Positively Contributors
Victoria Stilwell Positively is honored to have the following distinguished guest bloggers contributing regularly to this site. World-class behaviorists, trainers and veterinarians are among those blogging, as well as some amazing individuals representing organizations and movements helping to make the world a better place for both dogs and people.
Here you will get a unique perspective directly from those scientists and behaviorists who are shaping the debate regarding positive reinforcement, along with fantastic health and behavior advice from some of the world’s leading veterinarians. You’ll also find the latest news from those on the front lines of the fight against dogfighting, puppy mills, and animal welfare around the world, along with some fun articles by some well-known pet bloggers and dog people you may recognize. Enjoy!
Below is a list of contributors to the Positively Expert Blog:
Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman
|
Nicole Wilde
|
Lisa Spector
|
Steve Dale
|
Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., CAAB
|
Ian Dunbar PhD, BVetMed, MRCVS
|
Karen Pryor
|
Wayne Pacelle
|
James O’Heare
|
Sophia Yin
The late Dr. Yin was a veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist who lectured and taught workshops internationally to dog trainers, shelter workers and veterinary staff and was the author of three books including a veterinary textbook and DVD set on behavior. |
Trish King, CPDT, CDBC
|
Cathy Bruce
|
Marc Abraham
|
Duffy Jones, DVM
|
Jayde Davey
|
Susan Kendrick
Susan is the owner of Orlando's Bowser College and is a member of the VSPDT dog training team. |
Jana Kohl, Psy.D
|
Lara Wilber
Lara E. Wilber is a writer and animal advocate with a background in horse training which helps her relate to fearful dogs as well as appreciate the relationships built from positive training. She blogs about a joyful and enriching life with her two rescue dogs at Rubicon Days. |
Rachel Sheppard
Rachel Sheppard is the author and founder of My Kid Has Paws. She is a Social Media Manager, blogger, animal lover, volunteer, graduate student, and shoe collector. |
Scott Amsel, D.V.M.
|
Bill McFarlin
|
Travis and Presley
|
Beverley Cuddy
|
Emma Judson
|
Kim Alboum
|
Linda Michaels, MA
|
Amy Sandmann
|
Jennifer Arnold
|
J. Nichole Smith
|
Laurie Hess, DVM
|
Patrick Mahaney
|
Sam Wike
|
Paula Bloom
|
Kevin Lowery
|
Tim Link
|
Dale Ward
|
Maggie Marton
|
Alex Andes
|
Sarah Lukemire
|
Linda Case
|
Abigail Witthauer
|
Holly Firfer
|
Theo Stewart
|
Laura Brody
|
Kari Bastyr
|
Amy Weeks
|
Laura Clawson
|
Tia Guest
|
Lorena Patti
|
Sara McLoudrey
Sara McLoudrey, CPDT-KSA, CNWI, TAG-L2, VSPDT is the founder of ROOT Dog Training, in the Northern Chicago Suburbs. She prides herself on providing positive dog training no matter what the challenge. |
Kevin Duggan
|
Mary Phillips
|
Thomas Aaron
|
Alix Mitchell
Alix Mitchell is a veterinary technician, pet blogger and animal lover. She is dedicated to raising awareness for better nutrition and R+ training on her blog Fetch for Me, Human. |
Mary Haight
|
Jen deHaan
|
Layla Morgan Wilde
|
Jessica Shipman
|
Jennifer Kachnic
|
Christina Berry
Christina Berry is a wife, mom, Virtual Assistant and Social Media Strategist, movie lover, and Diet Dr. Pepper addict. She blogs about pet-friendly living, responsible dog ownership, and Pit Bull advocacy at The Lazy Pit Bull. |
Debby McMullen
|
Donna Elliott
|
Kelsie McKenzie
Kelsie McKenzie is a dog blogger and marketing grad student with a mild Great Pyrenees obsession. She enjoys learning about canine health and behavior and social media marketing. |
Debbie Jacobs
Debbie Jacobs CPDT-KA, CAP2, created the Fearful Dogs website to help owners and trainers learn about fear-based behaviors in dogs. She is the author of “A Guide To Living With & Training A Fearful Dog." |
Juliana Willems
Juliana Willems (KPA CTP) is a senior trainer with Washington, D.C. based company Dog Latin Dog Training. She writes about her experiences fostering and training dogs in her blog Peace, Love & Fostering. |
Renée Erdman
Renée Erdman is a Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer and behaviour consultant focusing on the emotional needs and welfare of dogs and their guardians. She resides in North Vancouver, BC Canada where she runs Bravo Dog, her pride and joy. |
Carla Dusel
Carla is the co-owner of Good Karma Canine, a Milwaukee based business that specializes in professional dog training and in-home pet care. |
Kimberley Matchem
Kimberley has used her passion for animals, being a shelter animal advocate & dog mom, to launch her own pet blog Confessions of a Rescue Mom to inspire others looking to adopt through real life stories and adventures. It also gives an inside look into her life as a dog mom to former shelter dog, Rolo. |
Jen Gabbard
Jen Gabbard is a blogger, web designer, and dog lover living in Michigan. She writes about living a happy, healthy life with our canine companions on her blog Puppy Leaks. |
Diana Bird
Diana lives in NZ. She is intensely interested in behaviour, teaching, learning, and self development. She strives to generalise positive reinforcement ideas to her life and relationships with other people. |
Camille Schake
Camille Schake is a pet blogger, author, and former Registered Veterinary Technician. Through her blog Good Pet Parent, she shares information on pet health, veterinary terminology, and animal behavior and communication. |
|
Ivana Pen
Ivana is the Founder of Good Dogs & Co., a website offering tips, tricks, and reviews for all things dog-related. She's often seen out on the hiking trails near her home with her Great Dane, Archer. |
Lucy Bennett
Lucy is Co-Founder of Good Dogs & Co., a website celebrating the ups and downs of dog ownership. She's on a mission to help her dog Topher overcome his dog reactivity, after he was blinded in one eye by a dog attack.. |
Amanda Fuller
Amanda, with her dog Keller, are deaf dog advocates, doing everything they can to remove the stigma around owning special need pets. Do you know what a double merle is? Amanda can tell you. |
Bobbie Bhambree
Bobbie Bhambree is the Founder & Director of DogCentric Training, LLC, and has been a professional dog trainer for 13 years. Bobbie is a CPDT, member of IAABC, member of APDT and is a licensed trainer with VSPDT. |
Bernard Lima-Chavez
Bernard Lima-Chavez is a deaf dog pet parent, blogger, trainer and advocate who writes and works for deaf dogs, to raise awareness about their existence, needs, and capabilities and to help them live rich, full, happy lives. |
Janetta Harvey
Janetta is a writer, blogger, independent commentator & campaigner against puppy farming. She is the author of two (soon to be three) books on what a tragedy for dogs the industry is. |
Laura Coffey
Laura T. Coffey is a veteran journalist and the author of the book “My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts.” She has been a writer, editor and producer for TODAY.com, the website of NBC’s TODAY show, since 2008. |
Louise Swindlehurst
Louise is a Canine Massage Therapist and Vice Chair of the Canine Massage Guild. She specialises in the rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries and management of orthopaedic conditions in dogs. |
Beverley Courtney
Beverley Courtney, author of the forthcoming book “Calm Down! Six Steps to a Relaxed, Calm and Brilliant Family Dog” is the owner of Good for Dogs! where she works with new puppies and rescue dogs, always looking to intensify the bond between dog and owner. |
Ines Gaschot
Ines Gaschot, CPDT-KA, is the founder of The Modern Dog Trainer blog where she shares the best dog training industry tips. She "crossed over" from dominance-based training methods with the help of her rescue dog, Loker. |
Erica Lieberman
Erica Lieberman Wittenberg is the owner and founder of Pawsibilities New York. She hold two national, and three international dog training certifications from obedience to aggression. Erica has been a life long New Yorker, and a lover of all animals, big and small, from cats to horses! |
Jo Pay
Jo Pay is an Accredited Animal Behaviourist with the ABTC, the European Co-ordinator for Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training and has spent more than 20 years working with dogs in a variety of roles. |
Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas is a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant who strives to break the cycle of dogs being given-up on unnecessarily due to behavior issues. |
Maureen Backman
Maureen Backman, MS, CTC, PCT-A is the owner of Mutt About Town Dog Training in San Francisco. She is also the founder of The Muzzle Up! Project. |
Sarah White
Sarah White is an animal behaviourist and the creator of the award winning Ruffle Snuffle mat – a toy that doubles as a slow feeder and keeps pets stimulated and engaged. |
Sarah Stremming
Sarah Stremming is a dog trainer, a blogger, and an agility competitor. She teaches online classes and coaches people regarding behavior solutions for their performance dogs, all through her web-based business, The Cognitive Canine. |
Grisha Stewart
Grisha developed Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) to boost dogs' confidence and social skills. Because of its elegant simplicity and effectiveness in rehabilitating reactivity, this dog-friendly method has spread quickly throughout the world. |
Rachel Hayball |
Julie Schmitt
Julie is the owner of Out n About Dog Training in San Diego and a VSPDT trainer. |
Christina Waggoner |
Anthony De Marinis
Anthony is a certified Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer (VSPDT), hand selected by Victoria Stilwell. Prior to becoming a VSPDT Anthony attended the Victoria Stilwell Academy For Dog Training & Behavior where he graduated with distinction. |
John Woods
John Woods first fell in love with dogs volunteering at a shelter over 15 years ago, since then he has gone on to study animal welfare & behavior and is the editor in chief for All Things Dogs. He also serves as their dog behavioural consultant. Read more about John-Woods. |
Aly Lecznar
|
Dr. Dodman is one of the world's most noted and celebrated veterinary behaviorists, an acclaimed author of four books and a 
Steve is a certified dog and cat behavior consultant who has written several books, writes several syndicated newspaper columns, hosts two nationally syndicated radio shows, and has appeared on numerous TV shows.
Amy Sandmann is a VSPDT trainer and lover of the outdoors whose mission is to get people re-connected with their pets thru +R training and exercise.
Dr. Hess is an internationally recognized veterinarian in the field of bird & exotic animal medicine and is one of 150 veterinarians worldwide board-certified as an avian specialist..
Sam is a retired police officer, explosives detection K9 handler and unit supervisor, a CPDT-KA since 2009, a VSPDT member since 2010, a Best Friends Animal Society Community Training Partner and Recommended Trainer and owns and operates his own business, The Inner Dog.
Alex Andes is a professional dog trainer and the owner of 
Tia Guest is the Executive Director for the Victoria Stilwell Academy, as well as a professional animal trainer.
Mary is a professional blogger and content marketing consultant, specializing in the pet industry. Her Dancing Dog Blog & Animal Cafe sites offer useful, entertaining information.
Jen deHaan is graphic designer, writer, and dog person living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She enjoys learning about dog training and behavior, and training her two dogs.
Layla Morgan Wilde, founder of Cat Wisdom 101, holistic cat expert and award-winning writer/photographer/speaker is the official cat behaviorist for Tara the Hero Cat.
Jessica Shipman is a bargain hunter, food lover, and software engineer figuring out how to be a pet parent for the first time. She shares her journey on 
Jennifer Kachnic is president of 
Debby is a certified behavior consultant and the author of the How Many Dogs? Using Positive Reinforcement Training to Manage a Multiple Dog Household. She also owns Pawsitive Reactions, LLC in Pittsburgh, PA.
Donna Elliott is the owner of Mutts With Manners in Atlanta, Ga. Donna is a VSPDT and a certified dog trainer through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.
Aly is a certified dog trainer as well as a master trainer of people as well. Aly believes in teaching both people and dog how to live harmoniously together through teamwork. Working in Midtown, Atlanta, she works with clients whose dogs display ‘reactive’ behaviors in high-traffic, urban areas. Aly is the Curriculum Manager at Victoria Stilwell Academy where she creates dynamic learner-centered, performance-based programs.
Episode 838 - Nicky Campbell
What do the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Long Lost Family have to do with dogs? BAFTA winning radio and TV presenter, Nicky...
Episode 837 – Beyond the Operant
Obedience training has long been the accepted path to teaching dogs’ manners, but the concept of obedience might be doing dogs a...
Episode 836 – Free Work and Adolescent Dogs
What is Free Work and how do dogs benefit? Dog behaviour expert Sarah Fisher joins Holly and Victoria to discuss how Free Work is...
Articles from Victoria Stilwell
- A Message from Victoria
- Becoming a Dog Trainer
- Social Bullying
- Does Your Dog Respect You?
- Differences Between Male and Female Dogs
