Creating a Better World for Pets and People Since 1993


Diane Chandler CPDT-KA
is the founder and president of Animal Behavior Management, Inc. | Clixworld® Canine Services which provides both dog training in your home, group classes, and dog boarding for St. Charles IL, Geneva IL, Batavia IL. She has professionally bred, trained and shown dogs for 39 years, but she "began in dogs" as a young child showing her Miniature Poodle Beau in local pet shows and parades. In 1971 she started Kushan Afghans, a show and breeding kennel as part of an international effort to preserve the mountain type of Afghan Hound. Her university training is in the History of Art and Architecture, and she has served on the Board of Directors of several local organizations including Garfield Farm Museum.
       Diane worked for 5 years at a veterinary clinic. She developed their Pet Loss Program, a service for grieving clients whose pets had died. She also began the clinic's Puppy Parties for socializing baby puppies, and fielded calls concerning behavioral issues with client's pets. This is when Diane started to focus on educating herself in the behavioral sciences. From 1992 on, Diane has attended numerous classes, workshops, seminars and conferences. She has learned from some of the greatest minds working in her field and has traveled across the country to broaden her understanding of canine behavior, especially aggression disorders. At her first opportunity, Diane applied for and achieved her CPDT-KA through the Certification Counsel for Professional Dog Trainers.
       In 1993 Diane founded Animal Behavior Management, Inc. after recognizing a huge void in quality dog training being offered to the public. In that same year, she became a founding member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers to encourage professionalism and science based training on a national level. That organization has grown to over 5,000 members and is now recognized on an international level. Diane's membership card still proudly bares the membership number 5.
       Today Diane runs a business that is geared to be dog and owner friendly. She has developed dog training methods used at Clixworld that are backed by the science of Behavior Analysis, but are packaged for the pet owner in easy and fun programs. Her passion for teaching people as well as dogs has led to the development of an internship program for the next generation of dog trainers.
       Diane and her husband Ron currently live with a family of Afghan Hounds and the new Clixworld® "poster child" Eko, the magnificent rescue German Shepherd Dog. Her hobbies are gardening and restoring their 1880's Victorian farmhouse.

Robbie Buchanan MS, PT, CPDT-KA
     Robbie has always been involved with dogs and dog training. She began by joining a dog training club in the mid 80's and served as volunteer trainer for puppy, beginning and novice obedience classes. She went on to serve as president and finally as a member of the board of directors for the club. During that time, she showed her Afghan Hounds in AKC obedience trials.
     Robbie met Diane Chandler in 1995 at an APDT dog training educational conference in Chicago. They shared an appreciation for the Afghan Hound breed, but the defining moment came when Diane demonstrated clicker training with Robbie's dog, Houston. Robbie was immediately hooked on the efficiency and logic behind the technique. She arranged to attend a class at Clixworld dog training school, even though it was a 40 mile drive to get there. Diane was so impressed with Robbie's abilities that she asked Robbie to join Animal Behavior Management, Inc. as a trainer.
     Prior to joining us, Robbie earned a BA from Northwestern University majoring in biology and psychology, and a Master of Science from Case Western Reserve. She is a Physical Therapist and has been a department head at a major university hospital.
     Robbie's hobbies revolve around nature and photography. Robbie is a docent at Brookfield Zoo - a volunteer educator who teaches guests about wildlife conservation and facilitates educational activities. The zoo has given Robbie rare opportunities to visit Africa where she observed and photographed animals in their wild habitat. Robbie's zoo experiences have given her great insight into dog training. The science based training that is used at the zoo to have exotic animals co-operate with their handlers, can easily be translated to dog owners.
     Robbie is an extremely skilled teacher and dog trainer from Wilmette IL, where she does in home training. She also teaches at the Clixworld® dog training school in Geneva IL. She knows that each dog is different and has its own set of strengths and challenges. Robbie guides her clients through management techniques to create a comfort zone for the dogs and owners. With that in place, Robbie can then lead everyone through the positive reinforcement dog training protocols that build the successful, lifelong relationships that people are looking for.


Grace Withall B.S. (biography coming soon)



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