Why did you write this book? What were you trying to accomplish with it?
America's companion dogs are as misunderstood as they are loved. We have all of these dogs that are being inappopriately punished, discarded and euthanized for behavior problems that are resolvable. Families want to help but the information that matters isn't getting to them when they need it, though a lot of junk information is getting through. What folks need most is scientifically valid information and simple, sensible solutions. Dogs aren't that complicated. It shouldn't be this hard.

There's other problems: There's a shortage of qualified help in the communities where dogs live. Anyone can call themselves a behaviorist and hang out a shingle. With my book, I put the issues before the public and hope it will help them make better choices. I try to equip them if they must go it alone.

What’s your background? What led up to your doing this type of work?
I've always loved animals and had a talent for working with them, since I was a small child. I'm a medical family therapist, with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in social work with a clinical concentration. After graduate school, I completed a one-year post-master's program in marriage and family therapy. When I was home raising children. I trained service dogs for children with health issues. I discovered all of these dogs out there with behavior problems and was naturally drawn to help them. So I set out to learn everything I could about dogs and dog behavior. I grew a large library of videos and books and attended and then presented at conferences. Once I discovered how easy it was to change dog's behavior and how much fun they were to work with, there was no going back. Humans are complicated, dogs are simple. If you meet dog's needs and reinforce the habits you want, they're apt to follow right along.

I've been doing in-home consults for about ten years now. I founded the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants in 2003 and served as it's president and Chair of the Dog division for four years. I'm committed to developing the profession of animal behavior consulting and meaningful certification and write about the challenges I've encountered, in my book.

What are the biggest mistakes people make with their dogs?
Most mistakes start with how families think about their dogs. Family's ideas about dogs lead them to the wrong conclusions about what dogs need from them.

What are some main points or strategies that readers can learn about from reading your book?
These are in-a-nutshell answers. One, put together a coordinated plan so you're getting at the problem from many different angles all at the same time. Whatever you do, don't cherry-pick your way through solutions. Two, figure out what's reinforcing the behavior you don't want and figure out how to reinforce instead the behaviors you want. Three, look to your dog for cues; dogs give us straightforward feedback about what they need from us.

What are your biggest worries about the book?
The material is light-hearted in places, and funny, but there's very little real fluff. Dog Quirks is not for folks looking for more quick ideas. It's for people who truly want to know how to bring out the best in their dogs and will plan it out. The readers who will benefit most will take it all in, cover to cover. The readers who worry me most are the ones who cherry-pick their way through the book.

I worry, some families will be in over their heads with their dog's problems and they won' t be able to find qualified help in their communities and the dogs and families will suffer, as happens so often..

What are your favorite dog behavior books?
Steven Lindsay wrote the ultimate text books for animal behaviorists, veterinarians, trainers with an interest in behavior. Lindsay's texts are so substantial, with most points well-researched; they surpass anything out there on dog behavior. I still reference Lindsay's books for almost every case. There's usually some facet I want to understand better:
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 1: Adaptation and Learning
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 2: Etiology and Assessment of Behavior Problems
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 3: Procedures and Protocols