Linda Michaels, MA, Psychology, creator of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs, rated one of the top ten dog trainers in the United States by Top Ten Magazine holds a master's degree in experimental psychology and conducted laboratory research in behavioral neurobiology. Her unique combination of academic excellence and hands-on skills with dogs, wolfdogs, and the famed Belyaev foxes, creates a bridge between the worlds of research, dog trainers and pet parents. The carefully crafted Hierarchy of Dog Needs-Standards of Care and Best Force-free Practices, catapulted Linda into a leadership role in the dog training field. Linda brought the Do No Harm emotional and behavioral modification ethic onto social media platforms setting a new standard in dog care and training. Linda is the founder of the Do No Harm Dog Training social media group, providing a platform for force-free advocates from around the world to gather and solve behavior problems helping dogs learn, recover, and thrive. To date, the Hierarchy of Dog Needs has been translated into twelve languages. As a trail-blazer for positive force-free training, Linda decries dominance-style training and the use of aversive collars that have been shown to be largely ineffective, unsafe, and inhumane. Working with aggressive dogs and with wolfdogs reaffirmed for her that using punitive behavior modification methods are not only outdated but counterproductive, often causing not curing aggression. Linda volunteered and worked for five years with some of the most difficult behavior cases at a progressive animal humane society. She is a certified veterinary assistant, an affiliate of the International School of Canine Psychology, a certified fear, aggression, and reactivity consultant focusing on both the behavioral and psychological aspects of dog behavior that often mirror human conditions, such as fear, separation/attachment disorders, and aggression. She is published in the Pet Professional Guild international trade magazine and authored numerous articles and behavior columns included in the book, and was a featured expert in Newsweek online, Huffington Post Live, and Wolf Dog Radio.Podcasts, speaking events and international tours based upon The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook are now being scheduled.
