professional dog training & behavior modification
 

Springfield, Missouri

voted top missouri dog trainer in 2023

For more than 15 years, Canine Connection Owner/Trainer, Cindy Ludwig
has helped dogs and the people who love them as a professional dog trainer. 

She has volunteered at animal shelters for more than 30 years, and has had a teaching career that spans 5 decades.

Cindy is a versatile trainer who brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to her work.
She is a dog lover who genuinely cares for her clients and their dogs.

Cindy works with all dog breeds and breed mixes, and other species.
She has trained and tested service dog teams for a large ADI-accredited organization,
helped competition teams improve their performance,
handled dogs and cats for Purina advertising,
successfully turned dogs with significant fear, anxiety, and aggression around,
rescued and trained dogs others had given up on,
and helped many people train their pets to be well-behaved family members.

Cindy gained her knowledge of dog training and behavior through apprenticeships, college coursework, conferences,
seminars, workshops, and dog training programs, most notably the world-renowned Karen Pryor Academy professional dog trainer program.
She continues her education to stay current on the latest research and best practices.

Early in her career, when forming her own company, Cindy recognized that most, if not all dog training problems came down to one thing -  poor communication, and that in order to effectively train a dog,
the trainer needs to be able to understand and communicate with the dog  in a way the dog can understand.

When dogs and their human partners are able to connect with each other through the type of training known as "clicker training,"
it's magical! The communication gap is bridged, and this was the inspiration for the name, Canine Connection LLC.

services

Dog and puppy training, basic through advanced

In-home private lessons

Group classes and workshops

Behavior modification (fear, aggression, separation anxiety, resource guarding, etc.)

Assistance (service) dog training

American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen/STAR Puppy/Trick Dog training & testing

Owner/trainer: Cindy Ludwig

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
Karen Pryor Academy graduate and Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP)
American Kennel Club (AKC) Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
Master's-prepared professional adult educator
Training dogs professionally for more than 15 years
Member, Association of Professional Dog Trainers since 2007


For more information, click here

Employing the same principles and techniques used to train wildlife and modify behavior in humans.

methods

The principles, techniques, tools, and methods of training and behavior modification used
are in agreement with the recommendations of the American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior
and follow the guidelines described in the
Joint Practice Standards adopted by the following organizations:

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA)

Canine Connection LLC is committed to fear-free, force-free methods and tools that
exclude the use of shock, e-collars, choke chain collars. prong collars, leash corrections
and any other form of verbal or physical "correction" or punishment.

what will this training do for my dog and me?

Generally, dog owners can expect the following:

People and dogs receive individualized instruction, tailored to their needs. Curricula are structured but flexible.

The learning environment is professionally managed to be conducive to learning.

Human students are treated with respect and courtesy.

All dogs are loved and appreciated, and trained with positive reinforcement.

Far less practice time is required than with compulsion training methods because dogs are taught to think, not simply obey.

Training sessions have a calming effect on dogs.

This training builds dogs' confidence as well as their skill repertoire.

Dog owners are taught the why, not just the what and how of training.

Research has shown that animals learn through success, not failure. This training teaches dogs what to do
rather than punishing them for what not to do.

This training builds precise, reliable behavior.

This training strengthens the human-animal bond.

With this training, dogs remember what they've learned for a very long time!

Most dog owners report an improvement in their dog's behavior after just one lesson!

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Canine Connection LLC offers extraordinary value, including client support for the life of the dog.

Call today to start seeing a difference in your dog:

(417) 597-4295

Training should be about helping animals succeed in the world we've created for them, not boosting our egos."

Dr. Grey Stafford