About the Author

Ali Brown graduated from Ursinus College with a B.S. in Psychology, and earned her M.Ed. in Human Development / Behavioral Science from Lehigh University. Working earlier in her career as a behavior therapist/consultant with mentally challenged children and adults, she made a fulfilling switch to working with dogs ten years ago.

She is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). As of 2009, she is also an APDT board member. In 2001 Ali became one of the first 100 trainers to receive her CPDT title (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) from Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). In May 2008, she became a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). Ali takes great pride in providing non-force training methods for dogs and their people, and is a member of Truly Dog Friendly (TDF) trainer group, dedicated to using only non-coercive training methods.

She lives, trains and works with Acacia, a 11-year-old Belgian Sheepdog, and Bing, a 4-year-old Belgian Sheepdog whose antics qualify him for his own section of the Great Companions website.

Ali is a great believer in forever learning. She attends seminars and conferences regularly. Recent continuing education events Ali has attended include a week-long Chicken Camp, run by behavior guru, Bob Bailey, and hosted by Terry Ryan in Washington State; and a two-day seminar on shaping run by Pat Miller in April, 2008. She has also been involved in reviewing test questions for the CPDT test for accuracy, clarity and validity. This involved a trip to Manhattan to the offices of the Professional Testing Corporation and was conducted for the CCPDT (Council for the Certification of Professional Dog Trainers).

Giving is as important as receiving, and Ali does just that. She has been traveling the nation, delivering her day-long seminar on fearful and reactive dogs (www.ScaredyDog.info); this seminar has taken her as far as Arizona, Florida, and California. Ali leaps at any invitation to share the information she has learned regarding this issue.

Another passion for her is Rally-O. Ali is an APDT Level1, 2 and 3 judge in Rally-O. What makes Rally-O unique is that it is competitive obedience for anyone and everyone, regardless of age, gender, breed, mix, handicap, or level of competitiveness. It's more about the relationship between the owner and the dog and having fun, than it is about precision. Ali's judging assignments are usually close to home, but they have taken her as far west as Arizona and California; she plans on repeating that assignment as often as possible.

Agility has become a source of amazement for Ali; she regularly takes agility classes with her two Belgian Sheepdogs. Agility is a real craze among dog-lovers, but what Ali finds most fascinating is how precise body movement and posture must be in order to communicate effectively with your canine partner. She's always known that body language is important; agility makes that fact screamingly clear!

Ali has traveled extensively, living for two years in London, England, and seven years in Ottawa, Canada, before coming back to the Lehigh Valley. More recently, Ali's travels usually include her husband and at least two dogs and have taken them to Glacier National Park, Montana; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Boise, Idaho; Phoenix, Arizona; Moab, Utah; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Austin, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; along with numerous other trips within 200 miles that include camping and hotel stays, big cities and little towns, state and national parks, and all with the dogs coming along for the ride. And as of June 2008, her daughter Cyan also comes along.

Ali's newest book, FOCUS, NOT FEAR. TRAINING INSIGHTS FROM A REACTIVE DOG CLASS (2008) is now available on this website and through Dogwise.

Her first book, SCAREDY DOG! UNDERSTANDING AND REHABILITATING YOUR REACTIVE DOG, was published in June 2004 and updated in March 2009. The book can be purchased through Dogwise and other book sellers nationally, and is available through this Web site. It includes training methods that are easy to implement, and comes from her experiences in individual training sessions and group classes on the subject. For more information on the book please go to the Scaredy Dog! Web page.

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