This week has been really fun and exciting! I’ve had the chance to meet some new people who are leaders in the dog training industry. Like in other industries, I think being a professional involves meeting and making connections with other people in your field. Dog training can be a tough field to network in because emotions run high, but we have something to learn from each and every dog trainer out there. This week I met three amazing people in the dog training industry.
Dr. Kenneth and Debbie Martin – Authors of Puppy Start Right
I met up with Dr. Kenneth and Debbie Martin earlier this week to discuss the beginnings of a local networking group for force-free trainers. Dr Kenneth Martin is a veterinary behaviorist which is a veterinarian that specializes in behavior. Most veterinarians receive little to no education on behavior or animal learning theory in school so having a local veterinary behaviorist is going to be wonderful! I know I’ll be working alongside him and Debbie to make sure my clients get the best training they can get! Be sure to check out their book, Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog.
Dee Hoult – New APDT Board Member
For those that don’t know, there’s this organization called the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) that is the “go-to” organization for all dog trainers. While they don’t discriminate based on methods, they do educate members on the most up-to-date research methods currently in dog training which means they are teaching positive reinforcement based training to their members. Not discriminating gives them to opportunity to reach trainers who wouldn’t normally read or watch reward-based training materials out there.
Dee Hoult lives in Miami, FL where she owns and trains at Applause Your Paws, Inc. She grew up in Austin and was planning on visiting. She reached out to me to meet up for coffee and, without hesitation, I agreed!! Coffee turned into lunch. We had a great time and found out we have a lot in common – like not being able to remember actor’s names! (This is the first time I’ve met someone with this same problem so it was pretty exciting!) She shared a little about her plans for her business and how she made it to the APDT board. I have to say that I’m really excited about the direction she wants to lead this organization! She is a social media addict and has wonderful expansion projects in the making! If you are ever in Miami, definitely give her a shout and go say hi! 🙂
If there isn’t a local dog trainers group to you, I highly recommend you make one! Together, we can really make a difference in our community!
