Kathy Sdao, MA, CAAB
Kathy with Nick and Effie
Dog problems are all unique, and range from simple to difficult to fix or manage. Dog behaviorists in Seattle run the gamut in terms of their skill and experience.
We are happy to offer private dog behavior consultations in Seattle with world-renowned associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Kathy Sdao, M.A. While CAABs are at the top of the dog behaviorist food-chain in terms of education and knowledge, Kathy also has decades of hands-on animal training experience to add to her scientific understanding of dogs and their problems.
(Sdao is pronounced Suh Day Oh with Suh said quickly.)
Here are some of the requirements to become a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. CAABs must have:
- Completed post-graduate education receiving a Master’s (2-year full time) or Ph.D.(4-year full time) degree in a behavioral science, or DVM or VMD degree with a behavioral residency.
- Passed rigorous oral and written examinations given by their faculty committees.
- Published articles in scientific journals.
- Supervised hands-on experience with animals.
- Met the course work and experience requirements for certification as set forth by the Animal Behavior Society.
News! Kathy Sdao will be presenting a two-day workshop for dog trainers and dog enthusiasts on March 5 & 6, 2009 at Ahimsa. Click here for workshop info & registration.
Kathy Sdao has been a full-time animal trainer for the past two decades. Kathy graduated summa cum laude from Niagara University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1983. She went on to obtain her master’s degree in Experimental Psychology at the University of Hawaii, where she worked with Dr. Louis Herman as part of a team that trained dolphins to solve complex cognitive puzzles.
I had an incredible visit with Kathy today and I think that it will lead towards positive progress for Sally. Kathy really "got it" when it comes to Sally's challenges and she was able to bring me some insight that I was sorely missing.
- Shelly Fuller, Redmond (Border Collie)
She later worked for the U.S. Navy (Department of Defense) training dolphins with positive reinforcement for applied open-ocean tasks like land mine destruction. She also worked for the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, training whales, walruses, porpoises, and seals. In 1995, Kathy started the first dog daycare in Tacoma, where she had a great chance to observe and train dogs.
Kathy's dog behavior consulting business, Bright Spot Dog Training, is based in Tacoma. Her private sessions at Ahimsa are held in Seattle. Kathy is a featured speaker at dog training conferences and workshops around the world, and presents regularly for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Clicker Expo. She lives in Tacoma with her two dogs, Effie and Nick.
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