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It’s All About the Animals In our ongoing series of PPG member profiles, this month BARKS features
Frania Shelley-Grielen of AnimalBehaviorist.us in New York City
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rania ShelleyGrielen has always been fascinated about how ani mals experience the world and how that experience is both differ ent from and similar to our own. Based in New York City, she owns and operates AnimalBehaviorist.us. Q: Can you tell us a bit more about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now? A: I have a master’s in urban planning and for many years worked with real estate transactions until I decided to follow my heart and go back to school to study animal behavior. I really wanted to learn as much as I could in a formal accredited academic program. I needed to be sure I was reading the right material and learning what the deeper questions and conclusions were from the researchers and scientists themselves. I completed the graduate program in animal behavior and conservation at Hunter College, City University of New York and, in 2009, I received my master’s. I started writing about behavior for several websites and doing some behavior and training work while at Hunter. When I graduated, I worked at anything that involved animals: pet sitting, dog walking, vet practice assistant, I even demo'ed dog food at pet stores. I then qualified and took a fulltime position as a licensed pet care technician teacher, developing and teaching that course at a post secondary vocational school for five years. When I started the pet care technician program, they were working without any animals in the classroom. Because the course was taught in an office building down town that was not dog friendly, I trained and tested as a registered ther apy animal handler with my dog, Daisy, which the building responded to (I also brought a cat in at times but she came in a carrier). The book I wrote, my YouTube Channel, and my website all started from research ing material for my course and answering client and student questions. My work in the classroom and in the field, including behind the scenes preparing students and evaluating internship sites in the pet services industry, didn’t just teach me more about companion animal behavior. It also taught me how people best learn to work with animals, as well as what is really happening in doggy day cares, grooming salons and shelters. I saw firsthand the need to have practical, applied skills taught by experts and what the impact is on animals when this does not happen. So I left my position to found PetCenterEd, Inc., a not for profit 501(c)3 corporation that would address the need for higher training for pet care service providers and higher standards for pet care services by offering expertled, academic education and practical training under one roof. I continue to offer behavior and training services and write.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your own pets. A: Cats were my first love because that's who I grew up with. So many of our pets are our best teachers if we listen and try to re spond and mine were no exception. Cinnamon, a for mer feral, wonder fully gentle and quite shy around new people, was perfect to help with teaching approach and handling in the classroom (we al ways started with a stuffed cat and pro gressed very slowly). Julie, my other kitty, older, and my best teacher for how to © Frania ShelleyGrielen integrate new cats Frania ShelleyGrielen with her cocker spaniel Daisy, with resident cats. who assists in client training sessions and in the And there was classroom Daisy, my cocker spaniel, best friend ever, and teammate. We taught people how to walk with dogs, what play looks like, what to do in dog parks, and how to pet a dog. She also allowed grooming demonstrations, anatomy lessons and more. Q: What is your favorite part of your job? A: Getting to work with animals and the people who care enough about them to work with you.
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BARKS from the Guild/November 2019
BARKS BARKS from the Guild blog Email: barkseditor@petprofessionalguild.com