The APDT Chronicle of the Dog Summer 2018 | Page 13

ASSOCIATION NEWS | MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Pat’s entire adult life has been working with animals. The Springfield,
Illinois-native first became a horse trainer in Wisconsin and then
worked 20 years at the Marin Humane Society in Novato, Calif.
It was during this time she collaborated with Trish King to create
the country’s first color-coding system for assessing shelter dogs and
volunteers. The system was successful in reducing behavior problems
in shelter dogs with a corresponding reduction in euthanasia by
identifying more challenging dogs and matching them with more
experienced and capable volunteer handlers.
She has trained a variety of breeds and mixed breeds (her own dogs)
including Rough Collies, a Bloodhound, Australian Kelpies, Bull
Terrier, Irish Setter, St. Bernard, Scottish Terrier, Cardigan Welsh
Corgi, Australian Shepherd, Pomeranians, and a Springer Spaniel,
and competed successfully with many of them in the obedience and
Rally rings, most recently with her Pomeranian, Dusty, and mixed-
breed Terrier, Josie. She also trained her first Australian Kelpie to
herd sheep and ducks. Keli was Miller’s Canine Field Agent, riding
with her on patrol during the years she was an animal services officer
in California.
In 1996, Pat moved to California’s central coast after completing
her bachelor’s degree, with honors, in business admini stration and
launched Peaceable Paws, LLC, in Monterey and Santa Cruz. She
also holds an associate degree in Administration of Justice. She also
became involved with the Santa Cruz SPCA, introducing them to
the color-coding system and served on their board of directors. That
was the same year she joined APDT.
In the fall of 1999, Miller and her husband, Paul, relocated Peaceable
Paws to Chattanooga, Tennessee. With other like-minded residents,
her commitment and hard work. She enthusiastically takes on her
committee projects and does some incredible work.”
Joann, the owner of The Loose Leash Academy in Black Mountain,
North Carolina, states she has two passions: Education and dogs.
Her first profession was in the nursing field. She progressed from
patient care to management to running continuing education
programs for medical professionals during that 36-year career, also
earning her nurse practitioner certification.
But she also never gave up working with dogs. “It became more of a
passion during the past 16 years, studying endlessly to learn about
canine behavior and the human-canine bonds and interactions
while teaching dog training classes and seminars,” Joann said. “It
is my greatest joy when I see a handler and his/her dog have that
lightbulb moment and everything clicks.”
She earned her Certified Professional Dog Trainer – KA certificate.
She is one of 12 US-based dog trainers who are graduates of the
she helped create FOCAS – Friends of Chattanooga Animal Services
– a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the work of
the Chattanooga Animal Services Division.
A big year for Pat was 2001. She and her 14-year-old Terrier mix,
Josie, were one of the first 23 dog/owner teams in the world to earn
a title at the first-sanctioned Rally Trials, the then-newest canine
sport, at the APDT annual conference in Ellenville, New York, that
fall. Also that year, Pat was one of the first 136 trainers to be awarded
the title of Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), through
the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (Pat also
received her CBCC-KA through CCPDT), she was elected to the
APDT board, and her first book was published.
Back in Chattanooga, Pat opened the Peaceable Paws Intern
Academy in 2002, which attracts trainers from around the world.
In cooperation with several other APDT members, she helped
create TAPPT, the Tennessee Association of Positive Pet Trainers
and in Maryland, MAAPPPT, the Mid-Atlantic Association of
Positive Professional Pet Trainers. That same year she became APDT
president, serving in that position for two years.
Pat and Paul moved to Fairplay, Maryland, in the spring of 2004
where they live on an 80-acre farm with their two dogs, seven cats,
four horses, and five chickens. It is also the location of their Peaceable
Paws dog-friendly training center and Peaceable Pastures horse-
friendly boarding facility there. Pat continues to offer group dog
training classes, private behavior consults, training camps, seminars
and workshops worldwide, expert witness services for animal-related
legal cases, and is director of the Peaceable Paws Trainer Academies
and Training Programs
Turid Rugaas International Dog Training Education, which
specializes in dog behavior and problem solving. She also organizes
education events for dog trainers and is a Canine Good Citizen
evaluator. She serves as a representative for the United States
with the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe. Joann has assisted with
therapy dog testing and was a handler with her own three dogs for
Therapy Dogs International. She co-founded two Therapy Dogs
International chapters in Rochester, New York and St. Petersburg,
Florida. Joann has also mentored therapy teams and teaches
therapy dog seminars.
Besides her membership with APDT, Joann is a member of Pet
Dog Trainers of Europe, Pet Professional Guild, International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, American Kennel
Club and the Alliance for Therapy Dogs. She holds a Master of
Science degree in nursing and a Master of Public Health degree
in occupational health and was a Certified Professional Coder for
19 years.
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Summer 2018
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