North Coast Dogs is a team of dog trainers and pet behavior specialists serving Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Together we represent a depth of knowledge and a breadth of experience in the field of canine behavior. Individually, we are each dedicated to the strengthening and preservation of the cherished canine-human bond.
North Coast Dogs uses operant and classical conditioning to train dogs and shape their behavior. The results are impressive. And, we're happy to say, there's a century of laboratory and real-life evidence to back us up. B.F. Skinner became one of the best-known pioneers of behaviorism in the 1930s. Students of the behaviorist school took Skinner's work into the real world and trained all sorts of animals for circuses and TV. Operant conditioning has always been the method of choice for sea mammal trainers. If you've ever seen a dolphin show, they were trained the same way we train dogs!
Skinner was passionate about not using punishment while conditioning animals (or humans for that matter). North Coast Dogs shares that passion. Our methods are 100% nonviolent. We do not advocate the use of shock collars, prong collars, choke collars, squirt bottles, air horns, shake cans, hitting, pinching nor any other form of physical or psychological attack. Dogs deserve better than that.
Mary Basu
Professional Specialties: Currently, Mary is teaching at our Lakewood/Cleveland location. Mary teaches our Family Dog and Family Puppy classes as well as our Agility classes.
Experience: Mary started teaching at North Coast Dogs during the summer of 2005. She began her career as a reward-based trainer, learning the fundamentals of behavioral training while working as an apprentice animal trainer at Sea World of Ohio in the early 90's. A reward-based trainer from the start, Mary has been using the clicker to train dogs since 1993 and continues to seek out new and innovative training ideas.
Education: Mary has attended seminars by well known positive animal trainers such as Pat Miller and Sue Ailsby and nationally known animal behaviorists such as Patricia McConnell and Pamela Reid. She has also participated in puppy foundation and agility seminars held at the acclaimed SayYes! Training center that is run by Susan Garrett in Ancaster, Ontario as well as being an active participant in an online training forum hosted by Jo Sermon.
Personal Interests: Mary has four dogs of her own, and enjoys competing in obedience, rally, and agility with them.
Laura Evans, CPDT-KA
Professional Specialties: Laura is currently teaching various classes at all three of our locations. She also specializes in private training sessions both in homes and in the Lakewood and Elyria facilities, dealing with a wide range of issues such as basic obedience, anxiety, and aggression.
Experience: On arriving in Cleveland in 2004, Laura started volunteering at the Cleveland Animal Protective League. In this position, Laura gained extensive experience working with dogs of various breeds and temperaments. In 2006, the APL began a training program for both dogs in the shelter and families. Laura happily spent time as a volunteer assistant for these classes. In time she was asked to teach her own classes until the APL program was disbanded. She joined the North Coast Dogs team in January 2007, and purchased the company in July 2010.
Education: BS and MS from Northwestern University. Laura has attended several Clicker Expo Conferences which include such dynamic speakers as Karen Pryor, Kathy Sdao, Steve White and many more. She continues to enhance her knowledge of animal training and behavior by attending seminars and volunteering as a Canine Enrichment Specialist / Foster Parent at the APL as time allows.
Certification / Honors: Certified Evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate, Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), and Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
Dan Klotzsche
Professional Specialties: Dan is currently teaching Family Dog, Family Puppy, Loose Leash Walking, Having a Baby, and Kids & Dogs Classes at our Lakewood/Cleveland location.
Experience: Dan began teaching classes with North Coast Dogs in 2006. He specializes in working with families that include young children or babies. By drawing on his own studies and experience, he works with dogs young and old to teach them how to better appreciate living with a youngster. He also works with helping children learn how to interact with both their own dog, and strange dogs.
Education: Dan attended Animal Behavior College and continues to further his education through seminars, lectures, reading, and on-line courses.
Personal Interests: Dan enjoys spending time with his family, which includes his wife Ann, daughter Addison, son Owen, and lab Deuce. Training is a family affair in this household!
Amanda McPheter
Professional Specialties: Amanda specializes in our beginning and advanced agility courses, emphasizing techniques dedicated to enhance dog fitness and conditioning while having fun!
Experience: Amanda has been working with clients and their dogs since 2009. She began her experiences at Medina Swarm as a volunteer trainer after her success with her first dog. She has helped progress several clients through beginning agility, followed by competing in USDAA, AKC, and CPE.
Education: Amanda is studying to become a Judge in TDAA and USDAA, resulting in knowledge in the rules of each venue. She continues to seek out new and innovative training techinques and ideas through attending seminars and studying with other knowledgeable trainers.
Certification / Honors: Amanda runs two dogs, a lab (Roxy) and a border collie (Riot). Roxy is a masters level dog in USDAA who has competed twice at nationals. She also took 3rd in the games division at CPE nationals in 2009. Riot is just starting his career and is an advanced level dog.
Personal Interests: Along with working with her dogs, Amanda enjoys training her cat Oz to be the next agility kitty champion. She also creates quality dog toys and harnesses.
Lisa Musca, PhD
Professional Specialties: Lisa teaches Puppy, Basic Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, and Advanced Obedience classes.
Experience: Lisa has been training dogs using positive- reinforcement and clicker-based methods since 2007. She had her start as a professional dog trainer through volunteer work at North Coast Dogs. Lisa has trained in Agility with her own dogs, and is currently training her own Service Dog in both tasks and public access. In preparation for a career as a veterinarian, Lisa has volunteered in the veterinary clinic at the APL, at Animal Clinic Northview in North Ridgeville, and at several other veterinary hospitals in both Ohio and Michigan.
Education: BA from Case Western Reserve University; MA and PhD from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); currently a post-baccalaureate Pre-Veterinary Medicine student at Cleveland State University. Lisa has attended seminars on canine body language, behavior, and puppy aggression. In addition, she spent a year as a foster parent for Michigan Pug Rescue, and had the opportunity to raise a litter of foster puppies from the age of four weeks to four months. Lisa continues to further her experience and knowledge through reading, research, and contacts with other trainers.
All North Coast Dogs trainers adhere to the professional standards of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Each of our trainers is required to fulfill a minimum of 16 hours continuing education annually.
Last updated: 2/20/2011
