Victoria Brody, BS, MPH, FFCP, KPA-CTP, Owner of Mission Empawthy©, LLC 

 

 

My Mission:

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It is my goal to aid handlers with disabilities to assist in the process of owner-training their own psychiatric service dog from a bouncing, happy puppy, to a well-behaved adult dog who is able to complete tasks to mitigate their handler’s disability both at home and in public spaces. It is critical to educate clients on how to train their canine companions, and on the importance of training ethics, service dog etiquette, laws, and implications.

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My Qualifications:

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I am a graduate of Karen Pryor Academy’s Certified Training Partner program (Certification # 76392). Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) is widely acknowledged as an exceptional and intensive training program available to professional dog trainers. Founded by world-renowned trainer and author, Karen Pryor, this rigorous program sets its graduates apart from other dog training programs in the industry. Additionally, as a Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP), I am committed to preventing and alleviating fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. Learn more at fearfreepets.com

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I received my Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) from Cleveland State University through the Consortium of Eastern Ohio Master’s in Public Health program where my Capstone project was focused on proving the effectiveness of utilizing service dogs for Veterans with PTSD (“The Association of Service Dogs on the Reduction of the Effects of  Post-traumatic Stress Disorder on Veterans”). I completed my undergraduate degree from Lake Erie College and James Cook University (Australia) with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. I also completed a zookeeping internship at Cairns Tropical Zoo where I studied animal welfare, animal enrichment, and behavioral issues and remedies.

 

My Training Methods:

As a Karen Pryor Academy graduate, I am committed to using only scientifically-sound, ethical and humane training methods. That means that I will not employ the use of pain, fear, nor intimidation to get results. I will absolutely not use choke or prong collars, electric or shock collars, or other aversive punishments. Instead I utilize positive reinforcement-based marker (clicker) training. This allows for a well-adjusted dog who not only excels in the training process, but it enjoys it too.

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