Bob Witte The Dog Discipler LLC

I grew up with dogs and have loved them my entire life, from the little Maltese-Pekingese to the large yellow Labrador Retriever.

Shortly after moving to Florida from Illinois, our yellow Lab of 13 years passed away. This seemingly tragic event actually ended up being the beginning of my dog training career.

The Beginning of My Dog Training Journey

I learned about Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, Florida, and instantly became a puppy raiser. Receiving tremendous support through encouragement, training, and learning with others in our area completely changed my life.

I have raised two guide dogs and one service dog.

Our first dog, Doc, had a career change due to a medical condition, so we adopted him. We, as a team, are registered and certified through Alliance of Therapy Dogs and participated in SAR training with the Peace River K9 Search & Rescue team in Englewood, Florida.

Doc is a great mentor dog for young pups and adolescent dogs during socialization.

Learning the Power of Force-Free Training

Learning about the power of force-free training and positive reinforcement influenced my desire to learn more, which led me to enroll with CATCH Canine Trainers Academy.

Part of the curriculum was to be paired with a mentor and volunteer at a shelter. I had the privilege and honor of being paired with Jeff Joyce as my mentor, who gave me everything all the books were trying to describe and explain — and then some.

I enjoyed volunteering so much that I joined the behavior team full-time, which was the highlight of this experience.

Giving Back Through Southeastern Guide Dogs

Currently, I am a group leader in the Punta Gorda Puppy Raisers group for Southeastern Guide Dogs, developing and training puppy raisers in socialization, house manners, and 15 basic training skills that pertain to a guide or service dog.

The group consists of raisers from Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, North Port, and Englewood, Florida.

I have also done, and enjoy doing, demonstrations for various school groups and churches, illustrating how every dog has something to teach us and how essential a sound relationship is to this process.

Credentials

• CCDT — Certified CATCH Dog Trainer
• Member of APDT — Association of Professional Dog Trainers
• AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator