Meet Kevin Ray, former teacher and marketing representative, and current Canine Behavior Therapist. Having found his calling as a teacher, he didn’t expect some of his students to be quite so furry. But nonetheless, he still enjoys every minute of teaching whether it’s canine students, local veterinarians or pet owners.

Having been influenced by Mother Nature and all her glory since childhood, Kevin has always enjoyed being around animals, an appreciation that ultimately led to his current title, Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). Recently adorned with the title of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer, he’s making quite the impact in the Coastal Empire.

I’m one of three male Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainers. The only other two males reside in New Jersey and Rome, Italy.

I started training to meet the criteria for the Certification Council of Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT) by volunteering at places like Animal Resort & Spa, LLC. and Salt Creek Kennels, LLC. (In order to be eligible to sit for the CCPDT exam, one must complete 225 verifiable hours of actual training.)

I’ve watched Victoria Stilwell’s television show, It’s Me or the Dog, since 2008, and meeting her at a conference in Louisville, KY really inspired me to look at her program.

As a candidate of her program, I was evaluated by Victoria after being invited to an Atlanta Humane Society to spend the day working with dogs there. I had to get a stray, fearful dog to bond with me and earn the dog’s trust. The dog had obviously been abused, and seemingly by a male, but I earned the dog’s trust and Victoria was very impressed by that ability.

I’ve created a library of dog types and scenarios from Victoria’s show (It’s Me or the Dog). I take notes that inspire me when helping clients.

I’m a teacher and a student of positive reinforcement dog training because I’m constantly looking for ways to continue my education, as well as teach others.

The benefit of positive training is that dogs aren’t being abused. The methods are very humane and I’m teaching dog owners positive ways to have trusting relationships with their pets.

When people have pet behavior problems, the first source is a veterinarian. Most veterinarians are trained medically, not in behavior, and they’ll probably prescribe a drug which can be a good thing, but it isn’t always necessary. What I’m doing is helping educate veterinarians by working with a certified pet trainer to help modify the behavior, and ultimately reduce or eliminate drugs completely.

“It’s me or the dog” is the mentality most people have, which can lead to pets being abandoned, put in shelters or euthanized. If I can get in there and help prevent that from happening, I can save lives.

To find out more information about Kevin’s practice, contact him at kevin@caninetherapycenter.com, or call 912.661.3027.

For more information about Victoria Stilwell, visit her website at positively.com.

Photo compliments of Kevin Ray