Member of the APDT, Association of Pet Dog Trainers since 2003

Certified CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Evaluator

Member of RIAWC, Rhode Island Animal Welfare Coalition

Member of RIDART, Rhode Island Disaster Animal Response Team

Shelter Volunteer, I provide training and temperment testing on a volunteer basis for the Warwick Animal Shelter

MINI-BIO:

My interest in dogs is lifelong but about nine years ago a good friend and gifted trainer, Ron Aviles, asked if I'd like to swap some computer parts for some lessons with my two dogs. That was the best deal going since Minuit purchased Manhattan Island from the Algonquins for 24 bucks! It was a transforming experience that ultimately led to the process of learning how to train other people how to go about training their dogs.

Along the way I would try my hand at competition, a lot of fun but there was this nagging feeling that this was not a good use of my time. Having emerged from the ranks of the average dog owner I was (and am) empathetic to the problems that average pet owners are faced with. From a practical standpoint I knew that for every person who wanted to teach their dog to square dance, there were countless more struggling with more pedestrian issues like pulling the leash and jumping on strangers at the park. No one's going to send you a dry cleaning bill because your dog can't "do-si-do" but god help you if your pound puppy leaves paw-prints on someone's Calvin Klein's. So pet obedience it would be and has been for seven years, starting Great Dog! in 2003.

It's been great fun far more than it's been anything like work. Most rewarding has been the shelter experience. I'd heard a trainer say "If you really want to sharpen your skills, work with some junk dog at your local shelter" my problems with the expression "junk dog" aside, boy was he right. It's humbling, inspiring, sad, gratifying, and so many other things. Visit yours, they're not all the same to be sure but nevertheless worth your time.

On a personal note, I am married to my wife of eleven years Susan. We have one child, my son Keir who at four years old proclaimed "I have dog training skills daddy!" Chip off the old block that boy. We have three dogs; Big Lou, a twelve year old Min Pin, Archie, a nineyear old JRT and Reno, who we think is about eight, he's that handsome gold wolfie looking guy seen above with my son. We adopted him from the Warwick Animal Shelter in 2003. I also have a Bachelor's degree in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art.

Louie & Reno

Archie & Louie

Great Dog! Goes Green with the new LEV Honda Fit!