About Us

PACK LEADER

Diana Smith

Hearts and Paws / Club Pup Kids Camps Founder & Canine Behaviorist, CPDT-KA, CGC Evaluator

Diana Smith has over 25 years of training experience and is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). She has over 2,000 hours of study with some of the world's leading dog behaviorists including Dr. Ian Dunbar, John Fisher, and John Rogerson. These course studies focused on treatment programs for separation anxiety, phobias, aggression issues (over ten types), obsessive compulsive disorders, as well as genetic and medical influences on these problems. As a charter member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), the largest international body of dog trainers, she has also provided an additional venue for continuing education and professional support.

In addition, Diana has worked with local animal shelters and rescue groups to train volunteers on temperament testing and behavior management. Most notable of these is the Austin Humane Society’s Behavior Rehoming Adoption Training Team (BRATT) which is still being used today. Diana is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator and holds classes and tests for this program several times a year. Diana has also shown dogs competitively in obedience, agility, rally, conformation, field trials, and working trials and holds several titles.

Diana developed Club Pup Kids and Dogs Camp--the largest and longest running kids with dogs camp nationwide and Austin's favorite summer program for children and teenagers with their dogs.