Shelly Volsche

Background

About Shelly Volsche

At the end of the day, my goal is to help people and companion animals live better lives - together. I am an applied ethologist with a focus on companion animal behavior, science-based fear free training, and the human-animal bond. In addition to holding a PhD, I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) with over 10 years experience working with training and behavior clients - from puppy classes to reactive shelter dogs. I am also an educator at heart, redefining "classroom" to include community involvement and science communication. I've long wondered about our ability to connect with other species, and my research and writing explore our ever-changing relationships with nonhuman animals, particularly dogs. As a scholar, my work touches on themes like human-canine coevolution, cross-cultural comparisons of pet keeping, and interspecific attachment. I am also interested in when and how these variables influence the training choices animal guardians make. I am an advocate for applying the One Health paradigm to physical and behavioral health, and a firm believer that both ends of the leash benefit from proactive care.