Pia Silvani, CPDT

Pia Silvani, CPDT

Pia's love of teaching began over 30 years ago as a private trainer, dance instructor, track, field and swimming coach for the Special Olympics and Regional Clinician for an international aerobics corporation where she trained new instructors in the field.  After 13 years of para-legal/office management work, she decided to make her part-time teaching career a full-time dream.  She combined her love of teaching people with her other fondness, dogs.

Pia is Director of Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, Madison, New Jersey.  She has developed various courses focusing on positive, reward-based techniques, which are extremely effective in the enhancement of the bond and relationship of the dog and her human companion.
The result of her efforts is an astounding 100+ classes per week, which includes 8 levels of pet training classes, specialty courses designed for dogs with extreme behavioral problems and much more.  She has written six training manuals, which are being used around the country as a resource guide for other trainers.

Pia also developed a behavior department and conducts private consultations specializing in aggressive and anxiety-related problems for dogs and cats.  She writes behavior articles for the shelter's newsletter and library; has been written up many times in national and international newspapers and made numerous guest appearances on television and radio.  She has spoken at various conferences and forums internationally (from Belgium to Japan) and routinely consults with various shelters to assist them in improving and expanding their programs.  Her newly published book "Raising Puppies and Kids Together - A Guide for Parents" was voted in the top three parenting books for a Franklin Roosevelt.  She is a contributor to many other published books:  "Professional Standards for Dog Trainers:  Effective, Humane Principles, sponsored by Delta Society, "The Dog Trainer's Resource" published by Dogwise, as well as The Dog Behavior Answer Book by Storey Books Publications.

Other accomplishments:

• Member of the American Humane Association Task Force for Humane Dog Training
• Business Practice chairperson of the Delta Guidelines for Humane Dog Training
• Past V.P. of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and charter member
• Restructured the training curriculum for over 500 PETsMART stores in North America
• Part of the educational team who educated the trainers Staff instructor with Dogs of Course Instructor Training courses  
• Tele-course instructor for Animal Behavior Associates
• Past Board Advisor to the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters
• Subject Matter Expert and past V.P. of the National Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers

Contact Us | Privacy | Legal | Site Map