Alynn (Aly) J. Lecznar, Curriculum Manager, Mentor Coordinator & Faculty
Aly (VSPDT, CPDT-KSA, CCFT, KPA-Graduate, FitPAWS® Master Trainer, ATD Master Trainer™) is both a certified dog trainer and master trainer of people as well! She received her Applied Biology degree from Georgia Tech, and worked in collaboration with Zoo Atlanta for her senior thesis on animal cognition. While at Tech, Aly received her Honorary Member status with the Atlanta Police Department for her work training horses at the APD Mounted Patrol Department. After years of working with horses, Aly turned her efforts towards her first love, dogs. She attended the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Behavior and Training where she completed the Dog Training Professionals Program and became a Certified Training Partner. Upon launching her own dog training business, Aly realized that teaching behaviors is most effective when paired with a wellness program. To enhance her programs, Aly continued her education at the University of Tennessee Veterinary School to became a FitPaws® Master Trainer and Certified Canine Fitness Trainer.
Aly now works full-time with her childhood hero, Victoria Stilwell, at Victoria Stilwell Academy and the Positively brand. As the Curriculum Manager, Aly analyzes, develops, delivers, implements, and evaluates online and in-person learner-centered, performance-based experiences for aspiring professional dog trainers, pet professionals, and dog owners. She received the Master Trainer™ certification from the Association of Talent Development (ATD) for her work training people, as well as completing a certificate in Instructional Design. In her spare time, Aly enjoys canicrossing with her standard poodle, Klaus.
What is the state of dogs today?
Victoria asks: Why is the state of the union with our dogs doing so badly? Why so many dogs out there are in dire need? What’s happening out there is that she and other trainers see that human animal bond is breaking down.
They see fear, anxiety, reactivity – more than ever before.
More people getting bitten by dogs.
If we don’t change things, things are set to be worse.
How did things get to this point, go so wrong?
VS: Positive Reinforcement methods can in fact work rather quickly, If someone doesn’t want their dog to run out the door, for example, an appropriate alternative behavior can be taught in an hour. Problems arise when there is some emotional issue that affects the dog’s behavior; in that case rehabilitation takes longer. When a person suffers from extreme anxiety, for example, he cannot simply go to a therapist and expect to emerge cured an hour later. It’s the same with dogs, and it’s crucial that people understand this.
In the early 1990s, Stilwell began her career in pet training when she created her own successful dog-walking company and immediately recognized the need for qualified professionals to help her clients with the training process. While pursuing a successful acting career (in London’s West End as well as in numerous films, TV series, commercials and voiceovers), she expanded her focus to dog training in collaboration with Britain’s most respected positive-reinforcement dog trainers and behaviorists.
Dogs have enjoyed thousands of years of domestication, and while they retain some similarities with wolves, they are very much their own species. It’s a pity that so much inaccurate information is parsed out to so many, and that certain trainers, who feel threatened by the facts, do not care to admit they are wrong. What’s more, unlike free wolves, I don’t believe dogs form familial packs when they come into our homes. Rather, they form groups, much like a feral dog population where hierarchy is fluid, but hardly fixed. It’s odd that people who say we should never anthropomorphize dogs have no problem calling themselves pack leaders!
After moving to the U.S. with her husband, Stilwell co-founded several successful dog training companies up and down the East Coast, quickly establishing herself as one of New York’s most sought after dog trainers. With a particular fondness for rescue animals in need of behavior rehabilitation, Stilwell devoted much of her time and energy to a number of animal rescue organizations in New York and Atlanta, serving as a behavior adviser and giving regular seminars on the subject of dog rescue, training and rehabilitation while becoming one of the leading voices in the field of dog training and behavior.
VS: Absolutely! In fact, it’s vital. I have been especially pleased that so many children watch my show, as we teach them the importance of being humane to animals, and to understand that punishment is not right. Kids want to learn; they want to get it right. Dogs are a huge part of our culture; in my view, access to education about these animals is indispensable. Whether you have a dog or not, at some point or other your kids will likely visit friends who have one, or go to a park frequented by dogs. And of course, many children have dogs of their own. When you consider that children are most often bitten by a dog that they know, and on the dog’s territory, it’s even more important to insure they learn how to read a dog’s body language. To that end, I often visit schools to give a talk in conjunction with Doggone Safe, which is program committed to providing this crucial information. JBY: Most people in this country and Europe are dog friendly. But every now and then one runs into people who have an inherent fear of dogs. There are certain cultures, for example, where dogs are considered unclean and are reviled. How do you deal with those who are afraid of dogs due to lack of experience, out of ignorance, or perhaps, as a result of some past trauma? Are you inclined to leave them be or to enlighten them? And if the latter, why?