Jennifer Burns M.A., CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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My name is Jennifer Burns, and I am the founder of Conscious Dog Training. I am one of only 161 Certified Professional Behavior Consultant Canine- Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) in the world. I am also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed though the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, a Certified Fear Free Animal Trainer, a Professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, a professional member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a professional member of the Pet Professional Guild, a Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, a Certified CATCH Mentor Trainer, and I have been published by the APDT as well as the CCPDT. I have a Masters Degree in Psychology, an extensive background working with children, over 16 years of dog training experience, and I proudly serve on the board of directors for the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers.
My dog training adventure started in 2004 when I sought out a professional dog trainer for my Adolescent Lab/Boxer mix named Rocco. We barely survived puppyhood, and despite my best efforts to exercise and entertain him with seemingly endless hours of fetch per day, I realized that I was essentially training my dog to be 88 pounds of hyperactivity with the stamina of a marathon runner, and I needed professional help. As soon as I started working with Rocco’s trainer, I was enthralled with the training process. I realized that dog training was rooted in psychology and learning theory, and discovering how to apply that to dog behavior was magical for me.
With the guidance of Rocco’s trainer, I started observing dog training sessions and reading every dog training book that he recommended. With the knowledge and skills that I had attained, Rocco transformed from an out of control, hyper dog to a Certified Pet Partners Complex Therapy Dog. In addition to my early years of observation, I worked at a high capacity dog kennel where I had the opportunity to observe hundreds of hours of dog training and behavior as a kennel technician and an assistant trainer. Since then, I have trained anywhere from 50-100 dogs per week on average, and I have resolved a variety of behaviors ranging from potty training to aggression using only force-free and science based methods.
I believe that dog training is truly about training the human, and while I can train any dog, my greatest gift to dog training is the ability to coach the dog parent how to train and effectively communicate with their dog, thereby enhancing the human-dog relationship. The ability to bridge the communication gap between a dog and a human is priceless, and I am incredibly grateful that I can use my innate gifts to help dogs and people on a daily basis. However, the most rewarding aspect of dog training is witnessing clients shift from frustrated dog parents to calm, trustworthy dog parents that not only understand a dog’s behavior, but can effectively manage and modify a dog’s behavior using the force-free and choice based methods and techniques that I teach.
My goal is to empower my clients to create a conscious relationship with their dog that is based on clear communication, joyful cooperation, and connection; a relationship that encourages dogs to become conscious thinkers so that behavior can be both attained and maintained for the lifespan of the dog.