Tara Stermer

Owner, Canine aggression and behavior expert

For over 30 years, I have been helping owners understand their canine companions by teaching them how to communicate through body language and pack behaviors. Over the years I have researched and tested interactions, and cues, dogs use on each other, and developed our K9 Workingmind programs. I found it fascinating that dogs do not use pain or fear against each other as humans have been told for years. They are strict, they have boundaries, but they are not aggressive by nature. I decided I wanted to help people understand this technique and it became quite the obsession of mine. Through my research and rehabilitation programs, many dogs deemed dangerously aggressive and unadoptable have been able to live calm, happy lives with their owners.

I started my career as a veterinary technician, where I quickly observed the lack of communication between human and dog. This is when I decided to dedicate my life to helping humans understand their dogs. I have never turned a dog away because most aggressions are human taught, through miscommunication. This means they can be rehabilitated with a dogs innate behaviors. My methods are based on how dogs communicate with each other by following their natural instincts, and, most importantly, keeping them in a "working-mind." My own pack includes 8 wonderful rescue dogs, most of which had serious aggression issues, or were misunderstood. They are now all "good citizens" that help us help other dogs resolve their issues.

I fight everyday for all dogs and try to educate as many people as possible through our community programs, work with area shelters, and seminars; in hopes that our research and experience may someday help the public understand our "misunderstood" dogs. We believe a dog should WANT to learn, so force and fear have no place in the training world.