Terry
Long, CPDT, founded DogPACT in
1996 turning a lifelong fascination with dogs and
the study of their behavior into a new career.
Terry's experience with dogs goes back to early
childhood when she could be found training family
and neighborhood dogs, and later evolved into working
in veterinary hospitals in a variety of positions.
Her keen understanding of dogs stems from hands-on
experience with hundreds of dogs, as well as her
skill in using operant conditioning to create new
behaviors and to modify others. Her skills have
brought her invitations to teach in the US, Canada
, and Japan.
As a committed practitioner of positive
training methods, Terry logs more than 100 hours
of continuing education a year. Terry has studied
operant conditioning and clicker training with
Bob and Marian Bailey, PhD, and has also been the
beneficiary of the teachings of Dr. Ian Dunbar,
Dr. Karen Overall, VMD, Pam Reid, PhD, Karen Pryor,
Jean Donaldson, and a host of other contemporaries.
In 2003 Terry became one of 635 trainers internationally
to attain the CPDT (Certified
Pet Dog Trainer) designation, the first well-recognized
certification program for professional trainers
and behavior consultants.
Terry is the former managing
editor of The APDT Chronicle
of the Dog, a magazine
for professional dog trainers
around the world. In 2006 her
article for The Chronicle,“Shape
for Confidence,” won a
coveted 1st-place Maxwell Award
for Best Feature in a canine
newspaper or newsletter from
the Dog Writers Association
of America. It told the story
of how clicker training can
be used to help dogs overcome
fearfulness and to build confidence
through trick training. Terry
also authors Dog World magazine’s “About
Agility” column, nominated
for Best Magazine Column of
2006 by the DWAA.
Terry is a member of the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
and holds a B.S. degree in business management and
a certificate in public relations from UCLA. Terry
has four dogs, three of whom have top agility titles,
and one whom is just starting to compete. Terry's
skills with clicker training are obvious when watching
her dogs perform freestyle, tricks, and agility.
Sandy
Mae | Moki
Jo | Kiwi |
Pretzel | Buster's
Memorial
Nikki
Myers, CPDT, has been involved in dogs
for more than 20 years. In 1994 she was first introduced
to clicker training. Since then she has used clicker
training in agility, flyball, obedience, and tricks
training. Nikki is a member of the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers and has been an instructor
for DogPACT since 2001, teaching agility, private,
in-home pet manners, and group pet manners classes.
She is a founding member of the Woof
Gang Flyball club of Orange County and has
traveled across the country to teach flyball at
the Iron
Dogs Sports Camps. Nikki specializes in motivating
dogs and their owners, and in applying the lessons
she teaches in her classes to real-life settings.
Nikki owns a silky terrier, Rodi, who, in addition
to being a Therapy
Dogs International - certified therapy dog,
has titles in agility, earthdog, and flyball. Rodi
is the #1 Silky terrier in NAFA (North
American Flyball Association). Nikki also is challenged
to live with and train an Australian terrier, Maggie,
who is in training for agility, flyball, earthdog,
and freestyle.
Gila
Kurtz, CPDT, is committed to improving the
lifelong relationship between
dogs and their people. An active
Association of Pet Dog Trainers
(APDT) member, she applies the
latest technology and research
in animal learning and behavior
modification. A professional
trainer for the past six years,
Gila remains current through
continuing education at conferences,
seminars, and workshops held
throughout the country. She
firmly believes that a positive,
non-aversive approach to training
provides faster and more effective
long-term results.
A former teacher
and business owner, Gila is
skilled at identifying the needs
of her clients and tailors her
training to meet those specific
needs. She is a Certified Professional
Dog Trainer (CPDT), skilled
at coaching people on how to
best communicate and work with
their dogs. She has successfully
helped hundreds of people with
puppy rearing issues, addressed
numerous problem behaviors,
and has taught important dog
manners skills that have turned
countless dogs into the envy
of every dog owner in the neighborhood.
People love working with her
as much as their dogs do! She
believes dog training can and
should be fun.
Before recently
relocating to California, Gila
had built successful training
businesses in Florida and Washington
State. She now resides
in Seal Beach with her husband,
daughter, and three dogs. In
addition to her passion for
working with dogs and their
people, she loves fitness, any
outdoor activity, dance, and
volunteers at the Museum of
Tolerance.
Who is a 'Behaviorist?
 I am often referred to as a
behaviorist since I work with
dogs to resolve serious behavior
problems such as fearfulness,
aggression, and anxieties. When
I tell people that I am not
a “behaviorist,” they
express either surprise or disinterest
as I try and explain why I won’t
call myself a behaviorist. After
all, what matters to them is
that I can help their dog, not
what I call myself.
But it matters to me. Because,
in brief, it is really buyer
beware when one purchases dog
training or behavior modification
services. There is no regulatory
body in my state (CA) that licenses
trainers or helps the public
become educated about who has
the appropriate experience to
work with their dog, whether
that be Pansy the Puppy or Fang,
the resource-guarding, child
biting Man’s Best Friend.
And if someone calls himself
a behaviorist, and yet has no
advanced education or training
in behavior, someone could end
up being very disappointed when
that “behaviorist” can’t
solve their dog’s problem—or
worse, makes it worse—because
they weren’t qualified.
And that makes all trainers
and real behaviorists look bad.
I call myself a “dog trainer
who specializes in resolving
serious behavior problems.” I
feel that the title “behaviorist” belongs
to two groups of people: 1)
a Board-certified veterinarian
who has advanced education and
experience in behavior in addition
to their medical degree, and
they have sat for and passed
their Board exams in behavior
(there are about 48 of these
rare creatures in the U.S.;
go to http://www.dacvb.org/);
and 2) a Certified Applied Animal
Behaviorist (CAAB) who is a
PhD in psychology or animal
behavior and recognized by the
Animal Behavior Society (http://www.animalbehavior.org/).
Does this mean that anyone who
isn’t one of these rare
folks is incapable of helping
people with their dogs? Of course
not. The more than 100 hours
of continuing education I devote
every year in keeping abreast
of my field, my CPDT certification,
and my more than 10 years’ direct
experience make me good at what
I do. But I still don’t
try and impress people with
a title that should be reserved
for the folks who have advanced
degrees and who should be respected
for their contribution and commitment
to the field.
There’s room for everyone
when it comes to helping our dogs
live happy, stress-free lives with
their wacky humans—as long
as we do no physical or emotional
harm—and we respect and
acknowledge the contributions
each other has made.
Terry Long, CPDT
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