"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures. For me they are the role model for being alive."  -- Gilda Radner

 

Amazing Canine! Dog Training is owned and operated by Holly Miller. Holly is a graduate of Penn State University and she obtained certification as a dog trainer from Animal Behavior College, having graduated with honors in 2006. In July of 2008, she also earned the title of Pat Miller Certified Trainer after completing many hours of training in Pat Miller’s Peaceable Paws Intern programs on Behavior Modification and Dog Training Instruction.

 

She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and adheres to their Code of Professional Conduct and Responsibility.

 

She is also a member of the newly formed Mid-Atlantic Association of Professional Positive Pet Trainers (MAAPPPT), which meets quarterly in the region and offers the opportunity to network with fellow positive trainers.

 

Holly is committed to ongoing education and professional development in the field of dog training and behavior, and attends seminars and workshops to broaden her knowledge and enhance her skills. She has an extensive and ever growing library of books, professional journals and dvd’s and belongs to several professional dog training and behavior email lists in Yahoo! Groups. Her next professional goal is to get her CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers in early 2009.

 

Holly is committed to the use of positive, reward-based training methods and is steadfastly opposed to the use of shock collars and other aversives employed in training dogs such as intimidation, force or coercion, choke chains, prong collars, leash corrections or harsh verbal or physical corrections.

 

She is dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and their people through training and education, and to meeting the needs of each client and dog and treating them as individuals. Holly is committed to your success and satisfaction!

 

 

Holly also volunteers with Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue doing home visits and interviewing potential adopters and working with families through the adoption process. Both of her dogs were adopted through Brookline. She shares her home with her husband and two dogs: 13 year old Tasha and 9 year old Jake.

 

Tasha	Jake

 

News

 

August 2008

I am now serving as an ABC Mentor Trainer to two local students of Animal Behavior College. After a number of months working through the theoretical and academic portion of their education toward becoming certified dog trainers with ABC, the students embark on the externship portion of the curriculum. I will be mentoring them through this “hands-on” stage of the curriculum, which is the final stage of their education before taking an extensive final exam. This will be enjoyable for me as I truly enjoy passing on the knowledge and skills I have gained through teaching classes and working privately with people and their dogs, in addition to all that I have learned about building my business.

 

July 2008

I successfully completed another intensive 6-day, 45 hour Intern Academy on Behavior Modification at Pat Miller's Peaceable Paws training center in Hagerstown, MD. My hard work and study paid off as I completed the week as the high scoring graduate. I also came home with a renewed sense of purpose for the work that I love – improving and enriching the lives of dogs and their people. In this academy, my shelter dog was a very young German Shepherd mix puppy named Scout. He was about 12 weeks old, and was a pure joy to work with – very focused and smart – I will never forget him!

 

As a result of completing many hours of training with Pat Miller, I have been awarded the title of Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT). This is a great honor and a designation that is a symbol of my commitment to furthering my professional development through ongoing education and of my wholehearted commitment to positive training philosophies.

 

  

 

Early in the month I attended the inaugural meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Professional Positive Pet Trainers (or MAAPPPT) at Pat Miller's Peaceable Paws training center in Hagerstown, Md. Fellow positive trainer Leslie Fisher from Maryland made the drive with me in tow, and her yellow lab Bridget in the back of the station wagon. This is a newly formed group of positive trainers in the Mid-Atlantic area. The group will meet quarterly and provide an opportunity to network with like minded colleagues and talk about training and behavior. There will be a dog activity at each meeting and we will have a dog book to read each quarter for discussion at the meeting. The following statement has been put forth to define the group: "The Mid Atlantic Association of Professional, Positive Pet Trainers is a group of trainers in the Mid-Atlantic region committed to the use of positive, reward-based training methods. MAAPPPT trainers teach and motivate pets and their people through science-based training, utilizing the principles of learning theory. MAAPPPT trainers pledge to use non-aversive, pet-friendly methods without intimidation, force or coercion and do not use or condone the use of shock collars, choke, pinch or prong collars, leash correction or harsh verbal or physical correction." It is exciting and heartwarming to meet so many fellow trainers committed to the same philosophies of positive training! The next meeting will be on October 31st in Elkton Maryland hosted by Leslie Fisher at Rainwood Kennel.

 

November 2007
Holly successfully completed an intensive 6-day, 45 hour Intern Academy for dog training Instructors at Pat Millers' Peaceable Paws training center in Hagerstown, MD. Pat Miller is a nationally known and highly respected positive trainer and past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of two books on positive dog training and is the training editor for The Whole Dog Journal

  

 

For more information, contact Holly Miller