My Story
The Cooperative Dog is all about creating deeply connected relationships between dogs and their people. My work on behalf of dogs is not about following trends or offering one-size-fits-all training advice. This page is the story behind the name, the dogs who shaped my journey, and the beliefs that continue to guide my work today.
How It All Began
Before The Cooperative Dog ever existed as a name, there was Szap.
Szap was my heart dog boy, my first great teacher, and the original cooperative dog. He wasn’t just a beloved companion; he was the mirror that reflected the kind of relationship I wanted to help others build with their dogs — one grounded in respect, empathy, mutual trust and understanding.
When I first came to Boston in 1984 to teach environmental science on Thompson’s Island, I could never have imagined that this city — and its dogs — would become my lifelong classroom.
Then Szap came and changed everything. His willingness to work with me, not for me, showed me that cooperation, not control, was the key to transforming the human-dog relationship.
That single realization set the foundation for what became my life’s work.
“Szap reminded me that dogs aren’t here to obey us — they’re here to communicate with us. It’s our job to learn how to listen.”
1995 – Szap Arrives
2016 – Still Teaching, Still Learning
2025 – My Work Continues
A Professional Life Shaped by Dogs and Their People
In 1996, I founded The Pet Needs Company, which later evolved into The Cooperative Dog — a name that honors both Szap’s legacy and the philosophy he helped me shape.
Over three decades, I have had the privilege of helping thousands of dogs and the people who love them — from first-time puppy owners to families living with complex behavior challenges.
That work has included group classes, private coaching, behavior consultations, dog behavior education seminars and real-life guidance for people and dogs struggling with fear, anxiety, reactivity and aggression.
And through all of it, one thing has remained true:
“Good dog training is not about chasing perfect behavior. Good dog training is about Practical Training For Everyday Life. Clear communication is the result when training is easy to understand and do and follow through on.”
The Dogs Who Shaped My Journey
Szap
Szap set the foundation and helped define the path.
Zucca
And between Szap and Hawk, there was Zucca — the bridge I did not know I needed.
Zucca wasn’t my dog in the literal sense; he belonged to a beloved client. I’ll always be grateful to his person for trusting me with him and for sharing him with my world. Zucca was pure joy in motion: playful, steady, and sincerely happy in a way that lifted everyone around him. I loved him beyond words then and I still do.
And through it all, Zucca and Hawk were lifelong best friends from the time she arrived in 2011. Their bond gave both of them a steadiness and ease that every dog deserves — and gave me the quiet gift of seeing love and friendship expressed in the simplest everyday moments.
Zucca left too soon, and his loss felt deeply unfair. We were shocked and devastated to lose him so young. Hawk missed him, and so did I. His absence was profound, but so was the gift of having known and loved him.
Hawk
And then came Hawk.
Hawk was my heart dog girl, born deaf and living with her deepened my understanding of communication, trust, adaptation, and presence in profound ways. Life with Hawk also reinforced something I believe deeply: every dog brings her own way of being in the world, and our job is to honor that.
Hawk taught me the most important truth – not just about her – but about dogs in general. Being misunderstood is quietly damaging. As a rescue from the South, she lived through much uncertainty, endured multiple placements and an unfortunate long stretch where no one yet knew she was deaf. When Hawk arrived, I promised her something simple and lifelong: you will not have to navigate the world alone again.
Szap
Zucca
Hawk
Though Szap, Zucca, and Hawk have each left the physical world behind, their influence remains woven into the foundation of my work.
What Dogs Have Taught Me
Dogs do not just teach us about love.
They show us through their responses what they need from us: commitment, patience, structure, advocacy, preparation, protection, guidance, and real help where life is hard for them.
A dog with separation anxiety teaches us about distress, safety, and the importance of not ignoring suffering just because it happens behind closed doors.
A dog who finds vet visits overwhelming teaches us about preparation, advocacy, and the need to take action to reduce fear rather than force compliance.
A dog who is reactive to other dogs teaches us about stress, thresholds, management, timing, awareness and how much support is needed before learning can truly happen.
My Philosophy
I believe dogs are cooperative by nature and having a well-behaved, well-adjusted dog is about relationship.
Dogs become willing partners in the process of learning how to live with people when people understand how dogs communicate and learn.
I do not now nor have I ever subscribed to the idea of domination or the use of force in training dogs or resolving behavior issues.
I learned a long, long time ago that, in everything we do, it has to feel right to be right. As such, I apply the golden rule with dogs too.
My Practice
My work is grounded in humane teaching, prevention, careful observation, and setting dogs and people up to succeed.
Kindness and fairness matter. So do safety, clarity, and realism.
Serious behavior concerns require careful attention, and real help has to make sense in everyday life.
How I Help
My job is to help you to truly understand your dog and create a training and behavior plan that fits your dog and your life.
Sometimes that means building strong foundations early, so both you and your dog have a clearer path forward.
Sometimes it means preventing manageable concerns from becoming more stressful or more deeply rooted over time.
Sometimes it means helping people make the changes their dogs need, because dogs cannot change their circumstances on their own.
Sometimes it means addressing serious issues with clarity, patience, and a strong focus on safety.
But always, it means meeting you and your dog where you are.
Why I Still Do This Work
After thirty years and tens of thousands of lessons, one truth remains at the heart of my work:
“Training isn’t about fixing dogs. It’s about people learning about dogs, meeting their true needs and honoring them for all that they bring to our lives.”
From Szap to Zucca to Hawk, from the nervous puppy to the reactive rescue, every dog I have met has been part of my continuing education. I am still learning, still inspired by the extraordinary bond between people and their dogs, and by what happens when we choose to do right by them.
If you’re looking to get off to a great start with a new puppy or dog from a breeder or rescue group; have an older dog in need of training; a deaf dog, a blind dog or deaf-blind dog; more than one dog or even a dog with serious and longstanding behavior issues, I’m here to help you to help your dog.
