Jamie Damato with two of her dogs, Sam and Liddie. (sorry Oodie!)
	Jamie is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT).
	Jamie is an active member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)  attends the APDT annual conferences, and is a speaker at the 2006 conference.
	Jamie founded the Chicago Area Pet Trainers Association, CAPTA.

A Certified Pet Dog Trainer and Behavior Consultant and a 1999 graduate of Arizona Canine Academy, Jamie has a long history of working with animals and their people in a variety of settings. After attending DePaul University, with a major in Psychology and Communication, Jamie worked as a Social Worker and Case Manager for a non-profit organization where she introduced a pet therapy program.  From January 1996 through January 2000, she owned and operated Out-U-Go! Pet Care Services in Oak Park.  Jamie also created, owned and operated Out-U-Go In-home Veterinary Service, worked at the Anti-Cruelty Society as an adoption counselor and kennel staff, and worked as an assistant at the Lincoln Park Zoo. After establishing her reputation in the community, Jamie was brought on as the Shelter Director for the highly regarded Oak Park Animal Care League where she ran the shelter from 2001 to 2002.  Jamie’s background and education also includes working in veterinary hospitals and doing volunteer work with children and animals.  In addition to graduating from Arizona Canine Academy, she has also received certification from Purdue University Veterinary School in Behavior Modification and Owner Education.  Jamie has personally cared for and/or worked with more than 16,000 dogs and counting…

In September of 2003, Jamie became one of the only 550 dog trainers in the entire world to have earned the prestigious title of CPDT, Certified Pet Dog Trainer. 

Jamie regularly attends seminars, conferences and workshops all in the interest of increasing her knowledge base and gaining more insight into canine behavior. Her professional interests include human-animal bond theories, and working with canine aggression and behavior disorders. Jamie also works as the behavior consultant for Pet Vets Animal Hospital in Oak Park, and is an active member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers  and CAPTA (Chicago Area Pet Trainers Association) which she also founded in 2004.

Jamie is a frequent guest on ABC-TV, Chicago, where she is brought in to discuss all things canine. Jamie has also been featured elsewhere in the media; including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Parent, Chicagoland Tails, The Wednesday Journal, various Pioneer Press publications and also on WGN Radio’s Pet Central with Steve Dale. Additionally, Jamie is a sought-after featured speaker for conferences and workshops both locally and nationally. She is currently working on publishing her first book.

Her commitment to animals goes well beyond her business:  She is a member of the City of Chicago’s Task Force on Companion Animal Welfare and Public Safety and also serves on the Subcommittee on Pet Day Care for The City of Chicago.   Additionally, she also holds a board position on Board of Directors for Felines, Inc, a progressive cage-less, no-kill cat shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood.
 
When she is not working with your dogs, Jamie stays busy with her own pets: Sam, a Beagle-Rat Terrier Mix, Liddie, a Belgian Malinois -Doberman Mix and Poodle, the Toy Poodle, all rescued from the streets of Chicago.  And let us not forget her African Grey Parrot, Tahoe, the talking wonder.  Additionally, Jamie personally rescues, fosters and re-homes several dogs and cats each year. 

For non-doggy fun, Jamie travels as much as a business owner is able,  trains for - and is totally obsessed with - Triathlon, serenades her dogs (and anyone else who will listen) with her guitar and plays with her 100% perfect niece and nephew.

AnimalSense is the culmination of her education, interests and passions.