Bob Ryder, PMCT-4, CPDT-KA
Bob is a Level 4 Pat Miller Certified Dog Trainer (PMCT-4), a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), and a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). He is a graduate of the prestigious Peaceable Paws Canine Behavior & Training Intern Academy, receiving one of the most extensive, hands-on educations available to professional dog trainers. Since 2009 Bob has completed 6 one-week group internship classes and two private apprenticeship weeks involving over 360 hours of teaching and training at Peaceable Paws. Bob also has a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, and is Certified in Pet First Aid & CPR through Pet Tech, and is a member of the Shock Free Coalition.
Bob has been training dogs privately for over 30 years, and professionally since 2009. A passionate believer in humane, positive reinforcement dog training, he uses the principles of canine behavioral science to teach dogs to behave well without intimidation, pain, fear, or force. This is his philosophy because because in addition to being humane, techniques relying on dominance and aversive punishment do not address the cause of the behavior, and often result in unintended behavioral side effects. (See link from American Veterinary Science of Animal Behavior.) The result is keenly attentive dogs who love to show off their great manners and are eager to learn more.
Bob values and enjoys continuing education, and takes courses to enhance his training annually. He has attended numerous workshops and seminars with leaders in the training and behavior field over the years. In addition to several internships with Pat Miller at Peaceable Paws mentioned above, he has learned from Karen Pryor, Grisha Stewart, Patricia McConnell, Nicole Wild, Kathy Sdao, Terry Ryan, Kay Laurence, Karen Wild, Ken Ramirez, Jean Donaldson, Sarah Owings, Emma Parsons, Susan G. Friedman, Lindsay Wood Brown, Eva Bertilsson, Emelie Johnson Vegh, Peggy Hogan, Sue Sternberg, and Steve White. He also completed (and passed) the Karen Pryor Academy “Shelter Training and Enrichment” and Dr. Brian Hare’s “Dog Emotion and Cognition” online courses, as well as an eight week online “Living and Learning with Animals” course with Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D.
Bob and his wife Susan, who runs the administrative side of the business, live in Bloomington, IL, with their Labradaughter, Daisy.
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