Kevin’s Journey to Becoming a Canine Behavior Consultant

My journey began in childhood. For as long as I can remember I have been surrounded by relatives who love and appreciate nature. My Boy Scout father taught me about astronomy, flora, birds, and more. My Aunt Sally and her husband; both retired marine biologists taught me about the ocean. God regularly sent my mother stray cats and dogs. We lived in the country where we also owned horses, rabbits, homing pigeons, parakeets, cockatiels, fish, turtles, and even an orphaned squirrel. So, I suppose I got my love for nature and animals honestly.

The next stop in my journey was the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I selected Marine Biology as a major, but was advised by my aunt that job opportunities were scarce. I didn’t enjoy college, but I did enjoy an extra credit project in Psychology 101. It was ESP and biofeedback testing. I scored exceptionally well on both tests.

A few years later I attended Armstrong State University where I majored in Psychology. I took classes such as Behavior Modification and Organizational Psychology. While attending Armstrong I was hired as a Support Counselor at Bethesda Home for Boys. While there I tutored Study Hall. I found this to be gratifying so I switched my major to Education and graduated on the Dean’s List. I taught science for nearly a decade and became an award-winning teacher. 

At age 44 I decided to start a business that would utilize my skills and experience while also feeding my soul.  I had been a regular watcher of “It’s Me or the Dog” and the thought of having my own business teaching people positive ways to modify their dogs’ behaviors felt right to me. 

I decided that being a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and becoming a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) were the first steps necessary to achieving my goals. I set out to meet the criteria of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). At that time the CCPDT provided no study guide or sample tests. All that was provided was a reading list. The first book I read was “So You Want to be a Dog Trainer” by Nicole Wilde. This was the perfect book to begin with and I credit Nicole with getting my business off to a great start.

Another author that I found particularly helpful was Dr. Ian Dunbar who I met while attending the 2008 APDT conference in Louisville, KY. I also discovered Suzanne Clothier. I related to her very well and after reading her book, “Bones Would Rain from the Sky”, I felt I had found a kindred soul. The conference highlight was meeting Victoria Stilwell at the book signing. I saw her again in Jim Barry’s class, “Practical Ethics for Trainers”. I didn’t get to work in her group that day, but I did 2 years later in Nicole Wilde's “Fear and Aggression” seminar. Victoria thought we worked well together and it was then that she invited me to apply for her VSPDT program. I did and became her 13th VSPDT. 

One of the main reasons I have excelled in my field is continuing education. A benefit of being certified by the CCPDT and IAABC are the CEU requirements for recertification. Ironically, virtual seminars and conferences which I attend regularly are becoming the standard offering in the dog training profession.

COVID shutdown my business so I decided to explore Zoom® as an option. Fortunately, my teaching and canine behavior consulting experience allowed me to effectively utilize teleconsulting because my emphasis was and still is on teaching people how to train or “fix” their own dogs. I continue to successfully offer my services via Zoom® to clients in multiple states; not just locally.

I have found my true calling in life, and finding it has been a wonderful journey. My goal has always been to earn the trust and loyalty of veterinarians, and to work with them to help their patients with behavioral challenges. Veterinarians routinely send me tough cases. Apparently, I have done my job well because my veterinarian list has grown to over 60 veterinary hospitals in GA and SC. I believe I have the best job in the world!