OccuPaws is pleased to announce that Douglas Weil has joined our Board of Directors as a Training Advisor to help establish our training curriculum. Doug has 30 years of experience training dogs in many different venues. Doug started his formal dog training as a Military Working Dog Handler in the United States Air Force.  He is a Viet Nam Veteran. After the Military, Doug trained dogs for the Los Angeles Police Department and worked police dogs on the streets for several years.  Doug started training at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, CA, where he became licensed to train guide dogs by the State of California. Doug trained approximately 200 guide dog and blind person teams.  Doug started his own dog training business called “The Dog Works” which he and his wife currently operate today. They teach obedience, agility, herding and tracking, as well as, problem solving and behavior modification.  Doug is a licensed Judge for the American Kennel Club and a trainer/member of the North American Police Work Dog Association.  Doug is currently a Patrol Sergeant for the Clark County Sheriff’s Department where he started as a k-9 handler: teaching tracking and narcotics detection.  He is also a Certified Humane Officer through the United States Department of Agriculture here in Madison.  Doug is assigned to investigate the majority of animal abuse/neglect complaints in the state.  Doug will be assisting OccuPaws with dog training and mobility instruction for our trainers, as well as our blind students. Doug’s wife, Caroline, was also a Guide Dog Instructor and is currently an accomplished trainer/instructor/competitor in national agility and herding events; having dogs ranked in the top National Level.  Doug and Caroline have two grown children and live on a 40 acre hobby farm in central Wisconsin.  They have sheep, beef, horses and of course, 6 Border Collies.

Welcome to the Family, Doug!

We will have more information regarding our Formal Harness Training Program and process in the very near future.