Madeline Aronson-Friedman, your insured NY Dog Trainer and NJ Dog Trainer and Dog Behavior expert, has owned and raised dogs for over 30 years and is a certified teacher who has been teaching for over 16 years. She has been a permantly state certifed NJ educator since 1992 and has taught at the college level and owned and operated her own school from 1998 - 2001 where she was head instructor to children and adults from six years old to eighty! Now her mission is to train and educate dogs and their people, and other pets and pet owners!

Madeline has trained with, worked with, and been educated by respected certified dog trainers and canine dog behaviorists. She is a 2003 graduate of the Instructor's Training Course (ITC). Madeline is a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and is listed as such on the American Kennel Club Web site at www.AKC.org. She has experience working in classes with dogs aggressive to both other dogs and humans utilizing desensitization and counter conditioning techniques, but now favors a shaping method created by Israel Goldiamond, a pioneer in the field of behavioral psychology, which was recently refined by researchers for use by professional animal trainers and pet owners. Madeline constantly expands her knowledge with continuing education on training, methods, and behaviour through course work, seminars, professional conventions, workshops, volunteering at NYC dog shelters, and relevant dog behavior and dog training study.Madeline is currently continuing her professional, degreed education by obtaining a second undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Rutgers University. Until May of 2008, she will be working in an animal practicum with swine two days a week as part of her education. She also takes English riding lessons in south Jersey working with horses one day a week.

Madeline is committed to training using positive reinforcement methods, providing patient, sensible, and compassionate guidance to dog owners and their families so that they will be able to thoroughly enjoy the companionship of their pets. She is a five-year member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). She frequently attends the APDT's annual dog trainers' convention for five intensive days in order to continue her professional development in the area of dog behavior and learning theory. APDT has published many of Madeline's articles regarding dog behavior and dog training in their peer publication, Chronicle of the Dog. Many of Madeline's articles regarding dog behavior and dog training have appeared in various and well known publications. She has been quoted in Dog Fancy, the Tonawonda News (July, 2007), the Popular Dog Series Housetraining issue, has had articles published in Chronicle of the Dog, Boston NOW, and other well known publications.

Madeline is guardian to two pet dogs, a schnoodle (the second she and her husband have owned) and a Welsh terrier. Both dogs have earned their Canine Good Citizen certificates from the AKC. The schnoodle is six years of age and passed a test to become a Volunteer Pet Therapy dog. He has volunteered a portion of his time visiting at the bedside of chronically and terminally ill patients and visiting assisted living homes locally.

Madeline grew up with mostly wire fox terriers, a breed she lived with until 2006, who was a two-plus year survivor of T-cell lymphoma until he succumbed in August of 2006 at age 12. He is greatly missed, and Madeline dedicates her commitment to her training in part to this dog, Buster, who was a wonderful companion, teacher, and eager learner. Madeline's dogs are always continuing their education and learn through classical and operant conditioning techniques, praise, lure and reward, shaping, clicker training, and other positive, motivational techniques.

Madeline has volunteered over 100 hours to various no-kill shelters, volunteering her time with both shelter dogs and rescued birds. She has volunteered for Animal Network of New York (A.N.N.Y.), Bide-a-Wee in NYC, and the ASPCA in New York City at their Adoptions Desk and as an ASPCA volunteer Behaviour Hotline contact. Her best assets are her strong knowledge base of dog behavior, her curiosity to continue learning about cutting edge techniques, her love for animals, her education, her excellent communication and writing skills on dog training and dog behavior, and her ability to patiently and enthusiastically articulate thoughts and ideas to dog owners and dog related groups, and communicate with dogs themselves. It won't be overtly mentioned here that dogs are pretty much her obsession!

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration and is a published illustrator; a N.J. K - 12 Permanent Teaching Certification; a Master's Degree in Painting; has taught undergraduates painting and drawing at St. Elizabeth College; and is the former owner of an art school and retail store in central NJ where she taught children and adults the pleasures of art and jewelry making. Her pursuit of art and her experience as an illustrator for over 15 years has finely trained her eye to notice nuances in dog behavior and dog body language that owners often miss. Madeline also paints and draws commissioned dog and cat portraits. Madeline is currently obtaining another degree in Animal Science at Rutgers University.

Madeline has worked with breeds of all ages, large and small, from the smallest mini Chihuahuas to the largest Mastiffs and Rottweilers in the NYC and NJ areas.

Madeline has studied counseling psychology at the graduate level, and feels that dog training and the study of psychology are very relevant to each other. Until 2003, she instructed chronically mentally ill patients in art therapy at a partial care facility. Madeline holds a red belt in Tae Kwon Do that she earned over two years' training with Grandmaster Tiger Chong, a former Olympic martial arts coach for the Korean team. She is also bilingual and speaks Spanish.