Who is Positive Pups?

Beth Peterson is the owner,instructor, coach, evaluator and founder of Positive Pups & Ponies. Her credentials, earned over the last 35 years of working with animals and their people, include: Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Delaware Certified Volunteer Administrator, Level-2 Tellington Bodywork Practitioner, Reiki Master, Caring Touch Practitioner, Theraputic Touch student, AKC STAR Puppy & Canine Good Citizen certified evaluator. Therapy Dog & Delta Society Pet Partner Evaluator, and Certified Pet First Aid Instructor. Beth began her career in dogs in 1974 as a Veterinary Assistant and later became a Licensed Animal Technician. During her years as a Vet Tech, Beth began developing her ability to work with dogs and their owners in many areas including effective communication, behavior modification, health maintenance and physical conditioning. It was at this time that she was first asked by her Veterinarians to work, one-on-one, with clients and their "problem" dogs. Beth analyzed inappropriate behaviors and explained why she believed the behaviors were being displayed. This helped clients understand their dogs - which allowed the successful modification of their dog's actions into appropriate (and much appreciated!) behavior. In 1976, Beth became the instructor of the local dog clubs’ first Puppy Class, an assistant in the Novice obedience classes, and a helper in the Open and Utility obedience classes.

In 1988, Beth moved to Delaware and began teaching Basic Dog Care and Obedience at Dover Air Force Base. In early 1991 she developed her training classes into the positive reinforcement-based Good Dog! Training, offering Basic Manners, Introduction to Agility and Novice Obedience classes. A friend took over Good Dog! in the late 1990’s and has since retired. Beth began teaching group classes again in 2003 for the Kent County SPCA, resumed training classes at Dover Air Force Base that November, began offering Visiting Pet - Animals Helping Humans classes on State Hospital grounds in 2004 - as well as participating with her own animals in scheduled visits with the providers at the Center for Behavioral Health.

Beth enjoys presenting demonstrations and seminars designed specifically for children at the Kent County SPCA Summer Camps and Dover Air Force Base health fairs, as well as teaching conformation handling workshops in Germany. Each of her German students and their dogs - with 200 dogs being shown a day - have been awarded multiple class placements, many class wins, and going on to multiple Reserve Winners, Winners Dogs, Winners Bitchs, Best of Winners, Best of Opposit Sex (Intact and Altered) and Best of Breed (Intact and Altered) awards.

Beth and Roopy helped Junior Girl Scout Troop 1057 earn their Pet Care Badge at the Kent County SPCA. In response to multiple requests, Beth began providing BARK (Be Aware Responsible & Kind) Dog Bite Prevention classes in the Dover area in the Spring of 2002, and Pet First Aid classes in 2004. Roopy and Beth attended the Dover Public Library Read-A-Loud program with a record attendence of 40 pre-schoolers and their parents! Roopy, Coal (a English Self Cavy), Lola (a Tortie Abyssinian Cavy) and Beth look forward to meeting the YMCA pre-schoolers each Spring.

You can find Beth participating in Animal Helping Humans - Pets Uplifting People events every week. She held membership & evaluator status in Therapy Dogs International, Incorporated (TDI, located in NJ,the oldest and original registry for visiting emotional therapy dogs) since the late 1980’s. Her 3 teammates were awarded TDI's (then) highest level designation for active visitation in 2002 -- the Active Outstanding Volunteer (TDIAOV). Although they have continued visiting and have qualified over and over for the newest achievement awards - the paperwork has not been filed. The great part - the dogs do not need awards to L O V E visiting!

Beth has been a Delta Society Pet Partner since 2003 when she brought Coal the Cavy home from the SPCA and realized he would be an outstanding Visitor. Coal was soon joined by Lola, again from the SPCA. The Cavy - Coal and Lola - and her Aussie Roopy passed their evaluations and became Delaware's Delta Pet Partners. Beth has been the point-of-contact for two in-State canine Visiting Emotional Therapy programs since the early 1990’s and is the Program Manager for Pets Uplifting People Society (PUPS), a Dover-based Visiting Pet / Animals Helping Humans group. Please click here to e-mail Beth if you're interested in learning more about Visiting or in becoming part of PUPS - Pets Uplifting People Society - Delaware's Contact for Animal Helping Humans.

Beth has been a member of Delaware State-mandated, 5-person Delaware Dog Control Panel (often called the 'Dangerous Dog Panel") since its inception in 1999, and the chairperson since 2004. This State mandated panel was created by law makers to preside over all dog bite/dog injury cases in the state of Delaware. Panel members, all experts on dog handling and control, work in conjunction with the State Attorney when a dog has threatened, bitten or damaged a person or companion animal. The State presents their case, allowing the defendant to present their reasons why the dog's actions should not be considered dangerous or a threat to others, with the Panel determining if the dog is dangerous, potentially dangerous or not dangerous based on the presentation. After the designation has been decided, the Panel then determines the appropriate penalty according to DE law. To view the actual "Dangerous and Potentially Dangerous" dog law, please go to The Dog Code

Beth finished her Tellington TTouch training to become a Certified Tellington (TTouch) Method Practitioner in February 2005 after over 350 hours of training. She then completed the requirements for Level-2 Practitioner in October 2006.TTouch is a unique approach to behavioral modification developed by internationally known animal expert, Linda Tellington-Jones and is based on cooperation, understanding, compassion and respect for our animals. These techniques help build the animal's self-confidence - which leads to the elimination of fearful or inappropriate responses. Recognized worldwide, this systematic method is easy to learn and brings quick lasting results. A combination of focus, touches, lifts and strokes are used to induce a state of relaxation and increased body awareness, while ground exercises assist the animal to be more focused and build confidence. Learn how you can apply TTouch to eliminate inappropriate behaviors, encourage appropriate behaviors, assist with recovery from injury and illness, or just enhance the quality of your animal’s life. Please click here to learn more about TTouch and what services Beth can offer your animal companion and/or your club or organization.

Beth is a Reiki Master working with animals and humans. She is trained in Hospice Caring Hands and is a student of Theraputic Touch and Bach Flowers.

Beth's memberships have inclluded the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Professional Humane Educators, Therapy Dogs International, Inc., Delta Society, National Capital Therapy Dogs, Delaware Dangerous Dog Panel (Chairperson), Delaware State Animal Rescue Team (DE SART), Delaware Animal Disaster Services (DADS), Noah's Wish Disaster Services for animals; Tellington Certified Practitioners Guild; Association of Professional Humane Educators, and Delaware & Maryland based Shelters, SPCAs and Rescues.

She has been a Licensed Veterinary Technician (retired), Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Positive Reinforcement/Clicker Trainer, Practitioner of Tellington/TTEAM Bodywork (Level 2/All Animals), Caring Touch Guide, Therapeutic Touch student, Reiki Master, Annimal Masseuse, Non-Profit Volunteer Administrator, Animal First Aid Instructor, American Heart Association & American Red Cross CPR-AED (for humans), Emergency Care (humans & animals), Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator, a Therapy Dogs International, Incorporated (TDI, Inc) Evaluator and a n Delta Society Licensed Pet Partner evaluator. Please click here to view our current classes and workshops.

Beth has been a member of the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) since 1976. She was an active member of the ASCA Conformation and Hall of Fame Committees 1999-2004, co-developed the Altered Conformation Championship program and was elected as Conformation Committee Chairperson 2003-2004. She and her husband, Paul, are known for their ASCA/AKC/UKC registered and titled dogs, the Australian Shepherds of Dragon Run. Their Aussies (and other breeds) hold titles (or awards) in conformation, emotional therapy, temperament tests, as well as in stockdog, rally and obedience.

A description of Positive Pups would not be complete without including Beths' husband, Paul Peterson. Paul grew up with dogs as constant companions. Siberian Husky’s were his family’s breed, but he soon opted for hunting Beagles, pointers, setters and spaniels. After 22 years in the Air Force, and an unexpected introduction to Australian Shepherds, Paul was hooked on dogs, training, showing and trialing. He has since been part of the rehabilitation of 4-year-old kennel dog, a 2-year-old, one-time, juvenile delinquent, and our very special blue girl - Papi. He gave these troubled dogs the leadership they needed to become great companions and display their talents in stock dog work, obedience, agility, conformation, therapy visitation and rally. Paul is a past-president of the Blue Ridge Australian Shepherd Club and is a member of the Therapy Dogs International. Paul’s dogs have earned their TDI and TDIA levels of therapy visitation. He is our chief agility and obedience course constructor and builds equipment in his spare time. Paul is a Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and an alternate member for the Delaware Dog Control Panel.