In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome Samantha Rubio, a dedicated horse trainer specialising in positive reinforcement and equine rehabilitation. Based in Montgomery County, Maryland, Samantha works at a cutting-edge equine behavior and sports medicine rehabilitation facility while also running her own training business. Samantha shares her inspiring journey from a childhood passion for animals to earning her degree in Animal Science and Neurobiology at Cornell...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 1 min
In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Eileen Anderson—writer, researcher, and advocate for humane dog training. Eileen is the author of Remember Me? , a Maxwell Award-winning book on canine cognitive dysfunction, and a thought leader in the world of positive reinforcement training. Eileen shares her fascinating journey from engineering and music to becoming a trusted voice in the animal behavior community. She discusses how a chance adoption of a challenging d...
Feb 06, 2025•58 min•Ep. 54
In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Daniela Zurr, a distinguished behavioral veterinarian from Nuremberg, Germany. With over 25 years of experience as a veterinarian and a Tellington TTouch instructor, Dr. Zurr combines her expertise in behavioral medicine, zoo animal consultations, and positive reinforcement training to create innovative approaches to animal care. Dr. Zurr shares her journey from an early passion for reptiles to her current role, where ...
Jan 02, 2025•50 min•Ep. 53
In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we are joined by the wonderful Kristi Martin, a behavior specialist with a diverse background in both the zoo and veterinary fields. Kristi shares her journey from caring for a wide variety of species in zoos to transitioning into the veterinary field, where she specialized in behavior care. She talks about her current work at the Richmond Animal Behavior Wellness Center, where she assists a veterinary behaviorist and runs a DigiTherm thermal scanne...
Dec 05, 2024•58 min•Ep. 52
In this engaging episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we welcome Juliette Nash, Community Animal Training Manager at San Diego Humane Society. From her early childhood dream of working with animals to a career dedicated to animal behavior, Juliette shares her inspiring journey. With a Master’s degree in killer whale social behavior and vocal learning, Juliette's transition into the world of animal welfare led her to develop innovative training programs for both cats and dogs, including unique ...
Oct 31, 2024•52 min•Ep. 51
In this fun episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we welcome Teisha Rolph from Behaviour Antics, a passionate dog trainer and behaviour nerd. Teisha shares her unique journey into animal training, from growing up surrounded by animals to studying animal and veterinary biosciences at university, where she fell in love with the science of behaviour. Inspired by her mentors, Dr. Richard Zann and Jenny Wilcox, Teisha has since built a diverse training career focused on empathy and individualised ca...
Oct 03, 2024•43 min•Ep. 50
In this engaging episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we sit down with Pernilla Elving, a remarkable individual whose life has been deeply intertwined with animals. From her childhood on a small farm surrounded by sheep, cows, and horses to her evolution into a Centered Riding instructor and positive reinforcement trainer, Pernilla's journey is a testament to the power of compassion, patience, and understanding in animal training. Pernilla shares her story of how an unruly horse named Rockefel...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 49
In this inspiring episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we welcome Carmaleta Aufderheide, an accomplished positive reinforcement trainer and conflict resolution expert. With a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution (CRES) and certifications including KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, and CSAT, Carm brings a wealth of knowledge and unique insights into her work with dogs, particularly those dealing with separation anxiety. Carm shares her journey, which began with academic research into the restorative impacts ...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 48
In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we are delighted to welcome Robin Horemans, the owner of Parrot SOS, to share her expertise and passion for avian behavior and training. Robin has dedicated her career to improving the lives of pet bird owners and their feathered companions by providing quality education materials that enhance communication and bonding. Robin's journey began in 1998 at the Hagen's Avicultural Research Institute (HARI), and over the years, she has accumulated a wealt...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 47
In this episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Sarah Hedderly, a distinguished dog trainer specializing in Border Collies. With a wealth of experience working exclusively with this breed, Sarah provides a unique and in-depth perspective on the nuances and challenges specific to Border Collies. Prior to her specialization, Sarah worked as a McTimoney Animal Chiropractor and ran in-person dog training classes based on the Control Unleashed system [from Leslie Mcdevitt]. ...
Jun 06, 2024•54 min•Ep. 46
Welcome to another episode of the Making Ripples podcast, where we explore the journeys and insights of the amazing trainers that make up the Animal Training Academy Membership. In this episode, we are thrilled to host Emma Cook, a progressive dog groomer and trainer from Adelaide, South Australia. Emma, the heart behind The Funky Foxhound, shares her compassionate approach to dog grooming and training, where each session is tailored to the needs of dogs who find grooming challenging. Emma delve...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 45
In this insightful episode of Making Ripples, host Shelly Wood welcomes Dr. Rabea Christmann, a distinguished biologist and passionate advocate for animal welfare from Germany. With a rich background in search and rescue dog work and a pioneering force in farm laboratory animal welfare, Dr. Christmann shares her journey towards enhancing animal lives through positive reinforcement and enrichment activities. Diving into the heart of animal training, Dr. Christmann elaborates on her innovative app...
Apr 04, 2024•50 min•Ep. 44
In this episode, we delve into the multifaceted world of animal behavior with Zara Jackson, a distinguished expert in the field. Zara takes us through her inspiring journey, from her early days working at a zoo to launching a successful dog training business. Zara shares invaluable insights into the complexities of working with a variety of animal species, emphasising the importance of recognising individual differences and the challenges they present. Zara offers practical advice for those aspi...
Feb 29, 2024•56 min•Ep. 43
In this insightful episode of the 'Making Ripples' podcast, hosted by Shelly Wood of the Animal Training Academy, we dive into the multifaceted world of animal training with our esteemed guest, Jess Ghali. Jess, hailing from Marulan, Australia, brings a wealth of experience from her journey in the field of animal care and training. Jess, who transitioned from aspiring to be a zookeeper to becoming a dog trainer, and eventually a specialist in nosework, shares her unique story of resilience and a...
Feb 01, 2024•48 min•Ep. 43
Join host Shelley Wood on The Making Ripples Podcast Show as she delves into the fascinating world of bird of prey training with Kimberly Lundy from the Ojai Raptor Center. Based in Ventura, California, Kimberly's journey from volunteer to lead trainer exemplifies her commitment to avian welfare and innovative training methods. This episode offers a glimpse into the transformative shift towards empowerment training at the center, a change that Kimberly played a crucial role in during the pandemi...
Jan 04, 2024•49 min•Ep. 42
Venturing into the world of training a different species - like donkeys - often presents a mix of complexity and stress as we attempt to adapt our existing skills to unfamiliar territory. Therefore, this episode, featuring our special guest, Cynthia Minden, aims to shed light on these challenges. Cynthia is a passionate advocate for positive reinforcement and a seasoned donkey trainer. In this episode, she shares her valuable insights and experiences to guide and inspire us. Cynthia's story begi...
Nov 30, 2023•54 min•Ep. 41
Synopsis: Animal Training Academy's Special Rabbit Episode For those dedicated to elevating their animal training skills with a focus on the most positive and least intrusive methods, this episode is especially relevant for professionals working with rabbits. The Challenge: Delving into training a new species, like rabbits, presents unique challenges. These challenges can lead to stress and frustration. However, our mission remains clear: Empower each trainer to make a marked positive difference...
Nov 02, 2023•52 min•Ep. 40
At Animal Training Academy, we know you want to master your animal training skills using a force-free approach. And we recognize that you're not just any trainer. Instead, you're someone driven to elevate the confidence of dogs, ensuring they lead a life rich with meaningful activities and training exercises. However, this journey is not without its challenges. High-energy working breeds, in particular, require consistent mental and physical stimulation to sustain their confidence and overall we...
Oct 05, 2023•55 min•Ep. 37
Danielle Winkelman - Intrepid Animal Learning At Animal Training Academy, we understand that you aim to master your animal training skills using a force-free approach. However, we also recognise that this journey has challenges, especially when dealing with complex behaviours, such as those labelled as reactive. Trainers can often feel overwhelmed and need help addressing these challenging behaviours effectively. Enter Danielle Winkelman. While she boasts an impressive background as a Karen Pryo...
Aug 31, 2023•52 min•Ep. 36
As someone aspiring to master their animal training skills using a force-free approach, you might find yourself feeling trapped or overwhelmed by a dog's fearful or even aggressive behaviour. However, you can draw inspiration from the story of Havoc, a dog who successfully overcame his fears of handling and veterinary procedures with the help of his human, Natalie. Havoc has faced a variety of medical challenges requiring him to become accustomed to different procedures—an understandably complex...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 35
Linda Randall, DVM, KPA-CTP, LLA, TagTeach Level 3 Owner: One Smart Dog, Seville OH, USA Linda sold her veterinary hospital in 2019, where she had practiced as an ABVP Board Certified Diplomate, Companion Animals, for 20 years, and also worked with exotics. She then opened One Smart Dog, a full-service dog training facility, the month Ohio shut down for the pandemic in 2020, which, she says, was “exciting”. Linda has been engaged in dog sports, obedience, agility, and field trials with her Flat ...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Emma Almquist received her bachelor’s degree in biology with a specialization in ethology in 2017. After graduating she has continued learning about animal behavior through conferences, as well as various private and academic courses. Her business Djurvetologen has offered puppy classes, conference talks, training consults and much more since 2016. These days the business has transitioned to offering mainly online lectures and courses. Emma’s goal is to make humans and animals understand each ot...
Jun 01, 2023•58 min
Sandra Tigerlind is a dog behaviourist, dog trainer and enrichment specialist etc. ( www.hunddjuristen.se ) from Sweden who has worked full time with dogs for the past 13 years. She specializes in fearful, insecure and traumatized dogs and has a soft spot for adopted or rehomed dogs. So much so that she started the first and only dog sanctuary in the country, that focuses mostly on the dogs that usually never get a family, like senior dogs, special needs dogs or traumatized dogs. It is both a pa...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Michelle Mullins CDBC is the owner of Honest To Dog, LLC in Richmond, Virginia, USA and serves as the IAABC Foundation president. Michelle has been training dogs for 20 years and all of her work has the same objective—developing long, enriching relationships between pets and their people. In addition to her work in the pet product industry, she has worked with private clients for basic manners, puppy socialization, cooperative care training and through aggression issues. Michelle works closely w...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Linda has always felt a strong connection with animals. Her early interest in behavior studies quickly paired with her love of animals to build a career in animal training that has spanned more than 40-years and is still going strong. Linda was in the right place at the right time to attend behavior & training related classes through the Life Learn Program at the Ontario Veterinary Collage, University of Guelph, Canada. She considers herself very fortunate to have attended many in person clinics...
Mar 02, 2023•1 hr
Tjadina lives in Germany with her husband, their three cats, Fenrir, Arktos and Lumos and their two horses, Aron and Quiero. Her initial interest for training animals came as a child, seeing animals act in movies and being at awe at how well they were trained. But movie animals were mostly dogs or horses, and they only had a family cat (and cats can't be trained...), so time was spent waiting for the magical day a dog would arrive. That day never came. So, several years later, still waiting for ...
Feb 02, 2023•51 min
Mickella Ben Tovim has been a lifelong animal lover and horse professional currently living among 2 miniature horses, 2 ponies, a mare and 2 dogs. For the past 8 years Mickella attributes her major life change to the arrival of a Miniature horse she named Toto, together they set on a journey of exploration and magical discoveries, one that changed their lives and the other members of her equines and canine family forever. MIckella and Toto traveled and visited kindergartens and other educational...
Jan 05, 2023•58 min
Jenni lives in Crested Butte, Colorado with her husband Tim, their border collie, Kyote, also known as Ky, and their two young cats, Truffle and Marmalade. Jenni became passionate about learning the most humane methods for helping dogs with behavior problems after failing to find trustworthy help with Ky when she was a puppy. Since beginning that journey about 6 years ago, Jenni has completed a BA in psychology as well as several training and behavior-related certifications. In addition to opera...
Dec 01, 2022•53 min
Laura Perkins resides in Michigan with her husband, 2 dogs and 2 cats. They are eagerly anticipating the arrival of their baby daughter in December! Currently, Laura provides 1-1 behavior consulting for families and their dogs through her business Laura Perkins Animal Behavior. She also provides virtual services through Kiki Yablon Dog Training. For the first time this summer Laura served as a TA for Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course. Laura began training dogs as a young k...
Nov 03, 2022•48 min
Katherine Bartlett MMCP, IDTC A life-long horse person, Katie was introduced to training with positive reinforcement in 1999 and has studied extensively with Alexandra Kurland and Kay Laurence. Her website, www.equineclickertraining.com is one of the oldest sites that shares information about teaching horses using positive reinforcement. The site contains descriptions of the work she has done with her own horses as well as material from clinics and conferences she has attended. Her primary inter...
Oct 06, 2022•1 hr 13 min
