Bond-Based Teaching and
the Bond-Based Institute

In 1991, Jennifer Arnold founded a non-profit service dog school called Canine Assistants in Milton, Georgia. Dogs at Canine Assistants are taught how to assist individuals with mobility difficulties, Type 1 Diabetes, Epilepsy and other medical needs. For years the staff at Canine Assistants practiced obedience-based training techniques widely used by dog trainers. These techniques appeared effective as the dogs demonstrated the cues asked of them, but they later became extremely nervous and were hindered by the fear of failing.

Jennifer and her husband, Canine Assistants’ veterinarian Dr. Kent Bruner, viewed this as an opportunity to research how dogs best learn and what makes them successful. They found that dogs who felt safe and secure were more likely and willing to help their human partner. From these findings Jennifer created Bond-Based Teaching in 2012.

Revolutionary to how dogs have been traditionally trained, Bond-Based Teaching focuses first and foremost on the relationship between dog and human. It is based on the premise that dogs are social, thinking beings who need unconditional love and security. It’s not until dogs feel securely attached to their human partner that they can go confidently into the world.

The Bond-Based Institute at Canine Assistants is dedicated to researching how to best help dogs assist those who need them. The more we learn, the more dogs are able and willing to help us.