Veronica Sanchez M.Ed. CPDT, CABC

A native of the Washington DC area, Veronica grew up surrounded by dogs and cats in her suburban Fairfax home. After 7 years of successful experience an elementary school teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools, she developed a condition called generalized dystonia and was forced to discontinue. Fortunately, she found another venue to pursue her passion to educate, helping people develop a better relationship with their pet!

Credentials

• Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
• Certified Animal Behavior Consulting- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
• Endorsed member of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (#1044E)
• Professional Member - Association of Pet Dog Trainers
• Masters Degree in Education, Bachelors Degree in Psychology from George Mason University
• Certificate in Brain Research in Education from University of Washington - an NIH sponsored program on the physiology of learning
• Former Vice President of the IAABC, founder of the division on Human-Animal Mutualism that focuses on therapy, service and other working animals.
• Speaker at conferences for professional trainers and behavior consultants including the Orlando, Paws for Service Dogs conference in 2003, IAABC conferences 2004 and 2007
• Educational Program Coordinator for Paws-Up, Inc. a non-profit association that trains assistance and therapy dogs 2003-2007
• Recognized in Washington DC area publications including Washingtonian Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine
• Approved American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
• Experience mentoring apprentice dog trainers and future instructors.
• Member of Dog Gone Safe, a non-profit dedicated to dog bite prevention

Experience

Veronica has a unique combination of extensive hands-on experience, formal university education, and credentials from three independent animal behavior professional associations. She provides private dog training services in the Washington DC area.

Veronica worked as a group class instructor and private lesson instructor for a well-established Arlington and Falls Church dog training company in the 1990's. She taught both group and private lessons for puppies, adult dogs and Canine Good Citizen preparation. During this time period she had the opportunity to work with a team of dog training instructors with a wide array of experience from dog sports, conformation and even search and rescue. She trained her own dogs to work as therapy dogs for several local programs. She became interested in service animals and volunteered her time for Paws-Up, Inc. an assistance and therapy dog organization.

Veronica has experience living with a variety of breeds from independent huskies to herding breeds and several mixed breed dogs. Having lived with up to 6 animals at one point, she has experience meeting the challenges of a multi-pet household. She trained 6 of her dogs to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test (is currently working on the seventh) and several complex service dog skills. She trained her rough collie, to compete and title in obedience, compete in canine frisbee and to assist her as a service dog. Veronica has also trained 4 of her own dogs to work as therapy dogs in area nursing homes for Fairfax County's Pets on Wheels program. Read more about her dogs here.

Publications

• Veronica's writing has been published in:
  
  • Top Tips from Top Trainers, The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, 2010
  • Northern Virginia Dog Magazine, "dog expert" contributor for quarterly column, Jan. 2009 to present.
  • The Hill Rag, July 2008, Why Can't My Dog Play Nicely?
  • GoodDogz.org "But I thought my newly adopted adult dog was already housetrained!"
  • Washington Parent, March 2007, A Cautionary Tail
  • Association of Pet Dog Trainers' newsletter, Chronicle of the Dog
    
  • Association of Pet Dog Trainers book, The Dog Trainer's Resource

• Interviewed for an article on dogs that had experienced trauma or abuse by Northern Virginia Magazine, for Oct. 2008
• Veronica worked with colleagues to draft the definition of a professional animal behavior consultant used by the IAABC. This definition was published in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
• Interviewed by the Washington Examiner for an article on separation anxiety in Sept. 2005
• Veronica was the Managing Editor for A Pawsitive Canine Experience, Paws-Up, Inc.'s newsletter for assistance and therapy dog handlers and trainers. This newsletter won the 2005 Dog Writers Association of America Maxwell Award.
• Veronica is the co-author of Step by Step: Mobility Assistance Dog Training, a book written for Paws-Up Inc. on training mobility assistance dogs. This book has been sold at Karen Pryor's Clicker Expos.

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