Tamara Dormer, Certified Dog Trainer
Since 2007, Tamara has been a certified dog trainer at Best Friends Animal Society. She's responsible for training sanctuary dogs in basic manners; helping the caregivers to work with behavioral challenges in their areas, which often includes working out an individual training plan for a dog. She assists in finding the right run mates for the dogs that live in groups and monitors the initial introductions and follow-up intros, if necessary.
Tamara consults with adopters both pre- and post-adoption to answer questions and address any problems that may arise once the dog is in the home. As part of her continuing education with dogs, she attends seminars, reads books, observes other trainers train, and discusses different options for different dogs. She says the dogs themselves teach her more than all of these things, but outside activities help her organize and keep an open mind about the ever-changing world of dog training.
Tamara came to Best Friends in January 2004 as a dog caregiver in Dogtown, where she worked until she became a dog trainer. Before Best Friends, she worked at an airline for 26 years all the while she was constantly rescuing and finding homes for animals.
"When I got my first dog (as an adult) and began educating myself about his breed and about dogs in general, I became interested in finding out more about how a dogs mind works. In my first basic manners class for my own dog, I became interested in the possibility of becoming a dog trainer, but never knew I could see it come true so soon and with such a great organization," says Tamara.
Tamara lives with five dogs and 8 cats. She enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, and writing. "The great thing is that I can do all of these things in the presence of my animals and sometimes with their help. I'm ready to learn as much as my animals are willing to teach me," says Tamara.
