About the Trainer

 

Anne Springer has owned and trained dogs for more than fifty years.  An honor graduate of Salem State University's Psychology program, she's a life member of the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society.  Thus, she is fully trained in the concepts that modern trainers and behaviorists use to modify dog behavior.

Anne has a diploma in Professional Pet Grooming from the New York School of Dog Grooming, a diploma in Dog Training and Obedience Instruction from Penn Foster College, and was awarded the Advanced Pet Care Technician designation from the Pet Care Services Association (formerly the American Boarding Kennels Association).  She also completed a Veterinary Assistant course from Penn Foster College.  Anne has been professionally mentored by Karen Fischer, an adjunct faculty member at North Shore Community College's Animal Science Program, highly respected trainer/behaviorist, and long time instructor at Camp Gone to the Dogs.  Before opening Paws for Praise in 2007, Anne taught privately, then taught group classes and supervised dog play groups at Canine Consulting in Rowley, Massachusetts and at Pawsitive Steps in Eliot, Maine.  Her professional affiliations include The Pet Professional Guild, Truly Dog Friendly, and the No Shock Collar Coalition. 

Other Credentials:

• Evaluator #3669 American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program
• Tester/Observer for Therapy Dogs, Inc.  
• American Red Cross - Pet CPR/First Aid Certificate
• Certified Trick Dog Trainer  -  Do More With Your Dog

• Anne continually keeps up on the latest training and behavior knowledge by reading, watching videos, and attending webinars, lectures, classes, and live seminars given by some of the best in the business, including, but not limited to: Pia Silvani, Kathy Sdao, Patricia McConnell, Suzanne Clothier, Brenda Aloff, Dr. Ian Dunbar, Karen Fischer, Karen Pryor, John Rogerson, and Dr. Nicholas Dodman.  Her book and video collection is enormous and includes, but is not limited to: Pat Miller, Leslie McDevitt, Emily Larlham, Trish King, Barbara Handelman, Dee Ganley, Stephen Lindsay, Karen Pryor, Emma Parsons, Patti Ruzzo, Mary Ray, Kyra Sundance, Dr. Patricia McConnell, Jean Donaldson, Pia Silvani, Grisha Stewart, The "Original Dog Whisperer" Paul Owens, Sylvia Trkman, Mary Burch, Coleen Pelar, Nicole Wilde, Emma Parsons, Pamela Dennison, Clarissa vonReinhart, Pamela Marxsen, Ali Brown, & Bob Bailey.
  

Anne's main focus is on creating safe, well mannered family pets.  She has also earned a reputation as an authority on therapy dog training, and for her expertise about pet/elder issues as the manager of a pet program at SeniorCare Inc., a federally designated Area Agency on Aging.  Her program was recognized nationally in 2002 by the Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, which conferred their first Caregiver Award to Anne and the Pawsitive Connections program.  Anne is a past presenter on pet/elder issues at the Massachusetts Councils on Aging Conference.  Her eldest dog, Australian Shepherd mix, Sioux, is a favorite at senior centers, nursing homes, adult day care facilities and elder housing facilities all over the North Shore.  Sioux has been registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc. since 2002, thus will celebrate her tenth year as a therapy dog in 2012.  She recently earned an Intermediate Tricks Title from Kyra Sundance's new program, Do More With Your Dog.  Sioux's predecessor, Dancer, a Border Collie mix, earned her therapy dog registration at the age of 12, after a career as a ranch and farm dog, and was still bringing joy to the disabled at the ripe old age of 17.  Maska, a Foxhound mix, died last year at the age of 10 of pancreatic cancer, but also brought much joy to children and elders alike as a registered therapy dog.  Anne's unique combination of dog handling expertise, previous experience with elder case management and community relations, gives her just the right perspective to mentor other therapy dog handlers, which is a specialty at Paws for Praise. 

Australian Shepherd, Sequoyah, earned her Advanced Trick Dog Title with Do More With Your Dog.  Anne's newest dog, Quanah, a large hound mix, is a refugee from a high kill shelter, now much loved and gainfully employed as a playground monitor at Yappy Hour.  Quanah is working on his Novice Trick Title.

Basic training at Paws for Praise provides a great foundation for dogs that are destined for a show or working career, as well as those dogs who will spend their lives as treasured pets.  Anne's fondest wish is for every pet dog to have a loving "forever" home, and for dogs that work at other tasks to do so joyfully and without pain or fear. 

In addition to Puppy through Advanced obedience classes, Anne has developed several programs, each designed to achieve specific results.

Some of Anne's specialty programs at Paws for Praise:

• Rocket Recall (Come When Called)
• Hound About Town (Walk Nicely on a Loose Leash)
• Tricks and Games
• Canine Good Citizen/Therapy Dog Prep Class
• Tiny Tykes Classes (For small breeds)