august 2024 KPA CTP of the Month
In this interview, Jenn shares her proudest moments, her transformative experiences, and the deep connections she fosters between animals and people in need.
What is your proudest training moment?
I love cognitive training! My favorite and most proud training moment was with a dolphin named Kolohe at Dolphin Quest Oahu. I taught him to perform multiple behaviors in a sentence structure. The training started with me teaching “wait” and “go” cues. Kolohe was taught to remain still when he was given the “wait” signal until the “go” signal was given. At that point, he was to perform whatever behavior was cued between the “wait” and “go” cues.
For example, I could ask Kolohe to wait, then give him the cue “spin,” and then ask him to go do the spin. He picked up this training quickly and generalized it to many different behaviors. From there, I was able to teach Kolohe to perform multiple behaviors back-to-back without having to give the cue between each behavior. I could ask him to wait and then give him the cues for talk, spin, and sink, and then offer the “go” signal. At that point, Kolohe would talk, spin, and then sink—in that order. It was truly amazing to see how smart he was!
How has completing the DTP program and becoming a KPA Certified Training Partner (CTP) changed your life and career?
I have been a positive reinforcement animal trainer for more than 20 years. I’ve trained dolphins, sea lions, whales, sharks, giraffes, kangaroos, camels, wolves, lemurs, and many more animal species. Despite my experience training a variety of animals, I struggled to break into the dog training world until I became certified by a respected organization. The KPA DTP program was instrumental in launching my dog training career and giving me the skills I needed to transfer training techniques to canines. Since graduating from the program in 2021, my dog training business has taken off. I now offer private lessons, group classes, behavior consultations, social groups, AKC testing, and virtual training.
Since graduating from the program in 2021, my dog training business has taken off.
Do you have a memorable or touching training story you would like to share?
I’ve always loved animal-assisted intervention and am emotionally moved when I see people’s lives changed through their interaction with an animal. Training dogs specifically for veterans at Pets for Vets has touched my heart deeply. Hearing veterans’ stories of the horrific things they have witnessed and learning about how they have struggled through life as a result is very impactful. At the same time, when I hear the story of how an animal ended up in a shelter or rescue organization and see the amount of unconditional love that animal wants to give, I can’t help but want to provide a second chance. Pairing the two together is lifesaving for both the veteran and the dog. I enjoy hearing stories of how their lives have changed for the better since finding one another.
Although I have completed many veteran-dog matches, one will always stand out to me. A veteran named Brandon with PTSD experienced a lot of anxiety in public. He really wanted to attend college after he was honorably discharged but couldn’t bring himself to go to classes. Enter Roxy, a two-year-old pit bull/Lab mix that was abused and discarded in Miami. She had scars just like Brandon and wanted someone to love her and not hurt her. Roxy was confident in social settings, kept watch happily, and alerted to any potential threat. After I got her the medical treatment she needed, I began to train Roxy to meet Brandon’s needs. To my surprise, she performed most of the behaviors naturally and excelled at eye-contact duration. When I placed Roxy and Brandon together, it was love at first sight, like two long-lost friends being reunited. Although Roxy wasn’t a service dog, the college gave Brandon permission to bring her to class; he was able to sit through his classes confidently with Roxy by his side and graduated with the degree he dreamed of. The pair continued to be inseparable. Brandon was able to talk to Roxy about things he wouldn’t share with his counselor. As a result, he found the healing he needed, and Roxy found the best friend she could love and trust for the rest of her life.
What do you do to continue your training education?
I attend a variety of animal training conferences throughout the year (ClickerExpo, PPG, IAABC, AIDC, APDT, IMATA) to further my education and training. I enjoy learning from seminars and workshops and grow professionally by networking with other trainers and hearing about their experiences at these events. I also watch KPA online seminars and enroll in courses to gain knowledge and additional certifications. Some of the courses I have completed include Canine Assisted Intervention Specialist (CAIS) with the University of Denver, Certificate in Applied Animal Behavior (UW-AAB) with the University of Washington, Service Dog Coach (SDC) with Veronica Sanchez, Weekend Workshop at The Ranch with Ken Ramirez, and KPA courses such as Puppy Start Right for Instructors. I work closely with a large network of Pets for Vets positive reinforcement trainers across the country; we have a private Facebook page to discuss training topics and offer suggestions to one another.
Is there any animal or species that you would love to work with?
Orcas! I’ve worked with a variety of marine mammals and animals but have always been fascinated with orcas. I dream about working with them.
Outside of dog training and dog sports, do you have any hobbies?
I have a passion for fighting human trafficking locally, nationally, and globally. I currently chair the Southern Tier Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, which monitors trafficking in seven counties in New York. It’s a multi-disciplinary task force made up of people from Homeland Security, the FBI, the US Attorney’s Office, faith-based organizations, non-government organizations, social services, foster-care workers, addiction facilities, and more. I have helped fight this horrendous crime in India, Italy, Hawaii, Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania as well.
I also have a passion for bridging the gap between the Christian and LGBTQ+ communities. I have created a safe place in a virtual group for people in this community and allies to explore their faith without judgment and with full love and acceptance. When I’m not trying to save the world, I enjoy the beach, the ocean, boating, and anything tropical!
Learn more about Jenn at Yappy Hour Clicker Training Academy ([email protected]) or Pets for Vets ([email protected]).