Teach your dog, don't train
About Alan Finn
For over 30 years, Alan Finn has taught dogs at various levels of behavior issues. Dogs ranging from basic obedience to serious behavior issues have all been taught the value of discipline. His methods have proven valuable to communities and individuals through his instruction of pets, service dogs, search and rescue dogs, police dogs, protection dogs, narcotics and explosives detection dogs, cadaver dogs, and therapy dogs.
As the owner of Alan Finn’s Designing Dogs in Old Forge, PA, Alan is the sole dog teacher and specializes in difficult behavioral issues, problem solving, and obedience. What you may see as a problem dog, Alan sees as a dog that needs to be taught properly. His methods are astonishingly intuitive. He understands that every dog is unique and can quickly identify the personality of your dog, knowing the best way to modify his or her behavior.
Extensive experience with all types
- Experience with all breeds.
- Specialize in highly aggressive dogs with a history of biting.
- Extensive experience teaching service dogs for the visually impaired, hearing impaired, and wheelchair-bound individuals.
- Teach and certify police dogs whose skills include search and rescue, suspect apprehension, narcotics search, explosives detection, evidence search and cadaver dogs.
- Teaching dogs that have special needs – deaf or blind dogs, dogs with mobility difficulties.
- AKC Evaluator.
Certifications:
- Cornell University Canine Behavioral Problem Solving
- American Kennel Club Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen Program
- Master Groomer, New York School of Dog Grooming
- Harrisburg Area Community College, First Aid for Police Dogs
Accomplishments:
- Author of "Teach Your Dog, Don't Train"
- Author of “Alan Finn’s Guide to Dog Grooming”, the grooming curriculum for Penn Foster Correspondence School
- Work with various rescue groups and humane societies
- Trained dogs for national television commercials
- Currently training active police dog teams on duty in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Two of these dogs were sworn into the Secret Service to guard President Bush during his visits to Northeast PA
- Several of his police dog K-9 teams have competed in statewide competitions and finished in the top three
- One of his service dogs took second place in the USA national service dog competition
No food, no pain, no fear