At Canefida, we bridge the gap between dogs and their humans to help them enjoy their best life together with dignity.
Canefida \cà·ne-fì·da\
noun (Italian)
- loyal dog
- dog trusts
Heidi is the owner of Canefida, and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and Certified Behavior Consultant Canine (CBCC-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Heidi is also a supporting member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She has been training dogs and their people professionally for over 14 years.
Heidi’s specialty is fostering the dog-human relationship. Through Canefida, she offers creative behavior solutions helping humans “listen” to their dogs by observing and interpreting canine body language, and then “talking” with them through effective and humane positive reinforcement-based methods so that they can live harmoniously together. She compassionately helps dog guardians to get desired behavior change without using pain, fear or intimidation.
Heidi started her career with the privilege of mentoring under Dr. Ian Dunbar in Berkeley CA in the late 80’s, then started teaching puppy classes for him through Sirius Dog Training.
She has attended many training classes with her personal dogs, and has competed in AKC rally and obedience, and many of her dogs have passed the Canine Good Citizen test.
Other hands-on experience includes volunteering at shelters working with the at-risk population of dogs.
She keeps current on the latest science-based methods by reading, attending seminars, conferences, and participating in webinars and classes, totaling hundreds of CEU hours.
Heidi enjoys working with dogs of all breeds and ages but especially those rowdy, impulsive adolescents and dogs with fear, anxiety, reactivity, aggression and separation-related issues. She also teaches dog-sport foundations for anyone hoping to compete with their dogs.
She has shared her life with Labradors, German Shorthaired Pointers, Miniature Pinschers, and a rescue cat named Tiki.
Her current dog family consists of two seniors: a Labrador and an Italian Greyhound who remind her to stop and savor all the stages of life with our pets and to train without regrets.
Dog Training Is Still an Unregulated Industry
At this time there are no licensing requirements, so anyone can call themselves a dog trainer. This can make selecting a professional a confusing task.
Certification through the Certification Counsel of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) ensures that your professional has proven their skills and knowledge of humane, science-based dog training by passing rigorous exams for both the CPDT-KA or CBCC-KA.
It also requires commitment to a strict ethical code for personal and business conduct, to continuing education, and professional development. Heidi stays up to date on certifications and affiliations as part of continuing education efforts.
Canefida Certifications and Affiliations
CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed by the Certification Counsil of Professional Dog Trainers
CBCC-KA
Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowedge Assessed by the Certification Counsil of Professional Dog Trainers
FPPE
Licensed Family Paws®- Parent Educator
FFCP
Fear Free Certified Professional
IAABC
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants – Supporting Member
APDT
Association of Professional Dog Trainers – Professional member
Aggression in Dogs Master Course
Aggression in Dogs Master Course – Certificate of Completion
Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
Is positive dog training effective?
When applied by a qualified, skilled dog trainer, absolutely!
Life as a family dog means learning the rules – that have been clearly, consistently and kindly taught.
A dog with good manners ultimately gets more freedom, is happier, healthier and is a pleasure to live with!
People often say that their dog is being “stubborn” when in fact, the dog is actually mentally or physically fatigued, sick, confused, overwhelmed or perhaps has been unintentionally rewarded for the unwanted behavior. Many times a dog simply hasn’t been taught the behaviors you’d prefer instead!
This is where Canefida comes in – combining the science of learning theory with the art of training to help you exceed your goals and live the very best life with your canine friend!
Effectively taught positive reinforcement dog training DOES NOT mean…
You have to carry training treats with you wherever you go.
Your dog only responds to you when you wave a biscuit in front of his face.
Your dog lives a life of anarchy and gets everything he wants, when he wants it.
Effectively taught positive reinforcement dog training DOES mean…
You’ve learned how to identify your dog’s motivations and reinforcers.
You’ve patiently taught her skills in small increments so that she is successful and enjoys the training process.
You’ve gradually increased her skill level, then practiced in a variety of settings so she confidently and reliably performs them.
Have questions?
Ready to get started with Canefida?
I’d love to work with you!
Contact Us
“We have a happy, loving, and responsive dog, and we couldn’t be happier with his trainer.”
My wife and I love English cockers, but the only puppy we could find was field-bred, and we had no experience with such dogs. Luckily, our vet recommended Heidi Hurdy of Canefida, and she has taught the dog and us how to accommodate one another’s needs. Because he was bred to be a hunting dog, he needs a wider range on walks, and Heidi has helped us have enjoyable walks and trips to the park through a lot of positive reinforcement.
She has made our lives much richer by training our dog to respond, to walk calmly, to return when called, and by training us how to do this with a dog bred for much more open fields. We have a happy, loving, and responsive dog, and we couldn’t be happier with his trainer.
~Robert