Faculty

Nan Arthur has been training with positive reinforcement and operant conditioning since 1996, and is committed to using only positive methods with both humans and animals. She owns Whole Dog Training, and offers private in-home behavior consultations and training in the San Diego area. Nan emphasizes helping pet parents understand their pets, and opening the lines of communication between the two species.

Nan writes a weekly “Ask a Trainer” column for a local paper, and contributes to other dog publications, including Animal Wellness magazine. She has a new book called: Chill Out Fido! How to Calm Your Dog

In addition to running DOGS! Learning Center in Hudson MA, Carolyn has completed one and is writing a second book for Clean Run Productions, lectures on occasion, co-teaches two canine cognition/behavior courses at Harvard University Extension School, and works as a behavior consultant for the MSPCA. At the MSPCA she provides reactive dog training classes and behavior therapy for shelter dogs and their families.

Steve Benjamin is the owner of Clicking With Canines in Endicott, NY. He served over 23 years as a Special Agent of the FBI, primarily conducting investigations of large-scale drug trafficking organizations, and six years in management, first at FBI Headquarters as a Unit Chief in the Criminal Investigative Division, and then as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Albany (New York) Division. Steve retired from the FBI in January 2004 to pursue his passion for working with dogs and their owners. Steve specializes in teaching clicker training to his clients, helping them teach their dogs to be socially acceptable, happy, and intelligent family pets.

Gerilyn Bielakiewicz is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She and her husband Paul Bielakiewicz own and operate Canine University in Malden, Massachusetts. Gerilyn has been teaching people to train their dogs for the past 15 years in both group classes and private settings. She teaches clicker training in all of her classes and incorporates the same principles in teaching the human half of the team. She is the author of several books including The Everything Dog Training and Tricks Book, The Everything Golden Retriever (co-authored with Paul), The Only Dog Training Book You'll Ever Need, and The Only Dog Tricks Book You'll Ever Need. In addition to teaching and coaching people, she also breeds and raises Golden retrievers under the kennel name Pine Springs Goldens. In her spare time she competes with her own dogs in agility, obedience, and field. She has trained and coached all of her current instructors and volunteers, many of whom have been with her for 8 -10 years.

Carolyn Clark has a background in education. She has taught elementary school in Ottawa and, at the college level, has taught classes in the continuing education department at Algonquin College and the Carleton Board of Education. She is a guest lecturer at the Veterinary Technician Course at Algonquin College. Carolyn has a BA in psychology and an MA in pastoral groupwork, as well as an Ontario Teachers Certificate.

Helix Fairweather has been training with operant conditioning since 1996 and is truly committed to this way of communicating with dogs. She teaches Clicker Trained Dog Agility classes and Beginning Clicker Training classes at her home in Oregon and offers private consultations helping people and their dogs learn to live together and have fun. She also teaches online agility classes for clicker trainers to homeschool their clicker trained agility dog prior to taking a local agility class. Helix is a contributing author to Clean Run magazine and The Clicker Journal and has been a ClickerExpo faculty member for four years to date.

Tia Guest is a dog trainer and instructor, and business executive. As Program Director for Karen Pryor Academy she oversees students and faculty and is also involved in curriculum design and the development of teaching materials and programs.

Tia is a graduate of the Exotic Animal Training & Management Program at Moorpark College in California, where she clicker trained animals ranging from rats to big cats. Tia began teaching pet dog training classes in 1993. Tia’s own dogs compete in agility, dabble in disc dog, and offer training demonstrations and entertainment at schools and animal events. Tia is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, an Associate Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for the American Kennel Club.

Dog problems got you down? Laurie Luck of Smart Dog University can help you and your dog.

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Debbie is a registered veterinary technician and the animal behavior technician for Veterinary Behavior Consultations, LLC, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She assists Dr. Kenneth Martin with behavior consultations, behavior modification, and training. She also offers private training and group training classes, private puppy "start right" consultations, and continuing education seminars and behavior service development for veterinary hospitals and training facilities throughout the country.

Emma Parsons, BA, is the Canine Behavior Training Consultant for the VCA Rotherwood Animal Hospital, and Training Director for Karen Pryor Clickertraining. She runs her own dog training business, is an author, and has been featured on numerous television shows. Emma gives seminars internationally on training and managing the reactive/aggressive dog and has taught clicker training classes to graduate students at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.