Three Questions for Terri Klimek
- Jan 9, 2015
- 6 min read
By Jamie Damato Migdal, CEO and Pet Industry Entrepreneur
On this installment of Three Questions, I'm delighted to feature my long-time friend and colleague Terri Klimek, the owner of Training Tails with Terri and head instructor for our Essential Training Skills program at CanineLink Academy.
Which dog has taught you the most, and why? At the end of 2001, we fostered a stray Golden named George, who was "special" in many ways - he was extremely anxious, leash reactive, had resource guarding issues, and mounted people all the time. At that time, I had no idea what I was seeing or how to deal with it. This was not "normal" for a Golden; I had a "normal" Golden named Rocky, who (of course) was the perfect dog.
Since we did not have a fenced yard at the time, I had to walk George. I can tell you that the amount of anxiety it created in me was over the top, which I now know was being transmitted directly to George and adding to the problem. One day when George was, himself, way over the top, I tried to remove him from a situation with a stern (and undoubtedly frustrated) voice, which resulted in George redirecting his aggression and biting me on the ankle. Well, off I went to the ER, with a pretty deep puncture wound, and here's the gist of the conversation:
What happened? My dog bit me (as I'm sobbing, thinking that the dog that I love and want to help had actually bitten me). When was your last tetanus shot? When I was 10. You're getting another.
When I got back home from the ER, we decided that George was not a safe dog, not adoptable, and we would keep him. We knew we could provide a safe, manageable environment without children; he also had bonded with Rocky, who was a solid stable dog for George to be around. Besides, who wants to adopt a dog that bites?
This desire to help George changed the course of my professional career from the corporate/legal world to dog training. A work colleague had recently left her law practice to become a dog trainer, so I asked her if she could point me in the right direction. I was very lucky -- she guided me to a professional trainer (and one of my mentors, Jamie Damato, aka the Divine Ms. D) who worked with behavior issues and used positive reinforcement methods. Jamie recognized that it was necessary to refer to a vet who worked with behavior issues; it's important to keep in mind that health affects behavior and behavior affects health, so the dog needs to be looked at in its entirety. Jamie and I went together to the vet, who did a complete physical on George and observed him in her office. It was explained to me that George was a generally anxious dog and he was trying to deal with the stressors in ways that were not healthy for him. His behavior was due to a combination of genetics, prior experiences, learned responses, environment, and his physical, emotional, and hormonal state. That evaluation changed how I looked at George, and any dog that I have worked with since. But, more importantly, I learned I also had to modify my behavior so that George could be more successful.
Our treatment plan included behavior modification and medication to lower George's anxiety so that he could learn. Medication made a big difference in George's life, but not by itself. It's not magic or an easy out; there is nothing easy about working with an anxious dog whose anxiety has manifested itself in so many areas. But when you have the right medication, the right behavior modification plan, and a support system that includes a great trainer and veterinarian who work together, it can seem like magic.
George and I had many, many successes, and several failures. Those failures were mine, when I wasn't watching the environment as closely as I should have been to make it safe for him. But, after many years, George was also able to handle stressful situations with much less reaction than he did previously, partly because I had learned how to respond without going into a freaked-out state of mind myself. We were able to go on wonderful, enjoyable walks, and were even able to bring other dogs into our home without incident.
I learned more from George than any other teacher I have ever had in my life. Above all, he taught me patience, how to work with what you have and not focus on what you wish you had, and how to focus on the positives that a particular dog brings to your life. With time, training, behavior modification, and medication, George had a very good life with us until he was 12 years old. So, eleven years later, I still thank God for every day that I had George; he was loved for who he was and helped make me a better person and a better trainer.
How do you “pay it forward”? I have been a volunteer with two breed specific rescue groups since 2001. Most recently, I have served two terms as a Director and Education Coordinator for As Good as Gold – Golden Retriever Rescue of Illinois. I assisted with developing the group’s Pawsitive Beginnings Program, which included participating in grant writing, developing education workshops for foster families, providing in-home assistance for problem behaviors, teaching how to work with puppy mill survivors, and developing treatment plans for some of the more challenging dogs. I stepped down from the Coordinator position and Board in July of 2013, but still provide assistance in assessing dogs for the program and developing treatment plans for some of those that need more help. I also work with several rescue groups by providing in-home assistance. I happily mentor any new trainer who would like to come along on any of my private lessons, and they are welcome to observe (and sometimes participate) in the classes that I offer at Wheeling Animal Hospital.
You are very involved with A Sound Beginning - how did you come to join the organization, and what sets it apart from other training programs? I was approached in March 2014 by Pat Rattray and Julie Oskerka (two of the three authors of the book, A Sound Beginning, How to Build a Relationship & Gain Trust, by Julie Dorsey-Oskerka, Patricia Rattray, and Rebecca Cann.) Pat and Julie wanted to know if I would be interested in becoming an instructor for a program that they were building around the book. After I read the book, I thought to myself - this isn’t happening anywhere else in the U.S. It’s the bridge that takes a dog from shelter/rescue to the home, and then on to regular training classes. The book is a blueprint for transitioning a rescue/adopted dog into its new home, setting realistic expectations, and teaching the new owners how to interact with the dog. The end result is that the dog stays in the home and is not returned because the new owners didn’t understand what was going on. The book itself sets out in exact steps what to do the first 14 days of the dog’s life with the new family, and the class helps the owners through the initial 6 weeks. The program includes the book, music cd, 4-week class, and 30-minute phone consult with a trainer.
This class is not set up like other group classes. It’s all about building a relationship with the dog, learning to interpret canine body language, helping a dog learn to relax, and integrating the dog into its new home using positive reinforcement techniques (including clicker training). I was extremely honored to have been the first trainer that they talked with. I am currently assisting in the various modules so that the flow of the class is as smooth as silk. Anyone who enrolls in the class has the option of taking the modules at any of the locations it is offered, which is why the flow must be seamless.
********
Terri will be bringing A Sound Beginning program to Wheeling Animal Hospital in the Spring of 2015.
Comments