About Me
Kathleen Higgins has a well-rounded background in animal science and professional dog training. She holds a BSc in Biology from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Biology from Simon Fraser University. Before becoming a dog trainer, Kathleen worked as a conservation biologist in Costa Rica and Panama, eventually returning to her hometown of Vancouver, BC in 2019.
That same year, Kathleen began working as a private dog walker for a company specializing in reactive dogs. This experience sparked her passion for evidence-based dog training and allowed her to combine her scientific background with practical skills to improve the lives of dogs and their families. Now based in Maple Ridge, Kathleen has worked with more than 150 private dog training clients since 2023.
Kathleen’s primary focus is helping dogs with reactivity and aggression, developping behaviour modification programs for leash reactivity, fear-based behaviours, or aggression toward people or other dogs. Supporting families through these more complex behavioural challenges is where Kathleen’s expertise and passion truly shine.
Kathleen has completed Dogsafe Canine First Aid 101, is a graduate of the Victoria Stilwell Academy dog trainer program, and continues to grow her credentials. She is currently enrolled in Michael Shikashio’s Master Course on Canine Aggression, one of the most respected programs in the field of dog behaviour.
Kathleen’s first dog Penny. Kathleen and her mom were Penny’s fourth home, who had been abandoned several times due to her behavioral problems. Through Penny, Kathleen was introduced to the world of training reactive dogs and all of the emotions that come with it. Kathleen approaches reactivity cases with abundant empathy and support for the families working through their training journeys.
Ducky is Kathleen’s current dog and the face of head and heart training! Ducky came to Kathleen in Panama when she was 3 years old. At first Ducky struggled with fear aggression towards people and other dogs, but she has improved drastically through Kathleen’s training.