Caryn Liles,
Professional Dog Trainer & Behaviour Coach
Caryn speaks from the heart, injecting humour and compassion into all her work. She strives to inspire pet owners and pet professionals to take an active role in learning the language of animals and teaching them appropriate behaviours through humane and science-based training.
With five certifications under her belt, she is a lifelong learner; she earns continuing education credits each year, ensuring that she is up to date with her skills and knowledge. She is certified as a Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, a Family Paws Parent Educator, a Fear Free Certified Professional, and a Primary TagTeach Instructor.
TCCE began in 2008 and quickly grew to a full brick and mortar location, running 6 days per week with a team of qualified instructors, dedicated to achieving stellar results with clients and their dogs. Recommended by Veterinarians and Veterinary Behaviourists.
Caryn has trained dogs, cats, horses, chickens, a rat and even a goldfish. She has a soft spot for German Shepherds and reactive dogs.
Humane, science-based training since 2008
At The Centre for Canine Education Inc. we use humane, science-based training methods to work with dogs. Our focus is primarily on positive reinforcement: offering dogs something that they like (food, play, human attention, environmental rewards, anything that your dog finds fun) in exchange for behaviours that we would like to see repeated.
We also occasionally use negative punishment (reward removal) in order to discourage behaviour, however, we must always set the environment up to allow the learner to succeed, and teach the dog what we want them to do instead.
Our approach must always start with the least invasive, minimally aversive. When addressing behavioural concerns, we start with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a way of working through each layer of challenges to resolution.
We do not use or condone the use of punishment through the use of aversive techniques (leash corrections, physical punishment, jabbing, kicking, yelling, intimidating) nor the use of aversive tools (prong/pinch collars, choke chains, slip leads, spray collars, shock collars as the fallout from using such techniques is far too great. While we recognise that such consequences can be very effective in the moment, we also understand the effects that suppression can have on a learner and are not interested in taking that risk.
Our aim is to change behaviour in the most stress-free way possible for the learner and to help create and nurture the bond between people and their dogs.
