| Brian Kilcommons | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 Levittown, New York |
| Occupation | Dog trainer, Author |
| Website | |
| My Smart Puppy | |
Brian Kilcommons (born in 1953, Levittown, New York) is an American dog trainer. He is a protégé of the late Barbara Woodhouse and the only North-American to have studied under Woodhouse in Great Britain.[1]
Kilcommons grew up in Levittown, New York. In his autobiography Tails from the Bark Side he explains how he found emotional refuge in his beloved mutt Irish from the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.[2] He enrolled in a pre-vet programme at Iowa State University but he dropped out because of financial difficulties and opened his training and obedience school in 1977.[2]
Kilcommons is the author of various pet training manuals.[2] He currently lives lives on a 124-acre (0.50 km2) farm in Gardiner, N.Y. He is married to Sarah Wilson, who is also a trainer and the co-author of some of his books. Together they have two German shepherds, a beagle and two mixed breed dogs.[2] He is considered one of the most esteemed dog trainers in the US.[3]
Contents |
Kilcommons has trained the dogs of many celebrities and he has been described as the dog trainer to the stars by a Miami Herald reporter.[1] His clients include Harrison Ford, Diana Ross, Ashley Judd, Morley Safer, Diane Sawyer, Carly Simon, Patrick Ewing, Mike Nichols, Candice Bergen, Ralph Lauren and others.[2] Over the years he has trained over 35,000 dogs.[2]
"Most of the dogs in America think their name is No"— Brian Kilcommons [2]
Kilcommons advises dog owners that saying No to a dog is useless.[2] The reason for this advice is his belief that dogs simply do not understand the meaning of the word because it is too abstract for them.[2] They are more likely to think that No is their name. Kilcommons explains that dogs are more likely to understand, and thus obey, commands connected with a specific action, such as Off, Sit or Stay.[2] Such commands demand specific action from the dog and thus are more easily understood. When the puppy complies with the command, Kilcommons advises positive reinforcement in the form of praise and rewards.[2]
Located at 207 West 75th Street and founded by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson the Family dog training and behavior center has been described as a "parallel universe for yuppies with four-legged children". Occupying an area of 1,200 sq. ft. the center includes facilities for puppy daycare, a puppy treadmill, puppy play groups and a puppy fashion boutique under the name of Bark Avenue. Customers included Francesco Scavullo, Elsa Peretti, Harry Reasoner and Geoffrey Beene.[4]
"There's no democracy in dogdom"— Brian Kilcommons [2]
Kilcommons believes that the dog should understand who the boss in the family is.[2] He thinks that people nowadays invest a lot of energy and effort in their pets and many times neglect to discipline them properly.[2] Undisciplined dogs can then exhibit domineering and disorderly behavior such as sitting on the couch and running outside the house without being properly prompted.[2] He provides advice to families by observing their interaction with their canine companions and then analyzing the weak points.[2] Proper training with basic commands such as the Sit command and behavioral cues such as ignoring the dog when he transgresses and sits on the couch have been credited with turning the behavior of an unruly dog around.[2]
Brian Kilcommons and his wife Sarah have been awarded the Dr Steve Kritsick Memorial Award from the NY State Veterinary Medical Society for their impact on animals in the media.[5] They have also been nominated twice for the Genesis Award.[5]
Kilcommons has appeared on 20/20, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, QVC, HGTV, The Oprah Winfrey Show, A&E "Dogs", The Today Show, ABC Weekend News, CNN (global), Prime Time Live, The Wall Street Journal Report, PBS Gentle Doctor: Veterinary Medicine, and he hosted Fox News Channel Pet News. He has also served as the CBS Morning News Investigative Reporter and Animal Expert on WABC Eyewitness News, Channel 7.[5]
Kilcommons has written articles for the following publications: Redbook, Town & Country, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, People, Miami Herald, Toronto Star, Boston Globe, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, Vancouver Sun, Time, Philadelphia Inquirer, NY Times, Newsday, St. Louis Post Dispatch, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Glamour, Dogs in Canada, Mc Calls, Palm Beach Daily News , Dog World, Dog Fancy, Seventeen, InStyle Magazine, Women's Wear Daily. Brian and Sarah Kilcommons are also contributors to Parade Magazine.[5]