“One of the best things about dogs is how they live in the moment.  They don’t dwell in the past or the future, but simply live in the present, which is why training is such a joy.  My goal as a trainer is to help an owner form a more harmonious and loving bond with their dog by building on their relationship from moment to moment.  Every experience can be a learning experience for a dog.”

Cathy Bruce had been training her own dogs and studying dog behavior long before becoming a Certified Pet Dog Trainer.  After completing a successful career as a singer/actress on Broadway, she decided to pursue fulltime her love of dogs.  In 2003, she launched a successful in-home dog boarding business where dogs of many different breeds inhabited her house at any given time. Following an apprenticeship and stint as a a Staff Instructor at a dog training school in New York, where she taught classes in Puppy Obedience, AKC Canine Good Citizen Prep, and Competitive Rally Obedience, she then teamed up with Animal Planet's "It's Me Or the Dog" Victoria Stilwell to run Dog Trainers of New Jersey.  There she taught in home private lessons for dogs and owners dealing with obedience and behavioral issues.  Many of the dogs she worked with were rescued shelter dogs who were adopted in New Jersey.  She and Victoria now run Dog Trainers of Georgia, serving the Atlanta area.  Cathy continues to attend seminars and training workshops with trainers and behaviorists such as Suzanne Clothier, Sarah Wilson, Gary Wilkes, Turid Rugaas, Ken McCort and ethologist Ray Coppinger, to stay up to date on the most current positive based training methods.  Last year she visited Wolf Park in Indiana where she studied wolf behavior and how it gives us a better understanding of the behavior of our domesticated dogs.

Cathy teaches in-home private lessons for dog owners ranging the gamut from puppy training needs, such as housebreaking, socialization and dealing with destructive behaviors to more serious issues like dog to dog aggression and dog to children relationships.  Her background and specialties include conformation show handling, Puppy Obedience, Advanced Obedience and competitive Rally Obedience training.  She also offers board and train on her four acre property in the metro Atlanta area.

Cathy is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Chair of the Member Relations Committee of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is also certified as an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator.  As a dog trainer, she strives to educate dog owners on how to better communicate with their dogs using only positive methods and employing a number of different techniques.  Every dog and owner has different needs and Cathy diligently works with her clients to discover those needs and meet them effectively.