ABOUT US
Cooperation Canine
Our main mission is to educate humans about dogs. We want to make the world a more compassionate place for them and we think we can do that by shining a light on the human/animal bond and how that impacts canine behavior. Dogs have an abundant capacity for emotion. Understanding that breeds empathy and that is empowering for humans.
ABOUT US
COOPERATION CANINE
Our main mission is to educate humans about dogs. We want to make the world a more compassionate place for them and we think we can do that by shining a light on the human/animal bond and how that impacts canine behavior. Dogs have an abundant capacity for emotion. Understanding that breeds empathy and that is empowering for humans.
Why we are here
Our main mission is to educate humans about dogs. We want to make the world a more compassionate place for them and we think we can do that by shining a light on the human/animal bond and how that impacts canine behavior. Dogs have an abundant capacity for emotion. Understanding that breeds empathy and that is empowering for humans.
The one thing I hear from almost everyone I have the privilege of helping is some expression of not knowing. Either they didn't know the dog was feeling badly, they had no idea that their reactions were impacting their pet, or they simply had no ability to read the dog correctly.
Dog speak a language and though we are good at talking to them, we don't often stop to "listen." Once we begin to be present in our dog's experiences and observe the world from their perspective, interactions with will become richer and more productive.
It's time to change the way we think about the behavior of our pet dogs
Traditional training approaches do not consider the entire dog. There is nothing more frustrating than spending hours teaching your dog a new skill only to have it fall apart in situations where you need it most.
Why?
The simple answer is emotion. The solution is to understand the role of emotion–namely fear, anxiety, and stress–in the behavior of your best friend. We take a holistic approach to improving the behavior of your dog. We have seen how environmental changes, enrichment, understanding exercise, and access to cognitive outlets can decrease problem behavior before we even implement behavior modification and coaching.
"An emotionally healthy dog is a well-behaved dog."
Education is King
To help provide your family with the most current, science-based approaches our team is committed to continuing education and credentially. Our entire team has completed structured training and behavior programs, possesses at least a CPDT-KA, and has gone through mentoring to become a coach for Cooperation Canine. You can read more about their individual experiences below.
Meet Our Team
ERIKA LESSA, dipCBST
Role: Team Lead and Behavior Change Technologist
AABP Certified Dog Behavior Technologist (CDBT)
IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC)
CCPDT Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
Fear-Free Certified
Erika’s path to working with dogs unknowingly began 18 years ago when she adopted a dog with developing aggression issues. In the course of his rehabilitation, she was introduced to the world of dog behavior. Her education came by way of hands-on experience, multiple apprenticeships, and self-education. She most recently received her diploma in Canine Behavior Science & Technology from the Companion Animal Science Institute requiring approximately 500 course hours. She also holds her Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) from the IAABC, CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer Knowledge Assessed) with CCPDT, and is Fear-Free Certified. She is also a member of the Pet Professional Guild and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
She also authors articles on behavior and training for PetMD, has been published in the IAABC Journal as well as local publications. She has developed presentations on stress and anxiety as well as social behavior. Erika has worked with many shelters and rescues on staff education, adoption transition support for difficult-to-adopt and marginal dogs, and behavior assessments.
Currently, She is shares life with her husband and 3 rescue dogs - Butter, Basil, and Gravy. Erika is also a sports nut who loves all things CrossFit, football, golf, bowling, and anything anyone bets her she can't do.
SAM LARRIMER
Certified Behavior Consultant & Training Coach
Client Engagement Coordinator
CTC The Academy for Dog Trainers
CCPDT Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
Sam found her way to working with dogs via a 10-year stint as an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapist. After adopting a dog with aggression issues, she realized the skills she'd learned throughout her career could be modified to help train dogs. To facilitate the change of clientele, she enrolled in The Academy for Dog Trainers, where she gained a more in-depth understanding of dog behavior and learning theory. She was awarded her Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC) upon completion of the program and earned her CPDT-KA while mentoring under Erika. Currently, she lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs and cat - the Three M-migos.
JOCELYN COBB
Certified Training Coach & Behavior Apprentice
Shelter & Rescue Relationship Coordinator
CTC The Academy for Dog Trainers
CCPDT Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
Jocelyn’s love for training began shortly after becoming a volunteer at Save One Soul Animal Rescue League. She worked with Melissa Kroll getting as many hours as she could either in classes or private training sessions.
She then decided to expand her knowledge and is currently enrolled in Jean Donaldson’s The Academy for Dog Trainers and is on target to graduate in August of 2023.
She volunteers as an Adoption Counselor and Training Coordinator for SOS. In her free time, she loves spending time with her dogs, camping, going to the beach, ice cream, and anything summer!
LAUREN FAMIGLIETTI
Role: Guardian of our Social Media Galaxy
LAF MARKETING
Lauren is a content marketing and social media professional with over 8 years of experience. During her career, she has created and owned social media strategies and held a number of copywriting and marketing positions for companies both big and small including Philips Lighting and Montreal startup, Plotly. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Northeastern University.
After growing up with dachshunds (she's a self-proclaimed crazy wiener dog lady!), she and her husband adopted a dog, Oliver, in 2016 from Save One Soul Animal Rescue League. Last year, she began volunteering with Save One Soul to help with their retail store's social media and external communications—combining her passion for dogs and marketing. She's excited to continue this passion with Cooperation Canine!
She lives in Cumberland, RI with her husband, her daughter Olivia, and their fur baby, Oliver. Yup! Oliver and Olivia.
NOTE: Lauren owns her own social media marketing company and is available to help other small businesses with their goals in the ever changing digital landscape. Her email is lauren@laf-marketing.com.
How To Contact Us
NO RUSH
Send us an email
Got questions? We'll fetch you a response in 72 hours—no need to bark twice!
Snail mail:
211 Waseca Ave. Barrington, RI 02806
Email:
Call or text:
401-889-DOGS (3647)