In this insightful episode of the Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples podcast, host Shelly Wood sits down with Anna Gigliotti-Skret—a behavior-focused dog trainer based in Fremantle, Western Australia—for a deep dive into the intersection of human disability services and compassionate animal training. Anna shares her fascinating career evolution, starting from her roots in orientation and mobility instruction for the blind to her extensive experience as a Seeing Eye Dog instructor.

Anna discusses the unique challenges of bridging the gap between high-stakes service dog work and the nuanced world of companion animal behavior. With a background enriched by the Karen Pryor Academy, Michael Shikashio's aggression studies, and Dr. Susan Friedman's Living and Learning with Animals, Anna brings a highly technical yet deeply empathetic lens to her independent practice, Forward Thinking Dog Training and Mobility.

The conversation turns personal as Anna introduces Maggie, her "Cavoodle" with complex behavioral needs. Anna candidly explores the emotional and practical journey of managing Maggie's "doggy ADHD," the complexities of veterinary medication, and the reality of living with a high-needs pet.

Together, Shelly and Anna explore:

• ✅ The Professional Pivot: How teaching humans to use long canes informed Anna's ability to break down training steps for dogs and their handlers.

• ✅ Navigating Systems: The ethical and emotional challenges of advocating for force-free methods within large, traditional organizations.

• ✅ Managing Expectations: Why "perfect heeling" isn't always the goal and how to prioritize an animal's needs (like a "sniffari") over a rigid training plan.

• ✅ Shared Goals and Family Dynamics: Balancing the needs of multiple family members and finding common ground in the training process.

• ✅ Cooperative Care Wins: Practical strategies for ear medication and home grooming, even when an animal has a history of avoidance.

• ✅ Creative Generalization: A delightful "happy win" involving a dog named Petro who learned to associate other dogs' bathroom breaks with high-value rewards.

This episode is a masterclass in adaptability and advocacy. Anna's story reminds us that whether we are navigating a city with a guide dog or grooming a sensitive pet at home, the most powerful tools we have are patience, observation, and a commitment to meeting the individual exactly where they are.

Links

https://www.forwardthinkingmobility.com.au/

https://www.forwardthinkingdogtraining.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/forwardthinkingdog

https://www.instagram.com/forwardthinkingdog/

In this inspiring episode of the Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples podcast, host Shelly Wood sits down with Xenia Jones — Behavior Therapist at the Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Northern Virginia — for a rich conversation about rescue, resilience, and the power of science-based, compassionate behavior support.

With a lifelong background rescuing dogs and cats across five countries — from her native Costa Rica, to South Florida, Spain, Taiwan, and China — Xenia shares the extraordinary experiences that shaped her trauma-informed, choice-based approach to helping both dogs and cats. She reflects on the unique challenges she witnessed in different regions, the importance of teaming up with local communities, and why understanding human culture is essential if we want to truly support animals.

Xenia also opens up about her deep connection to separation anxiety, including her own childhood experience and a pivotal case in Spain that left a lasting mark. From there, she takes us through her journey into formal education and certification — including mentorship through Julie Naismith's separation anxiety program and becoming a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor under Leslie McDevitt.

Together, Shelly and Xenia explore:
✅ How rescue work across cultures shaped Xenia's behavior philosophy
✅ What it was like rescuing hundreds of dogs during the COVID crisis in Wuhan
✅ Why resilience can look different depending on environment and history
✅ The reality of preparing rescue dogs for overseas adoption — medically and behaviorally
✅ What a Behavior Therapist does in a veterinary behavior clinic setting
✅ A powerful case study combining CAT (Constructional Aggression Treatment) and Control Unleashed "Super Bowls" to help a dog with severe visitor-directed reactivity
✅ Supporting not just the animal — but the family's emotional bandwidth too
✅ A training win inspired by the ATA community: teaching a dog to take medication on cue

This episode is a celebration of global compassion, learning, and the quiet, steady work of helping animals feel safe again. Xenia's story is a powerful reminder that when we center choice, dignity, and science — we don't just change behavior. We change lives.

Links

​​YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@unleashingpawsabilities

Substack

https://substack.com/@unleashingpawsabilities

Animal Behavior Wellness Center

https://www.abwellnesscenter.com

In this warm, reflective, and deeply human episode of the Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples podcast, we are joined by Finnish dog enthusiast and Pawsitive Wellness Coach-to-be Pipsa Toikka, whose journey into animal training began later in life - and changed everything.

After raising three boys and building a career in singing, drama, and clown work, Pipsa welcomed her first-ever dog, Rosina, in 2011. A spirited Vizsla–Weimaraner mix with a strong independent streak, Rosina was both a challenge and a profound teacher. Through their years together, Pipsa learned patience, trust, recall built on reinforcement and freedom, and the subtle art of interspecies communication - lessons that would shape her philosophy for life and training.

Pipsa shares her experiences training search and rescue, including working rubble searches, supporting police-led efforts, and learning to trust a dog whose need to run was as essential as her extraordinary nose. She reflects on Rosina's remarkable sensitivity to human emotion, including a powerful story that highlights dogs' capacity to perceive what we often miss. Now, alongside her younger working Labrador Musetta, Pipsa continues this legacy through search and rescue work and professional development.

As she approaches graduation as a Pawsitive Wellness Coach, Pipsa discusses her growing work supporting people and dogs through a holistic, science-informed lens - addressing behaviour challenges, incorporating ACE Free Work, and centering communication, observation, and wellbeing for both ends of the leash. We also explore the importance of educating humans, shaping caregiver behaviour, and creating environments where learning and emotional safety can thrive.

Beyond training, this episode weaves in Pipsa's work with Clowns Without Borders, her background in performance, and her dogs' unexpected careers as animal actors - revealing how joy, creativity, and connection ripple across every part of her life.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder that training is not just about skills or outcomes, but about trust, curiosity, and the shared experience of learning - across species, cultures, and life chapters.

Links

pipsatoi@gmail.com