Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Advertiser Spotlight<br />
Mistie Desper<br />
Someone once said,<br />
“A dog is the only thing<br />
on earth that loves you<br />
more than it loves itself.”<br />
Christi Kirby-Baron sees the love of dogs in a way that not many get<br />
to experience. She is a professional service animal trainer using her skills<br />
to be able to enrich the lives and needs of others.<br />
She began training dogs to 1990 and her passion quickly evolved from<br />
training her own dogs into becoming a professional trainer. With behavioral<br />
and psychology courses under her belt, she began an apprenticeship<br />
with an organization that specialized in guide dogs for individuals with<br />
disabilities. There, her entire view changed into helping others have a<br />
better quality of life.<br />
She said, “Through this apprenticeship, I learned so much about the<br />
daily lives and struggles for people with disabilities that most people never<br />
think about. I saw how these dogs helped them regain independence<br />
and I quickly realized that this is my calling, this is my purpose, and<br />
what I was put here to do.”<br />
In 2016, Christi continued her “calling” by opening A Pawsitive<br />
Improvement where she offers a wide variety of training options. From<br />
basic obedience and behavior modification to training for pet therapy<br />
certification, she puts her heart and soul into everything she<br />
does. “Training takes lots of dedication and consistency. Most<br />
dogs don’t begin task training until around 18 months with<br />
an additional year or more to train proficiency.”<br />
Task training varies greatly based on an individual’s needs<br />
and can include helping someone with vision and hearing<br />
needs to aiding someone who struggles with mobility.<br />
Christi’s program differs from others in that she trains the<br />
owners as well as the animal. “The moments where the dog’s<br />
lightbulb flips on is so rewarding. The owner and dog truly<br />
blossom together as a team. When they have completed<br />
training, I do turn them loose as a trained pair—but I have a<br />
lifetime commitment to them.”<br />
Christi is there for the long haul for support for both dog<br />
and owner. Reflecting back, she said, “Those that come<br />
18 • APRIL 2023
Change language