Liz Ford
Liz is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), and a Licensed Family Dog Mediator.
Liz is a graduate of the University of Iowa (BA, 1999). She worked in business, marketing, and human resources before she made a career change to the animal care and welfare industry in 2001. Since then, Liz has held a variety of titles including: animal shelter volunteer, volunteer coordinator, dog training & behavior specialist, humane educator, non-profit executive director, animal emergency response coordinator, animal care technician, adoption placement counselor, and animal services officer.
Most recently and before opening Best Friends Dog Academy, Liz was the Supervisor for the City of Iowa City's Animal Services division and the Director for the Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center, where she oversaw all aspects of animal welfare and law enforcement. During her animal sheltering career she created and managed numerous programs to enhance agency and community services including enrichment for shelter animals, advanced behavior programs for shelter staff/volunteers and shelter animals, community outreach and education, and collaborations with other agencies such as the prison dog program, rescue/transport program, and the Emergency Animal Response Team.
Liz teaches and trains specializing in behavior modification for dogs experiencing fear, anxiety and aggression. Her training philosophies emphasize building an understanding of the "why" behind behaviors, establishing clear and kind communication between handler and dog, and cultivating an environment for both to succeed.
Liz works regularly with local animal shelters and rescues teaching staff and volunteers current and best practices in animal welfare and behavior modification as well as working one-on-one with special needs animals.
Certifications:
Family Dog Mediation, Licensed Shelter and Training Divisions
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, Certified Training Partner
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Certified Professional Dog Trainer
American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Certified Evaluator
Professional Memberships and Affiliations:
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Trainers, Certified Training Partner
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Certified Trainer
Pet Professional guild, Member
Animal Training Academy, Member
Animal Behavior College, Mentor Trainer
Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Professional Member
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Member
Iowa City Dog Obedience Club, Member
Johnson County Community Emergency Response Team, Member
Iowa City Animal Services Animal Response Team, Founder and Director
ASPCA Field Investigations & Responses Team, Responder
Iowa Federation of Humane Societies, Board Member
Iowa Equine Rescue & Awareness League, Volunteer Trainer
