Canine Culture Training Center is in its infancy. It is at the very beginning, of what I plan on being the most versatile training center in upstate New York. A place where you can not only learn to be your dogs best friend, but where you can learn about the many different dog activities and sports that are available to us today. Where you can train and exercise your dog in a friendly, safe place, with other people who also enjoy their dogs.
Please come and grow with us! It will be an 'incredible journey', I promise!
Our Methodology
I have often been asked "What method do you use?". I find this a somewhat difficult question to answer. I have, over the years, learned and used many different 'methods', and incorporated them into my own. Having said that, I guess the best answer to that question is... the one that works! Which is... different for every dog, and owner.
NO ONE METHOD works for all dogs, owners, or problems.
So if you have attended other obedience classes, read books, tried different equipment, and not been successful... you are not alone.
If you consider yourself and experienced dog owner, and have had other dogs with no problems, but have difficulty with your current one... this is also common.
It is difficult to learn the correct pressure, timing and technique, for any method, from a book. It is also common for many methods to actually contradict one another.
My goal is to teach YOU how to understand, teach, and communicate with, YOUR DOG.
We keep group classes small, to best be able to give proper attention to evaluating each dogs' personality and needs, and help the owner understand what those needs are, and how best to teach them.
Our goal is to create a willing PARTNERSHIP. One which both partners fully understand what is expected from the other for any task or environment. From pet, to competition dog.
I want my students to have the most motivated, enthusiastic, and accurate working dogs around. I also encourage and enjoy working with the "non-obedience breeds".
We are here to help you "Get Connected" with your dog. Build trust, improve relationship, have fun and communicate with... the furry alien sitting next to you, called "man's best friend".
ABOUT ME
Lisa Mawson Owner, Trainer
Born and raised in Syracuse New York, I started educating myself in my obsession, animals, at a very early age. If someone had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was "Dr. Doolittle!". I always wished I could talk to, and understand animals. And if I couldnt do that literally, then I would simply learn as much as I could about them.
Over the years, I have worked in several different areas of the pet industry, including managing pet retail stores, both large and small for over 14 years, grooming for 4 years, and working as a veterinary assistant for several years, which I still do, and love.
These jobs have helped me understand the pet owning public, the human/animal bond, and helped me learn to communicate effectively to help people take the best care of their companions.
I have also tested my mettle in martial arts, brown belt, placing in state championships, and qualifying for nationals twice. Karate helped me build my self confidence, and started me on the road to discovering and testing myself. Thank you John White. I have also spent 12 years as a member of the Pompey Hill Fire Dept. as a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), and was heavily involved in rope rescue. In that time I held both lieutenant and captain ranks in both fire and rescue.
Firefighting and rescue were a way of challenging myself, and where I really learned to communicate and work as a team, as well as be able to help people in my community. I have never felt more encouraged, and part of something important, as I did with the people I worked with there. Thanks guys.
So... I have figured out a way, to combine what I love. Animals, teaching, and helping people and pets. Whether its people or animals, communication is key.
I have trained 9 and titled 5 of my own dogs over the last 15 years in multiple sports and disciplines including obedience, agility, schutzhund and weight pulling. I have also trained a deer search dog and several therapy dogs and continue to dabble in new sports all of the time with my own dogs, including herding, freestyle, Rally, sledding, carting, tracking and scent detection, as well as other sports with my clients dogs, such as water rescue, retrieving, and field work.
I have been educating myself about animal behavior and learning theory, for over 20 years. I continue attending seminars and classes from some of the best known trainers and behaviorists from across the country.
But some of my best teachers, are the dogs... yes, including yours.
Let me help you learn how to teach your dog as well as learn from him/her.
My special interest is solving behavior problems such as fears, phobias, and aggression. The reward I get, is to see the dogs and owners change and develop an even closer bond than they realized they could. Trust is key.
I also love to help people learn about the many, MANY ways you can enjoy and have fun with your dogs.
I want to provide versatility in training, and make available to the central New York area, multiple dog sport training and problem solving with the most efficient, up to date, positive and motivational (to dog and owner) methods available today.
Please continue to check back as I update this site with available classes and services.
Lisa Mawson Head Teacher/Trainer
I would be happy to answer any questions
or call 315-280-0107
Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers APDT
Approved trainer for Animal Behavior College (ABC)
Legend's Cool Hand Luke CGC, NA, NAJ, CD, OAJ, TT
aka "Luke" 1999-2010
Lisa's "Buddy" 1987-1995
X-Pert Beers Iron Will CGC, SCT, CD, TT, Sch B,
Sch AD, NA, WD
aka "Willie" 1993-2004
Kate Sioux Vom Blitzen Haus CGC, TT, CD and NYS Deer Search Dog
aka "Katie"
1993-2003
Storytime's Over IM CN Spots CGC, TDI, TT
aka "Alex" 1996-2004
UKC Ch. Romeo's Two Moon Scribbles CGC, TT,
NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, TDI aka "Vegas"
Lisa's Libbylips TT
aka "Libby"
Romeo's Mirage By Hammer
aka "James"
Family pics... the current crew.
My family from the past... gone, but not forgotten.
My best teachers.
About Steve Kinne Assistant trainer
Steve grew up in North Syracuse, received his BS at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and then went on to earn his Medical Degree from Upstate Medical College in Syracuse . After joining the USAF, he completed a Family Practice residency and later received a Masters in Public Health along with completing additional residencies in General Preventive Medicine/Public Health, and in Aerospace Medicine. He served in positions as a clinical physician, chief of the medical staff, commander (x3), and graduate medical educator (including as Director of the USAF Preventive Medicine Residency). In 2006, after 23 years of service and having achieved the rank of Colonel and Chief Flight Surgeon, he retired from both the Air Force and medicine. He is now pursuing other life interests that were put on hold for over two decades… one of the main ones being working with and training dogs.
Steve’s early dog experience was with family pets (including a Dachshund, Cocker Spaniel, Doberman Pinscher, and Beagle) and while working at the North Syracuse Animal Hospital for four years. Later, after many busy AF years without a dog, his family was adopted a Sheltie-Husky mix from a shelter. In addition to be a wonderful family pet, “Sugar” became his faithful hiking and backpacking companion for many years. After retirement, Steve and his wife adopted a 3 year old terrier mix from Wanderers Rest Animal Shelter in Canastota. It was this energetic, independent-minded, strong-willed little lady (who came with the name “Princess”) who got him really turned on to dog training. In addition to taking a basic class emphasizing positive reinforcement, he began to read extensively and put many newly learned (and much more effective!) training techniques to work at home and with the dogs at Wanderers Rest where he had become a volunteer dog walker/trainer. He subsequently was hired by the shelter where his job eventually morph’d into a trainer/adoption counselor role. During this time he also enrolled in Animal Behavior College , took seminars and courses in dog training and behavior, and completed an intensive internship in behavior/training with two nationally recognized experts. He began mentoring with Canine Culture owner/trainer Lisa Mawson in the spring of 2008, attending training classes with his own dog as well as subsequently assisting her with other training classes. He shares her ambitious vision of a center for dog training and sports and, in the future, the development of a rehabilitation center where dogs in need of re-homing can be trained as pets and possibly as therapy dogs. In the meantime he and Princess are active in the CNY Bulldoggers Weight Pulling Club and have started agility training, and he both teaches and helps with the gradual building/developing of the training center’s infrastructure.
Steve recognizes that good dog training really involves people (owner) training as much or more than just time with the dog. He therefore looks forward to applying his extensive knowledge and experience with human behavior and learning along with his growing knowledge of dog behavior and learning to produce a winning combination. His primary goal is to help owners improve the relationship with their dog through better understanding of dog behavior, improved communication, and effective teaching methods based on solid learning theory. And he wants owners to realize that training can be (and should be) fun as well as beneficial. In addition to assisting Lisa, he looks forward to begin teaching his own basic classes at Canine Culture in the near future.
Steve Kinne and Princess
Lisa Mawson and Vegas
Please join us in you journey to discover yourself, as you learn to relate more effectively with your dog.
Discover who he is, the things he needs and enjoys, and how to enjoy those things with him.
Let a dog show you how to really have fun, relax, and live in the moment.
Its not so much about control, as it is about cooperation.
