Hi! My name is Andrea, I am the owner of The Polite Pooch and have been in business for 18 years.
Here is a quick background on my experience and education.
I am a graduate of the National K-9 School for Dog Trainers in Columbus, Ohio and remain a member of the National K-9 Dog Trainers Association. Throughout this education, numerous endorsements were awarded such as, Puppy Development, Behaviour Modification, Basic and Advanced Obedience, Handicapped Assistance, Personal Protection, Scent Detection, Breed Identification and Tracking Retrieval.
As a Professional Member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) I am able to stay up to date on current studies and recieve support with my training. The IACP is an organization established to maintain high business standards and ethics among canine professionals.
Through distance education at Ashworth University (PCDI) I chose to further my knowledge of basic animal care and earned an Animal Care Specialist Diploma. At PCDI I learned basic medical issues and behaviours that arise in pets which has helped me to distinguish a possible medical problem from a behavioural one.
Pet First Aid Certification and work alongside veterinarians provided me with the knowledge to address a medical emergency appropriately and prevent further harm to an animal in need.
I have been contracted by Dogs at Camp Canada to provide weekly coaching sessions to improve the skills of the camp staff in regards to handling dogs in large groups, as well as by LifeLine Canada to approve rescue dogs for homes.
Although I do not work with extreme aggression cases, I did complete a workshop with Chad Mackin (packtobasics.net) on Dog socialization and dog on dog aggression that has helped me understand how to help keep dogs social and rehabilitate dogs that struggle in this area.
I enjoyed some time in Indianapolis working on scent detection for Cadaver dogs. This skill can be used for other purposes such as play for your dogs so can be an exciting skill to learn.
Most recently I completed Fundamentals 1 with world-renowned dog behaviourist Cesar Milan. I learned from Cesar to be more gentle and patient with the humans and dogs. He brought my understanding of dogs to a new level and I look forward to completing his second course in the near future.
Through home boarding I have had the luxury to live with an ever changing group of dogs on a daily basis. The experience of managing various dog personalities within my household has provided me with valuable experience when it comes to maintaining manners. This skill I feel, is where my speciality lies.
Previous work with groomers, veterinarians, kennels, trainers and The Humane Society led me to discover that dog training was my strongest suit and that I will always enjoy my work with animals and their owners. The passion that I continue to hold for my work is what has led me to excel and continue to grow.