Our Education
Mary McNeight, CPDT-KA, BGS, CCS,
Owner/Head Trainer
Bachelors Degree from the University of Michigan
Certificate in Canine Studies by a program certified by the State of Washington.
APDT member
Certified by the American Red Cross in Pet First Aid
Certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed.
Mary has attended the following conferences and workshops:
Clicker Expo 2012
- Oops!Taught by Ken Ramirez
- What to Do When Mistakes Happen
- Back-chaining & Reliable Performance Lecture and Lab
- Adduction & Combining Cues
- How Collar & Body Cues Speed Your Training Lecture And Lab
- How To Reinforce Your Animals
- The Multi-Purpose Clicked Retrieve Lecture And Lab
The Strongest Link Taught by Cecilie Køste
1+1=3 Taught by Ken Ramirez
The Right Touch Taught by Michele Pouliot
Smart Reinforcement Taught by Ken Ramirez
Hold It , Get it, Bring It, Give It! Taught by Michele Pouliot
Solid Scentwork
- Solid Scentwork – 2011 Taught by Steve & Jen White
- Foundational training techniques for police and narcotics scent detection dogs utilizing strict positive reinforcement methodology only
APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2011:
- 2,4,6,8 How Do We Approximate? Taught by Grey Stafford
- Using creativity and enthusiasm in positive reinforcement training to help you have a better dog
- Consequences and delivery – improving your dogs training with proper timing
- Handling aggressive or fearful dogs calmly and non-confrontationally
- How to make teaching students dog training concepts fun for both them and you
- We learned how to make you a more effective dog trainer
Do You See What I See? Taught by Kathy Sdao, MA, ACAAB
Low Stress Handling and Restraint of Difficult Dogs Taught by Sophia Yin, PhD, DVM, MS
What a Pithy Taught by Kathy Sdao, MA, ACAAB
From Clumsy to Competent: Teaching Mechanical Skills Taught by Hannah Branigan, MS, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP
APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2010:
- K9 Nose Work Taught by Amy Herot, CPDT-KA, CMWI and Jill Marie O’Brien
- Explored ways to encourage and develop a dog’s scenting abilities
- Explored the benefits of including games in classes so that our classes are so fun, you never want to go home!
- Cross training builds attention, self control, mental stamina and confidence, skills needed for your dog to become the most reliable pet dog in town!
- Again, we want our students to have fun in classes. Teaching games ensure that you learn things and that we can easily teach them to you.
- Learning the quickest way to gain off-leash control with lure-reward training, and phasing out food reward.
- Learned appropriate testing in the selection and placement of puppies and dogs in suitable homes and work environments
- Worked with dogs under the guidance of three skilled instructors.
- Sharpened observation and handling skills, fine-tuning timing and training choices
What’s the Name of the Game? Using Games in the Classroom to Build Reliable Behaviors, Increase Owner Participation and Create Big Fun Taught by laruren Fox, BA, CPDT-KA
Canine Cross Training Classes: Beyond Sit, Down, Stay and Come Taught by Leslie Nelson
Training Dogs with Fun and Games Taught by Sue Pearson, CPDT-KA and Judy Warth
Advanced Lure/Reward Training: Off-Leash Verbal Control without the Continued Use of Food. Taught by Ian Dunbar PhD, MRCVS
Puppy & Other Test: What Well Designed Tests Can and Do Reveal Taught by Suzanne Clothier
Polish Up Your Training Chops! Taught by Suzanne Clothier, Pia Silvani, CPDT-KA, and Nancy Williams, MA, RVT, ACAAB
Clicker Expo 2010
Challenging Adolescents Taught by Trish King
- Adolescent dogs can be a pain the the rear, lets us show you what we learned to fix this problem!
Training the Behaviors Students Want Most: Calmness, Relaxation, and Self Control Taught by Gail Fisher
- Seriously who doesnt want a calm dog?
Fear, Aggression, and Play wekend in Seattle with Patricia McConnell and Grisha Stewart – 2010
One day seminar that focused on dog-dog aggression and fearful dogs
- The most common context of problems with dogs, over-reaction to unfamiliar dogs by barking, lunging or biting.
- Methods of treating the behavior using classical conditioning and several forms of operant conditioning.
Play! Play! Play!
- Learning how play can improve your relationship with your dog, improve the dog’s responsiveness and give the dog the mental and physical exercise he needs.
- Learning up-to-date research on how to tell your dog you want to play, and how not to play with your dog
- Charming tricks and games to play
Dr. Ian Dunbar Seminar May 2010
Games for teaching reliability, precision and Pizzazz
- Designed to fine-tune essential ingredients of a dog’s training repertoire
- Learning tricks and playing games that rapidly accelerate the speed of learning
- Motivating dogs to give their best performances and keep owners motivated to practice training
APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2009:
Symposium of Fear and Anxiety Behaviors Taught by Nicole Wilde and Alternative Medicine for Fear and Anxiety Taught by Dr. Doug Kneuven
- We want to make sure you have the most up to date methods for helping your dog conquer his fear and anxiety.
Fear and Loathing in Separation Fun Taught by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Pet Dog Training – the Absolute Basics Taught by Kathy Sdao
Scentsational Taught by Steve White
- We cant get enough scent training classes!
Training a Thinking Dog: The Advantages of Marker Training Taught by Gail Fisher
- We think its critically important that our service dogs learn to think independently.
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
Clicker Expo 2010
- Challenging Adolescents Taught by Trish King
- Adolescent dogs can be a pain the the rear, lets us show you what we learned to fix this problem!
- Seriously who doesnt want a calm dog?
Training the Behaviors Students Want Most: Calmness, Relaxation, and Self Control Taught by Gail Fisher
Fear, Aggression, and Play wekend in Seattle with Patricia McConnell and Grisha Stewart – 2010
One day seminar that focused on dog-dog aggression and fearful dogs
- The most common context of problems with dogs, over-reaction to unfamiliar dogs by barking, lunging or biting.
- Methods of treating the behavior using classical conditioning and several forms of operant conditioning.
Play! Play! Play!
- Learning how play can improve your relationship with your dog, improve the dog’s responsiveness and give the dog the mental and physical exercise he needs.
- Learning up-to-date research on how to tell your dog you want to play, and how not to play with your dog
- Charming tricks and games to play
Dr. Ian Dunbar Seminar May 2010
Games for teaching reliability, precision and Pizzazz
- Designed to fine-tune essential ingredients of a dog’s training repertoire
- Learning tricks and playing games that rapidly accelerate the speed of learning
- Motivating dogs to give their best performances and keep owners motivated to practice training
APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2009:
Symposium of Fear and Anxiety Behaviors Taught by Nicole Wilde and Alternative Medicine for Fear and Anxiety Taught by Dr. Doug Kneuven
- We want to make sure you have the most up to date methods for helping your dog conquer his fear and anxiety.
Fear and Loathing in Separation Fun Taught by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Pet Dog Training – the Absolute Basics Taught by Kathy Sdao
Scentsational Taught by Steve White
- We cant get enough scent training classes!
Training a Thinking Dog: The Advantages of Marker Training Taught by Gail Fisher
- We think its critically important that our service dogs learn to think independently.
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
Fear, Aggression, and Play wekend in Seattle with Patricia McConnell and Grisha Stewart – 2010
- One day seminar that focused on dog-dog aggression and fearful dogs
- The most common context of problems with dogs, over-reaction to unfamiliar dogs by barking, lunging or biting.
- Methods of treating the behavior using classical conditioning and several forms of operant conditioning.
- Learning how play can improve your relationship with your dog, improve the dog’s responsiveness and give the dog the mental and physical exercise he needs.
- Learning up-to-date research on how to tell your dog you want to play, and how not to play with your dog
- Charming tricks and games to play
Play! Play! Play!
Dr. Ian Dunbar Seminar May 2010
Games for teaching reliability, precision and Pizzazz
- Designed to fine-tune essential ingredients of a dog’s training repertoire
- Learning tricks and playing games that rapidly accelerate the speed of learning
- Motivating dogs to give their best performances and keep owners motivated to practice training
APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2009:
Symposium of Fear and Anxiety Behaviors Taught by Nicole Wilde and Alternative Medicine for Fear and Anxiety Taught by Dr. Doug Kneuven
- We want to make sure you have the most up to date methods for helping your dog conquer his fear and anxiety.
Fear and Loathing in Separation Fun Taught by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Pet Dog Training – the Absolute Basics Taught by Kathy Sdao
Scentsational Taught by Steve White
- We cant get enough scent training classes!
Training a Thinking Dog: The Advantages of Marker Training Taught by Gail Fisher
- We think its critically important that our service dogs learn to think independently.
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
Dr. Ian Dunbar Seminar May 2010
- Games for teaching reliability, precision and Pizzazz
- Designed to fine-tune essential ingredients of a dog’s training repertoire
- Learning tricks and playing games that rapidly accelerate the speed of learning
- Motivating dogs to give their best performances and keep owners motivated to practice training
APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2009:
Symposium of Fear and Anxiety Behaviors Taught by Nicole Wilde and Alternative Medicine for Fear and Anxiety Taught by Dr. Doug Kneuven
- We want to make sure you have the most up to date methods for helping your dog conquer his fear and anxiety.
Fear and Loathing in Separation Fun Taught by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Pet Dog Training – the Absolute Basics Taught by Kathy Sdao
Scentsational Taught by Steve White
- We cant get enough scent training classes!
Training a Thinking Dog: The Advantages of Marker Training Taught by Gail Fisher
- We think its critically important that our service dogs learn to think independently.
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show 2009:
- Symposium of Fear and Anxiety Behaviors Taught by Nicole Wilde and Alternative Medicine for Fear and Anxiety Taught by Dr. Doug Kneuven
- We want to make sure you have the most up to date methods for helping your dog conquer his fear and anxiety.
- We cant get enough scent training classes!
- We think its critically important that our service dogs learn to think independently.
Fear and Loathing in Separation Fun Taught by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Pet Dog Training – the Absolute Basics Taught by Kathy Sdao
Scentsational Taught by Steve White
Training a Thinking Dog: The Advantages of Marker Training Taught by Gail Fisher
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
Diabetic Alert Dog Training – 2009
Fall 2009 Medical Alert Dog Workshop Taught by Rita Martinez
- Topics included Scent imprinting, Scent discrimination, Alert chain, Alert refinement
Assistance Dogs – Exploring Temperament & Structure – 2008
Topics included How to Choose A Service Dog Candidate and How to keep your service dog healthy.
Assistance Dogs – Exploring Temperament & Structure – 2008
- Topics included How to Choose A Service Dog Candidate and How to keep your service dog healthy.
