Mission & Qualifications
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR CONSULTANT
Mission
Our mission is to create accessible animal behaviour change to empower animals and their caretakers. We aim to provide education and training to families, animal care workers and animals in human care.
We strive to empower the animal and human carer by training functional behaviour, managing the environments and enabling their ability to make choices for behavioural wellbeing.
Our focus is on training animals to improve welfare, achieve conservation outcomes and provide education and knowledge to all those who care for animals whether industry professionals or pet owners.
Our strategy is based on reinforcement, placing emphasis on humane, evidence-based training and science guided best practice. We support humility and consent in changing behaviour and ethical management of animals in human care.
Our interest is in combining knowledge of learning and behaviour, ethology, neuroscience, cognition and applied behaviour analysis to understand the animal in front of you. With compassion we can build relationships, with knowledge we can advance behaviour.
What’s In It For You?
Training takes time and patience. Investing in your animal’s success starts when you reach out to us.
We need you to be part of the solution, by committing to help create change, practice exercises and be willing to work training into your lifestyle. Results will happen with effort on your part.
We want to coach you to set your animal up for success by making any environmental changes we recommend and be willing to try something new. We will guide you through training your animal, sometimes we might take the reins.. but we will always hand them back to you, so you are in control of your success.
We won’t make guarantees on outcomes with living, breathing animals, but we look forward to doing our best to help you succeed. We work closely with vet behaviourists and other professionals in the field for referrals and collaborative support.
Working together, we start with questions about behaviour history, lifestyle and environment. We discuss your goals and desired outcomes, you will learn some exercises to practice with your animal and after our time together you will receive a written report to summarise everything we discussed so you can refer back to it. You’ll start seeing results the more you implement the changes and exercises. Get in touch so we can start changing behaviour.
Qualifications
In an unregulated industry where anyone can advertise as a trainer, we are dedicated to ongoing professional development and value remaining up to date with the most current scientific methods of training. Attendance at over a thousand hours of international conferences and seminars on animal behaviour and training with some of the most respected professionals in the industry sets us apart from others.
⭐️ PhD Candidate – Animal Behaviour & Welfare, University of Adelaide
⭐️ Masters of Science – Zoology (Animal Behaviour) University of New England
⭐️ Masters of Applied Behaviour Analysis – Griffith University
⭐️ Bachelor of Science – Zoology & Psychology University of Tasmania/University of Texas, USA
⭐️ Graduate Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis (Griffith University)
⭐️ Certified Dog & Cat Behaviour Consultant (CDBC/CCBC, IAABC)
⭐️ Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
⭐️ Certificate III & IV Companion Animal Services
⭐️ Certificate III Captive Animal Management
⭐️ Certificate III Dog Behaviour & Training
⭐️ Karen Pryor Academy – Certified Training Partner
⭐️ Fear Free Certified Trainer
⭐️ TAG Teach Level 2 Certification
⭐️ Living and Learning with Animals, Susan Friedman USA
We have learned, studied under and developed knowledge from:
- Ken Ramirez (Karen Pryor Clicker Training, USA)
- Steve White (PRO Active K9, USA)
- Bob Bailey (Animal Behavior Enterprises, USA)
- Terry Ryan (Legacy Canine, USA)
- Dr Susan Friedman (Behaviour Works, USA)
- Steve Martin (Natural Encounters Inc., USA)
- Dr Grey Stafford, PhD (Zoo Logic, USA)
- Dr Jesus Rosales-Ruiz (ORCA, USA)
- Dr Karolina Westlund (Illis Animal Behaviour, Sweden)
- Dr Robert Hewings (College of Scent Dogs, UK)
- Karen Pryor Academy (Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behaviour, USA)
- Michelle Skurski (Disney Animal Kingdom, USA)
- Barbara Heidenreich (Good Bird Inc, USA)
- Theresa McKeon (TAG Teach, USA)
- Wouter Stellaard (Behavior360, USA)
- Peta Clarke (Animal Training Solutions, Australia)
- Kay Laurence (Learning About Dogs, UK)
- Don Blair (SG K9, USA)
- Alexandra Kurland (The Clicker Center, USA)
- Grisha Stewart (USA)
- Kathy Sdao (USA)
- Dr Ian Dunbar (Sirius Puppy Training, USA)
- Simon Prins (ACT Animal Consultancy & Training, Netherlands)
Professional Member
Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA)
International Society of Applied Ethology (ISAE)
Pet Professional Guild Australia (PPGA)
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASSAB)
Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia (ABAA)
Association for Pet Dog Trainers AU (APDT)
Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner (KPCT)
Australasian Society of Zookeeping (ASZK)
Professional Development
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Conference 2023, Speaker
Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia 8th Annual Conference, 2023 Sydney, Invited Workshop & Animal Behaviour Chair Conference Committee
Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia 7th Annual Conference, 2022 Sydney, Speaker & Animal Behaviour Chair Conference Committee
Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour Conference 2022, Speaker
Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia 6th Anuual Conference 2021, Invited Speaker
GeekWeek Science, Pet Professional Guild Conference 2021, Speaker
Association of Professional Dog Trainers New Zealand, 2021, Webinar Series Speaker
International Society for Applied Ethology Conference 2019, Bergen Norway (Presenter)
International Society for Applied Ethology Regional Conference 2019, Wellington New Zealand, Speaker
Animal Behavior Management Alliance Conference 2019, Portland USA, Speaker
Behavior Explorer Summit: Building Reinforcement Systems for Accelerated Learning 2023
Scent and Scentability – Advanced Handlers
Workshop 2023, Perth WA (Dr Robert Hewings & Karen Caton-Hewings, College of Scent Dogs UK)
Scent and Scentability – Indications Workshop 2023, Perth WA (Dr Robert Hewings & Karen Caton-Hewings, College of Scent Dogs UK)
Scent and Scentability – Scentwork for Assistance Dogs 2023, Perth WA (Dr Robert Hewings & Karen Caton-Hewings, College of Scent Dogs UK)
Scent and Scentability – Scentwork for Pet Professionals 2023, Perth WA (Dr Robert Hewings & Karen Caton-Hewings, College of Scent Dogs UK)
Scent and Scentability – E-scent-ial Skills 2023, Perth WA (Dr Robert Hewings & Karen Caton-Hewings, College of Scent Dogs UK)
Food for thought – Functional foods and their effect on the brain and behavior, 2023 (Dr Kathy Murphy, Barking Brains, Online)
When is a Reward Actually Rewarding? 2022 (Dr Kathy Murphy, Barking Brains, Online)
Exploring the Nexus between Mind, Nose & Behavior, 2022 (Jill Marie O’Brien, Online)
Australasian Conservation Dog Conference 2022, Canberra
Noseworks Workshop 2022, Adelaide AU (Peta Clarke, Animal Training Solutions)
The Power of Scents: Olfactory Research from Innovation to Application & Validation Animal Welfare Symposium 2022, APOPO HeroRats (Online)
Neuroscience for the Sports Dog 2022, Dr Kathy Murphy (Barking Brains) Online
Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour 2022 Conference (Online)
Animals Emotions Course 2022, Karolina Westlund (Illis Animal Behaviour Consulting)
Towards a Good Life, Companion Animals New Zealand Conference 2021 (Online)
ISES Advancing Equestrian Practice to Improve Equine Quality of Life Conference 2021 (Online)
Cross-Fertilisation Neuroscience & Animal Welfare Research Workshop 2021 (Online)
Dog is Love, Wolf is Wild Seminar, 2021 (Clive Wynne, USA; Online)
4th Research Training Workshop 2022 (Online)
3rd Research Training Workshop 2020 (Online)
IAABC International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Online Conference 2020 (Online)
Animal Training Workshop 2020, San Antonio Zoo, USA (Wouter Stellard, Steve Aibel)
The Ranch Course 2019, Washington State USA (Ken Ramirez, USA)
Deep Dive Course 2019, Washington State USA (Ken Ramirez, USA)
Think Again: Two Day Seminar 2019, Washington State, USA (Ken Ramirez, USA)
Bob Bailey Animal Training Panel Seminar 2019 (Bob Bailey, Simon Prins, Susan Garrett, Shelley Wood) Hot Springs, Arkansas USA
Exotic Animal Training Professionals Workshop, Sydney 2010 (Ken Ramirez, John G. Shedd Aquarium, USA)
Professional Animal Training Course, Shedd Aquarium 2015 Chicago, USA (Ken Ramirez, USA)
AZA: Animal Training Applications, 2011 Disney Animal Kingdom, USA (Dr Grey Stafford, Ken Ramirez, Michelle Skurski)
Chicken Camp Advanced 2020 (TA for Terry Ryan) Seabeck, USA
Chicken Camp Beginner 2019 (TA for Terry Ryan) Seabeck, USA
Chicken Camp Advanced 2019 (TA for Terry Ryan) Seabeck, USA
Chicken Camp 101, 2013 Tasmania (Terry Ryan, USA) Hosted Event
Chicken Camp 101 – Discrimination 2012 (Terry Ryan, Washington USA)
Chicken Camp 201 – Cueing 2012 (Terry Ryan, Washington USA)
Operant Conditioning Workshop (Chicken Camp): Discrimination 40hrs 2015 (Bob Bailey & Parvene Farhoody, USA)
Operant Conditioning Workshop (Chicken Camp): Cueing 40hrs 2015 (Bob Bailey & Parvene Farhoody, USA)
Operant Conditioning Workshop (Chicken Camp): Criteria 40hrs 2015 (Bob Bailey & Parvene Farhoody, USA)
Australasian Animal Training Conference, 2018 Melbourne Zoo, AU
Learning Safari: Behaviour and Training Workshop 2018, Monarto Zoo, AU (Wouter Stellaard, USA)
Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour Conference 2018, QLD AU
Making Dogs Happy Symposium 2018, University of Sydney, AU (Professor Paul McGreevy)
Animal Behaviour with Bob Bailey Sydney 2013
(Bob Bailey, Animal Behaviour Enterprises, USA)
Contemporary Animal Training & Management 2011 (Steve Martin, Susan Friedman, NEI, USA)
Contemporary Animal Training & Management 2020 (Steve Martin, Susan Friedman, NEI, USA)
Animal Behavior Management Alliance Conference 2011 Colorado USA
Animal Behavior Management Alliance Conference 2019 Portland USA (Speaker)
Animal Behavior Management Allicance Conference 2021 USA (Online)
The Art & Science of Animal Training Conference 2010 Denton, Texas USA
The Art & Science of Animal Training Conference 2011 Denton, Texas USA
Clickerexpo, 2010, Oregon, USA
Clickerexpo, 2011, Newport Beach, USA
Clickerexpo, 2012, Nashville, USA
Clickerexpo, 2020, Seattle, USA
Animal Behaviour and Welfare Course 2014
University of Edinburgh
Chicken Behaviour and Welfare Course 2016
University of Edinburgh
Truth About Cats and Dogs Course 2018
University of Edinburgh
Dog Emotion and Cognition Course 2015
Duke University
Equine Welfare and Management Course 2019
UC Davis
5 Go to Sea: Animal Training Cruise, Alaska 2015 (Ken Ramirez, Kay Laurence, Alexandra Kurland)
5 Go to Sea: Animal Training Cruise, Caribbean 2014 (Ken Ramirez, Kay Laurence, Alexandra Kurland, Jesus Rosales-Ruiz; USA)
Tellington T-Touch Seminar 2015, Linda Tellington-Jones, San Francisco USA
Professional Animal Training Seminar, 2013 QLD
(Steve Martin, Natural Encounters Inc, USA)
TAG Teach Primary Level Certification 2014 (Theresa McKeon, USA)
TAG Teach Level 2 Workshop 2021 (Theresa McKeon)
Coaching People to Train Dogs 2014, Washington USA (Terry Ryan, Legacy Canine)
Coaching People to Train Dogs 2010, Adelaide, AU (Terry Ryan, Legacy Canine)
Ian Dunbar: Social Behaviour & Aggression, 2013, Melbourne, AU
Raising the BaR: Taking Training to New Levels, 2013 (Steve White, PRO Active K9, USA)
HITT Canine Tracking & Detection Workshop 2013 Sydney (Steve White, PRO Active K9, USA)
Science Based Dog Training with Feeling 2013 (Ian Dunbar, Dog Star Daily/SIRIUS Training, USA)
Step Up Training for DogSports 2012 (Kathy Sdao & Michelle Pouliet, USA)
Canine Scent Detection Workshop 2012 (Don Blair, SG K9, USA)
Canine Physiological & Psychological Effects of Reactivity, 2010, Perth AU (Dr Linda Marston)
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Conference, 2009 (Sarah Kalnjas & Dr Pam Reid)
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Conference, 2010 (Ken Ramirez & Steve White)
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Conference, 2012 (Grisha Stewart, Dr Sophia Yin, Pat Miller)
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Conference, 2015, QLD (Nando Brown, Chirag Patel)
Parrot Training and Enrichment 2011 (Barbara Heidenreich, Good Bird Inc., USA)
Art & Science of Training Companion Parrots 2010 (Steve Martin, Natural Encounters Inc, USA)
Living & Learning with Parrots 2011 (Dr Susan Friedman, Behavior Works, USA)
Parrot Behaviour & Training Workshop 2010 (Jim McKendry, AU)
Parrots 2010 – Parrot Training Conference, Brisbane, AU (Steve Martin & Dr Susan Friedman)
