, Bite Life K9, Miami Lakes, Florida
Student, Basic Obedience, Off-Leash Ecollar & Trick Training, Dog Training Beyond, Felix Rosado, Poughkeepsie, New York
Student, Ruff Beginnings Rehab, Bethany Wilson, Los Angeles, California
Student, Ecollar Training, Julie’s K9 Academy, West Virginia
Student, Ian Dunbar, Dog Behavior & Training Academy
Seminar, Leash Reactivity, Jeff Gellman, Solid K9 Academy, Providence, Rhode Island
Member, IACP, International Association of Canine Professionals

My first dog Sonny

A silver and black German Sheppard was the son of a junk yard guard dog my father owned. Sonny was brought home as a puppy in 1968 the same year I born. We grew up together and he was my beloved buddy. At age 7 he contracted a new, rare disease. Sonny was the second reported dog in the United States to contract this disease. It was terrible to watch him get sicker day by day with no cure. We eventually had to put him to sleep. It devastated me. I cried for days. It was the Parvo Virus and it was finally recognized in 1978.

As for dogs well they don’t chose us, we chose them. When purchasing or adopting a dog the new owner says they will “commit” to this dog forever. But then something happens…the dog get bigger, becomes “too much work”, the owners have to move, a baby is born. Now they say the dog is a “problem.” They have to as many say “get rid of it.” But is it? No, of course not. Dogs get “dumped” at the pound, given away on Craigslist (some unknowingly become BAIT DOGS for fighting dogs) or let loose in another neighborhood and that is how the owner decides to solve their “problem.” How terrible! How inhumane!

Moreover, dogs facing euthanasia that have been labeled to have “Behavior Issues” by the families who no longer want them is also very troubling to me. Unless they have a mental illness like Cocker Rage (very few canines have this) I truly believe all dogs can be trained or rehabilitated. So, that is another reason why becoming a dog trainer was so important to me so I can help those families keep their dogs with the facility of dog training in USA. However, the dog trainer, setting and tactics must be right for it to happen. But most importantl the owner must be committed to doing the work. The dog trainer, the owner and the dog is what makes up “the team”.