Virtual and In-home behavior modification programs are available!
Brevard County, Florida, United States
Diane Whitney
Owner, Training Manager
My career as a dog training professional began in the early 90's. My mission is to make training fun for a dog’s lifelong well-being and to enrich the lives dogs through owner education; to make a difference in the lives of dogs, their families and to mentor the trainers who help them. My goal is to teach people that behaviors are interactive, attention and relaxation are key, and training begins by recognizing the way each person interacts with their dog.
I began my career by training shelter dogs and owned and operated My Best Friend Training and Behavior Programs for 15 years in NJ & NY. I've taught over a thousand group classes and worked with hundreds of private clients with dogs of all breeds and mixes, using force-free behavior modification, lure & reward training and following the principles of classical and operant conditioning. I’ve worked extensively with puppies, adolescent & rescue dogs and reactive/rowdy dogs. Developing a healthy canine mind is integral in my training.
I’ve frequently attended Educational Conferences as well as numerous behavior seminars which include: Dr. Ian Dunbar Sex & Aggression, Dr. Nicholas Dodman Canine Behavior, Dr. Karen Overall Aggression in Training, Dr. Ray Coppinger Canine Behavior, Jean Donaldson Fear & Aggression, Dr. Katherine Haupt Cornell University Solving Canine Behavior Problems, Tufts University Animal Behavior Expo, Karen Pryor Advanced Clicker Training Workshop, Instructor Training Course/Rondout Valley Kennels and Sue Sternberg Shelter Dog Assessment Seminar.
After owning a successful training business (during which time I worked closely with veterinarians), I was hired by Petsmart in 2003 to start up their training program and train new trainers for their upstate New York expansion. I conducted an unprecedented, extensive training session for 10 trainers using dogs from our local shelter to gauge their training ability. This was a pass/fail program. Because of my high success rate, my classes were recorded for the corporate office to review and incorporate my training style on a national level.
I served as president of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers from 2004 – 2006 as well as on the Board of Directors of the Mohawk Valley Business Women’s Network and the Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind. I have written articles for various publications. In 2003, I conducted a “How to Control Your Uncontrollable Dog” seminar for Mohawk Valley Community College summer adult education series. I was an instructor at the Brevard County Dog Training Club for 2 years and I completed my term as President in February 2017. In 2017 I established Canine Brains and Games, LLC to continue my mission to educate owners and teach them how to train their dogs.
I am a long-standing member of the Samoyed Club of America and during the 10 years we lived in NY, I assisted the Minuteman Samoyed Club Rescue. I've owned 3 rescue Samoyeds, 1 shelter "pound puppy", and 2 "farm" puppies (one a border collie & one a Samoyed) before being introduced to the world of conformation; after which I've whelped and raised a litter of puppies. My husband and I now have a family of 4 Samoyeds. I’m a Canine Good Citizen & Trick Dog Evaluator; my therapy dogs are registered with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and servers as a therapy dog tester for the organization. I was also an evaluator for the Foundation for Service Dog Support. As a Community Educator and with my Therapy Dogs, I conduct bite prevention programs for local elementary schools, libraries and other organizations.
I have worked my own dogs in agility, obedience and conformation and lure coursing. My dogs have been Canine Good Citizens and Therapy Dogs and have had AKC Tricks and Rally titles. While I enjoy competing in AKC sports, the study of canine behavior continues to be my passion.
When I'm not working with dogs, I love to cook, I'm a master crocheter, I love sci-fi and anime, British crime dramas and British comedy, and K-dramas!
Credentials
Canine Brains & Games, LLC, Owner and Program Developer
Contributor for Merritt Island Now Magazine
Behavior Specialist/Dog Training Instructor
AKC ATT Evaluator
AKC Canine Good Citizen/Tricks Evaluator
Animal Behavior College Mentor
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Tester/Observer
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Certified Life Coach Practitioner
Certified Color Therapist