Informative letter about socialization and puppy training. CLICK HERE to view Dr. R K Anderson's open letter to his colleagues, encouraging them to advise their clients to prioritize socializing their puppies.

Roseann Baars developed and sharpened her dog handling, reading and training skills while completing her two year apprenticeship with world class dog expert Sue Sternberg at her groundbreaking shelter and training facility, Rondout Valley Animals for Adoption in Accord. N. Y. She compassionately trained and helped to socialize dogs of all breeds, mixes and sizes while helping with a program set up to make them more presentable and adoptable to prospective human companions. Learning from the best in the business and being a natural trainer, she quickly rose to an instructor’s position. During her stint there, she developed curriculum for a range of classes including Puppy Development, Training and Socialization, Beginner Obedience and Manners, a Canine Good Citizen Prep. course and Dog Agility classes focusing primarily on agility foundation exercises for her puppy students. Passionate about learning all she possibly can about dogs she has studied with a veritable list of “who’s who” in the Animal Training and Behavior Field including: Ted Turner, Dr. Roger Abrantes, Dr. Ian Dunbar, John Fisher, Jean Donaldson, John Rogerson, Dr. Suzanne Hetts, Dr. Pam Reid, Dr. Patricia McConnell, Dr. Raymond Coppinger, and Dr. Andrew Luescher a preeminent Board Certified Veterinary Behavior Specialist at Purdue University. She is currently the only trainer in the state of N.J. certified by Purdue University, School of Veterinary Medicine who offers Developmental Puppy Training classes and Behavior Modification for dogs with problems.

She holds an Associates in Science degree (biology major) and has a special interest in the Neurobiology of dog behavior and Ethology. She earned the certification of CPDT (certified pet dog trainer) through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. The largest and most respected organization of pet dog trainers. CPDT is the first national certification for pet dog trainers in history, and she was one the first 136 certified in the US and Canada. (CPDT press release "First national certification for dog trainers") To learn more about dogs from the inside out she enrolled in the Veterinary Technology program at Camden County College. Recent completion of the course work required to become a licensed veterinary nurse culminated in graduating at the top of her class with honors and receipt of their prestigious departmental excellence award, adding to her credentials an additional Associates in Science degree, this time in Animal Science (click here for vital information about a medical emergency commonly called bloat).

She is devoted to dogs, her clients and her own. She lives with, loves and continues to learn from her four unique adopted dogs; Trey an incredibly handsome and sweet German Shepherd Dog, Wes a charming All American, Aoife a black and tan bundle of joy and Joad a Husky mix.

Her heartfelt desire is to improve the well being of every dog she meets and the bond between dog and owner. She holds the belief that all dogs should be treated humanely even while being trained, stressing the value and importance of starting the journey during puppy hood.

Her affiliations with and respect from within the Veterinary community (click here for veterinarian's recommendation) and the Animal Care and Shelter Industry set her apart from the field. She recently became a certified Hospice volunteer, she and her dog ‘Wes’ can now comfort and amuse Hospice patients. In her spare time she and her dogs enjoy Tracking, Agility, Frisbee, Mushing, Tricks, Training, Bicycling and exploring hiking trails on a Mountain Scooter . She loves photography, horses, gardening, rock hunting and DOGS!

She lectures pro bono on Dog Anatomy, Dog Behavior, Behavioral Assessment and Matchmaking to the MCSPCA volunteers (Adoption Counselors) and staff members (click here to view thank you letter from Ursula Goetz-Director of the MCSPCA). She does a similar lecture yearly for students at Ocean County College participating in the Animal Control Officers certification program.