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BEST OF WESTCHESTER, March 2011

Many of Steve Diller’s patients have spent time in rescue centers and suffer, in pet behaviorist-speak, “separation anxiety.” One dog was so frightened of being left alone, it ate through a closet wall, entered the next apartment, and demolished the neighbor’s couch. Another, an Akita, mangled its crate, ate through the solid oak front door, and was found sitting on the front steps. “Unfortunately, a lot of dogs find their coping mechanisms in escape behavior,” Diller says.

The 58-year-old father of two has always been interested in dogs. “At eight years old, I knew the name of every breed,” he says, “and by fifth grade, all I wanted to write about was dogs.” With this kind of fascination—some would say obsession—Diller’s occupation was a foregone conclusion.

His patients are not generally your run-of-the-mill puppies who pee on the rug or jump happily on houseguests. Pet owners call Diller, who makes house calls ($250 to $350 for a 90-minute to two-hour session), as a desperate last resort—say, their room is being torn apart or their dog quivers so violently during thunderstorms he can’t move. Sometimes Diller suggests meds to a veterinarian, who can prescribe the same meds (Prozac, Paxil) that a human psychiatrist would. Most dogs do very well and are off medication within 12 weeks.

As you might expect, Diller’s six dogs and two cats are very well adjusted. “Years ago, my cats—now deceased—were on Eyewitness News because they had inadvertently responded to the ‘click and treat’ method I was using to train my dogs in basic obedience. My cats ended up learning how to sit up, wave, and jump through hoops.”

By Westchester Magazine

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Print Articles Written by Steve Diller

Canine Communication (PDF)
The Dachshund (PDF)
Oodles of Poodles and Doodles (PDF)
Sled Dogs (PDF)
Toys (PDF)
Chow Chow (PDF)
German Shepherd Dogs (PDF)
Pointing Dogs (PDF)
The Portuguese Water Dog (PDF)

Web Articles Written by Steve Diller

LoHud.com | The Cat's Out of the Bag: The secret to training a cat is a simple as "click and treat!"