About Me

DogsandMe

 I am a very lucky person in that I get to do what I love. I have a passion for animals, especially dogs. I get to work with dogs almost daily. I get to teach people that there is a better, more humane way of training our dogs rather than using force, fear, or pain. I get to make a difference in dogs' lives helping them be an integral part of a family.I love giving a person and their dog an opportunity to make a difference in peoples' lives through pet therapy. I get to help dogs who have behavioral issues overcome these issues and blend into a family rather than being sent to a shelter or rescue.

I am most fortunate that I can make a difference in people's lives by offering them the benefits of Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Interventions. When people are sad or are in a difficult situation, having a dog to pet and interact with makes so much of a difference. I hear so often during or after a vist "this has made my day". I have witnessed the magical power of my dogs transforming a person.

I have seen a child who has experienced a profound loss being able to cry, laugh and love on my dog. I have seen a man who has just lost his wife cry on my dog and tell me that he will never forget this experience. I have been with people in a crisis, or disaster, situation and have witnessed the difference the dogs make. All of these experiences motivate me to want to train more teams to provide Animal Assisted Activities and/or Animal Assisted Intervention and Animal Assisted Crisis Response dogs.

If a dog is not meant to be a therapy dog, then I would like to help that dog be the very best dog he/she can be. I love being able to solve problems and turn an undesirable behavior into a positive behavior.

I love attending conferences, workshops, and discussion groups. I read many many books. I watch many DVD's. I am on many email lists which provide daily learning.

I love seeing the benefits of body work both for behavioral issues and improvement in mobility. I continue to further my knowledge to offer the most and best that I can.

My current path seems to lead me further into the world of Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Interention. More and more studies are proving the benefits of this type of activity and intervention in many, varied settings.

Please don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I love to talk about and share what I do.

" About 13 years ago my wife and I rescued a sweet black lab (Sweet Pea) that had a difficult start in life. She was 8 months old and was missing a large piece of cartilage in one knee and her opposite leg developed a significant deformity.  She had an uncaring owner and when I did a free consultation she curled up in my lap and laid her head on my shoulder. I whispered in her ear that I was going to take care of her. A short time later she was ours. After 4 surgeries to improve her quality of life I found Janice Mann to help with her recovery. Janice was compassionate, gentle with her touch and had such an amazing connection with Sweet Pea right off the bat, and Sweet Pea fell in love with her. I have continued to have Janice work on Sweet Pea every other week over all of these years. Now Sweet Pea is approaching 14 and Janiceís magic touch has helped her live a full and active life. "
Dr. Michael Bauer DVM Colorado Canine Orthopedics