About Dwyer Animal Behavior

Dwyer Animal Behavior is Constance Dwyer's behavior practice at 286 Watrous Road in Harpursville. The site describes a consulting practice rather than a general obedience school: courses and consultations for owners whose dog, cat or horse has a behavior problem to solve.

Who runs it

Connie Dwyer describes herself on the site as an IAABC internationally certified animal behavior consultant, an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, an Animal Behavior College mentor and a published author. She also lists HeartMath certification, Fear Free certification and an M.S. in Systems Science, and says she has worked with owners and their pets over the last twenty-five years. The practice states that she works with private clients, group class participants, shelter staff, and people who want to expand their own animal behavior knowledge.

Method

The site quotes the IAABC position directly: members work to minimize the use of aversive stimuli and maximize the effective use of reinforcers, under the LIMA principle. Positive reinforcement is named as the primary method for a behavior modification plan, and the practice says it will work alongside a client's veterinarian and other animal professionals where a case calls for it.

The published course list

Unusually for a trainer, the services page carries prices. Calm Care for Dogs is an eight-week consent-based program built to reduce stress around handling, grooming, vet visits and at-home care, with a total tuition of $265. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is a six-week class preparing a puppy for the S.T.A.R. evaluation and covering sit, down, stay, coming when called and loose-leash walking, at $200. AKC Canine Good Citizen is a four-week course preparing a dog for the ten-skill certification, at $160. A private Dog Behavior Consultation is $100 for a one-hour session and covers challenges the site names as fear, aggression and timidness, producing a behavior and training plan with continued support afterward.

Beyond dogs

The same practice runs horse behavior consultations at the same hourly rate, and the site's Learning Center covers educational packages for people who want the underlying behavior knowledge rather than a course for their own animal.