My education and experience with animals started as a Zoo Docent at Roger Williams Park  Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. This was my initial introduction to reinforcement based training. We were able to see how the zoo keepers moved the giraffes to different areas and bathed the elephants using targeting and rewards. I also learned about the importance of enrichment and meeting mental & physical needs in an animal’s life.

At the same time I was also a volunteer at Foster Parrots Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Hope Valley, Rhode Island. I helped care for hundreds of exotic birds along with Patagonian Cavies,  Sulcata Tortoises, and African Crested Porcupines.  My time there was another important lesson in meeting the needs of animals in captivity. 

Eventually I found myself at West Place Animal Sanctuary, where I was part of the animal care team responsible for the well being of many animals that had come from neglectful situations: Horses, sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs, all sorts of water fowl, and lots more.

For a short time I volunteered at the Providence Animal Rescue League where I adopted my Golden Retriever, Abby. I have also fostered dogs for rescues here in Rhode Island

I was putting in all these volunteer hours while working full time as a Systems Administrator, sometimes tied to a desk for 8-12 hours a day. In the summer of 2015, I decided it was time to make a change.

I had been taking Abby to the new trainer in town, so transitioning to a dog trainer felt like the logical step.

After leaving the corporate world behind I took a job at a local training facility where I started off picking up poop, cutting treats, and cleaning crates. Not much different than what I had been doing at some volunteer gigs. 

Eventually I started watching playgroups and worked my way up to training assistant. In February 2018 I graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior as a certified dog training partner (KPA-CTP).

 I completed the Aggression in Dogs Master Course from aggression expert Michael Shikashio in 2019. And in 2022 I received my Family Dog Mediator Certificate after completing the L.E.G.S Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation® Professional Course by Kim Brophey.

Certifications and their worth are a hot topic in the unregulated dog training industry. Except for the KPA Dog Trainer Professional Course there was no evaluation of skills in any of these other courses. Only a certificate that confirms you completed the self study course or attended the webinar.  Even so I continue to learn about animal behavior and training methods by attending conferences, workshops, webinars, and enrolling in classes.

In 2020 I decided it was time to head out on my own and started John Trains Dogs.