North Coast Dogs LLC. is a team of dog trainers and pet behavior specialists serving Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Together we represent a depth of knowledge and a breadth of experience in the field of canine behavior. Individually, we are each dedicated to the strengthening and preservation of the cherished canine-human bond.
North Coast Dogs uses operant and classical conditioning to train dogs and shape their behavior. The results are impressive. And, we're happy to say, there's a century of laboratory and real-life evidence to back us up. B.F. Skinner became one of the best-known pioneers of behaviorism in the 1930s. Students of the behaviorist school took Skinner's work into the real world and trained all sorts of animals for circuses and TV. Operant conditioning has always been the method of choice for sea mammal trainers. If you've ever seen a dolphin show, they were trained the same way we train dogs!
Skinner was passionate about not using punishment while conditioning animals (or humans for that matter). North Coast Dogs shares that passion. Our methods are 100% nonviolent. We do not advocate the use of shock collars, prong collars, choke collars, squirt bottles, air horns, shake cans, hitting, pinching nor any other form of physical or psychological attack. Dogs deserve better than that.
| Ginger Alpine, CPDT |
Professional
Specialties: Ginger Alpine teaches group classes at our Lakewood
Learning Center . She teaches both puppy and adult dog into courses.
But Ms. Alpine has also led the way in the development and teaching of
our Rally Obedience classes. Ms. Alpine also handles in-home behavior
modification cases and in-home priority cases (fear, aggression and separation
anxiety).
Experience: 11 years as a professional dog trainer.
Education: National Canine (1993), The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2002)
Certification / Honors: Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC), Association of Pet Dog Trainers Member of the Year (2002).
Personal Interests: Ms. Alpine has a special interest in the training and rehabilitation of adolescent shelter dogs. She is also busy with three dogs of her own, two children and a husband.
| Michael Baugh, CPDT |
Professional
Specialties: Michael Baugh is the founder and managing member
of North Coast Dogs LLC. He teaches intro level puppy and adult dog classes
as well as the Focus and Canine Good Citizen / Therapy Dog Classes at
our Lakewood Learning Center . Mr. Baugh also handles in-home behavior
modification cases and in-home priority cases (fear, aggression and separation
anxiety).
Experience: 4 years as a professional dog trainer.
Education: Loyola University of New Orleans (1988), The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2001), The Graduate School, John Carroll University (current).
Certification / Honors: Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC). Certified Evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate and Therapy Dogs International
Personal Interests: Mr. Baugh's personal interests include the education and counseling of human beings caring for dogs with troubling problem behaviors. He's an avid writer and public speaker. Mr. Baugh also enjoys Therapy Dog visits and Fly Ball with is personal dogs.
| JoAnne Blaha, DVM, MA |
Professional
Specialties: JoAnne Blaha handles in-home behavior modification
cases for North Coast Dogs including in-home priority cases (fear, aggression
and separation anxiety).
Experience: 5 years behavioral consultation within a veterinary practice.
Education: The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2003), Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine (1996), M.A. Clinical Psychology, Case Western Reserve University (1971), B.A. Psychology, Bowling Green State University (1969)
Certification / Honors: SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC), Ohio Veterinary Licensing Board (DVM), Ohio Counselor and Social Worker Board (LSW)
Personal Interests: Dr. Blaha is particularly interested in human-animal bond research. She enjoys horse back riding, owning horses of her own for 25 years. Dr. Blaha also enjoys traveling. She has attended school in France and even visited the former Soviet Union .
| Jonathan Corrigan |
Professional
Specialties: Jonathan Corrigan is the Operations Manager of
North Coast Dogs. Mr. Corrigan handles the day to day operations of the
three training centers and all customer service needs. He provides in
home behavior modification for cats and birds and teaches the Pet First
Aid/CPR class.
Experience: 8 years experience in the fields of pet store management and bookkepping, veterinary technology, animal care and husbandry, feline and avian behavior.
Education: The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2004), Cuyahoga Community College (current).
Certification / Honors: Mr. Corrigan is scheduled to earn his SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC) in January, 2004., Certified Evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate , Certified Pet Food Advisor Natura Pet Products , Certified American Red Cross Pet First Aid instructor.
Personal Interests: Mr. Corrigan spends most of his free time working on his undergraduate studies. He plans to attend veterinary school. He has an interest in animal nutrition. Mr. Corrigan also used to be a professional tax preparer and enjoys helping people understand this often difficult process.
| Terry Cranendonk |
Professional
Specialties: Terry Cranendonk teaches intro level puppy and
adult dog classes at our Brunswick Learning Center . Mr. Cranendonk also
enjoys teaching Canine Good Citizen / Therapy Dog Classes and Tricks
and Fun classes at that location. He specialized in in-home behavior
modification for aggression and other problem behaviors through his Akron-based
company, DoGoodDog .
Experience: 4 years as a professional dog trainer. Apprenticed and Trained with Paul Owens, author of The Dog Whisperer.
Education: B.A. Yale University (1985), M.A. University of Akron (1995)
Certification / Honors: Certified Evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate .
Personal Interests: Mr. Cranendonk is an accomplished actor. He also enjoys reading history, psychology and evolutionary theory. Terry Cranendonk lives in Akron with his wife, newborn daughter and their dog.
E-mail Terry
| Anne Ferry |
Professional
Specialties: Anne Ferry teaches intro and intermediate level
puppy and adult dog classes at our Lakewood and Brunswick Learning Centers.
Experience: 1 year as a professional dog trainer. Handler / Trainer for "Sandy" in the 2002 Beck Center production of Annie.
Education: The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2003)
Certification / Honors: SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC), Certified Pet Food Advisor Natura Pet Products . Ms. Ferry is in the process of earning her hours for CPDT certification in 2004.
Personal Interests: Ms. Ferry has a special interest in rehabilitating fearful dogs. She is also an avid student of puppy development. Ms. Ferry volunteers at a local animal shelter. She also enjoys reading and horseback riding.
| Susanna Hamm |
Professional
Specialties: Susanna Hamm teaches intro puppy and adult dog
classes at our Lakewood and Richmond Hts. Learning Centers . Ms. Hamm
is also responsible for developing and teaching our Canine Massage and
Flyball classes. In addition, she handles in-home behavior modification
cases, in-home canine massage cases, and in-home priority cases (fear,
aggression, and separation anxiety).
Experience: Over 1 year of experience as a professional dog trainer and many previous years of experience training other animals.
Education: The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers (2002), The PetMassage Training & Research Institute (2002/2003)
Certification / Honors: SF/SPCA Counseling Certificate (CC). Certified Evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate . Certified PetMassage instructor. Susanna is scheduled to take her Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) exam in November, 2003.
Personal Interests: Ms. Hamm has an interest in the positive effects of massage in the training and rehabilitation of dogs suffering from fear and anxiety. She is kept busy by her own two rescued dogs and her husband.
| Lynn Molina |
Professional
Specialties: Lynn Molina is our evening customer service specialist.
She assists customers by phone and in person at our Lakewood Learning
Center .
Experience: Joined North Coast Dogs in 2003
Education: Cuyahoga Community College (current)
Personal Interests: Lynn enjoys volunteering in different aspects of dog rescue and spending time with her husband and their own two dogs. Her other interests include photography, politics, and reading.
E-mail Lynn
The San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers is recognized as one of the best sources in the country for continuing education in canine training and behavior.
All North Coast Dogs employees are professional members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Each of our trainers is required to fulfill a minimum of 16 hours continuing education annually.
Last updated: