Steve Brooks

 

Steve Brooks

Steve Brooks has been promoting healthy relationships between dogs and their people for the better part of two decades. His philosophy of “dog training for the real world” holds that every dog should know real life manners, dog training should be a part of everyday life, and most of all, it should be fun.

“We use reward-based training,” Steve emphasizes. “There’s no yelling, jerking or aggressive handling. Our training techniques are fun and creative.”

And they’re customized for every dog. “Like people, all dogs are different,” Steve says. “They all have histories that influenced their behavior.” Steve specializes in solving all kinds of dog behavioral problems.

Steve’s methods are a mix of holistic and conventional western pet care, linked by the concept of positive, reward-based training. It’s a long way from what they used to call “obedience school.”

Steve founded SteveBrooksK9U in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles in 1999. Since then, he’s been one of LA’s most sought-after dog trainers. Thousands of dogs have graduated from K9U; Steve’s clients include Hollywood celebrities and everyday dog lovers.

Steve is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), a credential granted by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). To earn the CPDT seal, Steve completed rigorous tests on humane training practices and the latest scientific knowledge related to dog training, and has committed to increasing his knowledge through continuing education. He frequently attends workshops, seminars and conferences across the US. Steve is also a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the Southern California Dog Trainers Forum.

In 2005, Steve was one of the first non-veterinarian CPDT's invited to attend the Postgraduate Institute for Applied Clinical Behavioral Medicine of the North American Veterinary Conference, led by world-renowned animal behaviorist Dr Karen Overall.

SteveBrooksK9U benefits from Steve’s diverse training and wide variety of experience: he’s worked in animal hospitals, been a veterinarian’s assistant in several cities, managed a holistic health clinic for pets, and has trained dogs who have appeared on TV shows, in movies and in commercials.

In 2007, thanks to the relaunch of an expanded SteveBrooksK9U.com, millions around the world now know about the fun, creative, reward-based training that SteveBrooksK9U offers. Steve also shares his dog training experience through articles, interviews and a series of SteveBrooksK9U Training Videos currently in production.

 

Steve has been featured in programs on Animal Planet and National Geographic Channel. He’s appeared on CBS’ World’s Funniest Pets, TBS’ Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and the nationally syndicated newsmagazine Inside Edition. And broadcasters from Canada to Japan have profiled him.

Stealing the spotlight in most of Steve’s TV appearances: Sven the Love Dog, the mixed-breed who was both Steve’s four-legged soul-mate and the inspiration for SteveBrooksK9U. In fact, if not for Sven, the world might not have benefited from Steve’s knowledge, passion and commitment to dog training.

Steve was born in Hollywood and grew up in Orange County, California. He was well into a career as a professional drummer when he moved to Nashville in 1993. But on his very first day in Music City, fate intervened. Steve was driving along a dirt road in front of Hank Williams house when he saw two young girls walking on the shoulder. They were carrying something, and they were crying.

Their tears were for a four-month-old puppy they’d just witnessed being thrown from a moving car. The girls had rescued him. They were carrying him because he was so badly hurt.
It was Sven.

The girls handed him to Steve.

They’d just  saved Sven’s life. Now they were changing Steve’s.

Steve’s years-long odyssey to both understand and change Sven’s problem behavior eventually put drums on hold for a while.

But in 2002, they collaborated on the enhanced CD, K9 Fusion, which features the music video Who Really Loves You? Sven sings lead vocals and plays all the instruments—except, of course, the drums. Steve covers those, and also wrote and produced the songs.

And, of course, Sven inspired Steve to establish SteveBrooksK9U.

Sven passed away in 2005. But Steve continues to honor Sven’s legacy through SteveBrooksK9U and a documentary about their life together that’s currently in production.

Steve and his wife, Yasmine, live in Los Angeles with their dog, Legali, and their cat, Fuego Caliente.

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