Hello! And Welcome

I'm Cat "Your Dog Trainer" Harbord, a dog lover, behavior geek and systems thinking and complexity junkie

Whether you're a dog lover, dog pro, or behavior geek, I'm excited that you are here! I can’t wait to share my unique insights and approach to dog training and the human-canine bond, grounded in complexity and systems thinking. What exactly are systems thinking and complexity? Think of dog training as an interconnected and interdependent river system where streams—such as genetics, temperament, communication, emotions, and interactions with family, friends, other dogs, veterinarians, daycare, and the community—meet. A change in one part of the system, such as a rain shower, or a log jam creates ripple effects throughout the entire system. In the same way, any change in a dog's life—whether from a single or recurring interaction or a training intervention—can significantly impact behavior, welfare, and the human-canine bond. Systems thinking aligns with the nature of the system, leveraging its complexity to catalyze change, transformation, and growth. In doing so, the landscape of our lives with dogs is profoundly transformed. Take a look at my current offerings to see if they are a good fit where you are in your journey with dogs. It would be a privilege to share my passion, knowledge, and insights with you.

2024 Updates

A Year of Loss, Growth and New Possibilities

2024 has been transformative with the loss of my dog Mouse (in the photo on the right) the inspiration for all of my work. This year has also seen significant changes in my application of systems thinking to dog training and behavior with the rather unexpected emergence of a robust meta-theory grounded in practice. This theory, which I hope to publish academically in 2025, elevates my work to date significantly. This theory is centered on conflict and its resolution as the driving force behind problem behaviors, the mechanisms of which can be leveraged to catalyze change in behavior and the human-canine bond. Conflict arises anytime there are gaps between system elements (dog, physical, and social environment). While my previous courses remain invaluable, I am currently directing all students whether they are dog guardians or dog pros to Pooch Peacekeeping which you will find below. I look forward to sharing this new trajectory and iteration of my work with you. Please be sure to reach out if you have any questions. I always love hearing from you.

Reviews

5 star rating

Great resource for reactive herding dogs and their guardians

Stephanie Michieli

I really enjoyed this webinar by Karen and Cat. It really put into perspective why my herding dog (Corgi) reacts to his environment in such a way. I have several new resources to use now to help us on our reactive dog journey. I enjoyed the video ...

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I really enjoyed this webinar by Karen and Cat. It really put into perspective why my herding dog (Corgi) reacts to his environment in such a way. I have several new resources to use now to help us on our reactive dog journey. I enjoyed the video examples of the working dogs, those really helped me see how my dog's breed was meant to react to his surroundings...my corgi is not a calm golden retriever! The thrive learning system has really helped me to see my dog in a new light, and I am excited to work through our roadmap to success :) Thanks Karen and Cat for the new insight!

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5 star rating

Thought Provoking and very Informative!

Alyssa Davies

This course is absolutely amazing. I have struggled to understand my Australian Shepherd and her reactivity for years. It provided so many tools to help my aussie and I navigate the world together, and how to help her understand and behave in cer...

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This course is absolutely amazing. I have struggled to understand my Australian Shepherd and her reactivity for years. It provided so many tools to help my aussie and I navigate the world together, and how to help her understand and behave in certain senarios. This session made me understand how her being a herding dog is a contributing factor in her more "unpleasant" behaviors, then in turn show examples of ways to help curve those behaviors! I am looking forward to more sessions in particular to herding breeds as well as general information. This video was very thought-provoking and so interesting. If I could rate it 1000 stars, I would! Thank you guys for putting this together!

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5 star rating

Herding dog review

Brittany Krolicki

Very interesting and thought provoking material. I enjoyed learning about the core elements and using them in the training process. Using this more scientific approach really helps narrow down areas of weakness to work on. Being a registered veter...

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Very interesting and thought provoking material. I enjoyed learning about the core elements and using them in the training process. Using this more scientific approach really helps narrow down areas of weakness to work on. Being a registered veterinary technician I've learned basics of breed specifications and behaviour. But this material really shows you can't have that box that works for all breeds. We see many clients come in frustrated with their herding breeds and this course is a great tool to direct them to, to get the help they need.

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5 star rating

Essential for anyone how has a herding breed or is thinking of getting one.

Kailey Rigelhof

This course was unique and very informative with real life examples. This course is a great introduction for anyone who has a herding breed or is thinking about getting one. It provides a great overview of what reactivity is vs herding breed insti...

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This course was unique and very informative with real life examples. This course is a great introduction for anyone who has a herding breed or is thinking about getting one. It provides a great overview of what reactivity is vs herding breed instinct. It helped our family to appreciate and respect our Cattle dogs natural instincts as a herding dog while exploring ways to help her decrease reactivity and build her skills and confidence as well as ours . The framework allows for a fluid approach that welcomes continuous reflection of ourselves and reflect on where our dog is in her training journey. It allowed us to create realistic goals and expectations for ourselves and our dog in our training. This course really made me rethink my approach to training our cattle dog.

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