Our Story
Jill Marie has been working with, training, and advocating for dogs since 1987; fourteen years were spent as Director of Behavior and Training Services for spcaLA. During her tenure with spcaLA, she supervised the creation and ongoing development of that agency's first Animal Behavior and Training Department since its inception in 1877. Additionally, while there, she worked on a variety of programs that included, but not limited to: -Kal-Kan Bite Prevention and Feral Dog Safety program; a program designed to educate inner-city youth on bite prevention and feral dog safety. -Teaching Love and Compassion (TLC) program for at-risk youth -The Standards Program which included both a Canine Behavior Assessment used for the evaluation of the shelter dogs, as well as a comprehensive behavior rehab component. -H.E.A.L. (Helping Enhance Animals Lives); Jill Marie designed this program as a volunteer training, staff safety, and canine enrichment program. Over the years, she's gained extensive knowledge and experience through her participation in agility, tracking, Animal Assisted Therapy, pet dog training, Schutzhund/IPO training, canine behavior assessments, canine behavior rehabilitation along with professional detection dog training and handling. As Co-Founder of National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC® (NACSW™) she is involved in both the competitive sport and activity of K9 Nose Work®. Through the NACSW(™) K9 Nose Work® Instructor Education and Certification program she has dedicated the majority of her time to continuing the development and growth of the K9 Nose Work® style of training; both as a tool develop teams for competition in a variety of trialing venues and as an activity to facilitate the behavioral well-being of our canine companions. Jill Marie is currently developing the K9 Nose Work® Shelter’ project. This project aims to enhance the lives of shelter dogs around the world through the use of the simple yet profound K9 Nose Work® methodology; through capacity building and knowledge sharing this undertaking will establish K9 Nose Work® as an inexpensive and powerful enrichment tool that any shelter could implement and sustain. Additionally, the project will focus on the use of K9 Nose Work® to benefit special needs canines in a variety of settings. Her training philosophy is one of building strong working relationships and bonds between dogs and their handlers using positive, fun, and motivational techniques. She is a strong advocate of ongoing education and the development of evidence based skills and programs. Not only has she attended many educational conferences and courses, she has organized and facilitated educational events featuring some of the most sought-after lecturers and behavior experts in the world. Jill Marie has been a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) since 1997 and she has been a Certified Professional Dog Training (CPDT-KA) through the CCPDT since 2008. In 2011, she was voted onto the APDT Board of Trustees. She has held the office of Secretary, Vice-Chair 2013, 2015 & 2016, and was selected as Chair of the Board for 2014 term. She will been finishing up her board service at the end of 2017. Additionally, she served as President of the APDT Foundation 2013 & 2014. Jill Marie and her dog Beckett (RIP), CGC, L1I, CLASS-MA were a nationally certified Narcotics Detection Team and took 1st place in the novice division at the Oxnard Police K9 Inaugural Trial, 2009. She was a long-time agility enthusiast and competed and trained in agility starting 1990. In addition to her work with Beckett, Jill Marie and her dogs have earned many training titles and have competed at the USDAA's Grand Prix of Dog Agility. Her other K9 partners, both Belgian Malinois, are Grip, ORT-BAC and Raven, ORT-BAC, NW1, CLASS-BA. She shares her life with her son Aedan and husband Jim who she thanks everyday for their support in her endeavors.
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