Blogger profile: Rachel Baum - Albany Times Union

Age: 54

Where were you born and raised? Trumbull, Conn.

Where do you live? Delmar

Why? I love the small-town feel with sidewalks and older homes, being able to walk to Four Corners, a great library, dog park, coffee shop, everything we need so close by.

Family? Two daughters both in grad school, one in London and the other in Evanston, Ill. My partner Rick is an architect. We have 3 dogs: Todd, a 9-year-old Pomeranian mix; Nellie, a 15-year-old cairn terrier, and new to us is Rosalita, an 11-year-old Chihuahua. Todd and Rosalita are both from the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society shelter.

What did you study in college? I went to college and grad school at night and worked full time during the day as a librarian. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Houston in Texas. My graduate degree is from the University of Michigan.

What's your work? For the past four years, I've been the owner of Bark Busters Home Dog Training. I work with people and their dogs in their homes (and offices) to help with behavioral issues like separation anxiety, barking, aggression, jumping on people, housebreaking, counter cruising, you name it.

Blog: http://blog.timesunion.com/bark/

How long have you been blogging? It will be 2 years this March!

Personal website: http://dogtrainingupstateny.com

On Twitter: @BarkUpstateNY

What started your interest in dog training? Dogs are fascinating. Think of it. This is an animal that we live with, even sleep with. A completely different species that communicates with us, and us with them, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. I love helping people learn to communicate better with their dogs. I learn something new from dogs every day.

Scariest training incident? I always ask people to let their dogs greet me at the door the way they normally would any stranger. I'm almost always barked at or jumped on, or both, and that's fine. Once, I was greeted by a 130-pound male bull mastiff who tackled me. Usually I'm on my game and prepared for the onslaught, but this guy was brute force. Thankfully, he kept his teeth to himself.

Have you ever been bitten? Only once. By a four-pound Yorkie.

Cesar "The Dog Whisperer'' Millan. Yay or nay? He's done incredible work getting people to see pitbulls and American Staffordshire terriers in a positive light. That said, my training style is not to ever get physical with a dog. Millan is very physical. He also gets bitten, even though I assume his shows are edited for television.

January is "National Train Your Dog Month.'' Why don't more dog owners take training seriously? I think most people assume they can do it themselves. They remember growing up with a dog, and their parents never hired a trainer. How hard can it be, right? The reality is, we're not born knowing how to communicate with a different species. It's like learning a foreign language. You have to be taught, and you have to practice.

Whose blog(s) would you love to read? (Pick modern day and/or historical figures): Ernest Shackleton, while he was on the Endurance expedition.

Have you ever refused to work with a dog? I've never turned down a dog, but I HAVE turned down a person. Once, I went to someone's home for a lesson, and he stood and debated and yelled at me the whole time, so I politely excused myself. Some people just can't be trained.

Your favorite dog breed? I'm pretty partial to pitbulls, though. They are sweet, smart and affectionate.

What book or books are you reading? "Good Old Dog" by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. He is a Tufts University professor and veterinarian. I took a course with him last year. And "The Flying Carpet" by Richard Halliburton, who was an adventurer and writer during the early 1900s.

What's on your iPod? "The List" by Roseanne Cash, but I admit I downloaded "Teenage Dream" by that guy on "Glee.''

Favorite local blogger? "Outdoors'' by Gillian Scott and Herb Terns is refreshing and always fun, but for practical matters, I also read Joe Keegan's "Home Restoration.'' My house is 100 years old; Joe gives me inspiration to transform it into my own little piece of heaven.

Favorite movie? "Out of Africa."

Favorite dinner? Anything at Curry House or Shalimar.

Favorite article of clothes? Tony Lama cowboy boots.

Your hero? Amelia Earhart. She's why I got my pilot's license. If I wasn't a dog trainer, I would have been a cargo pilot.

Best dog name, ever: It's a tossup between Howie Mandel and Happy Gilmore. No lie.

Best free advice for dog owners? Most behavior issues happen because the dog isn't exercised enough. Give a dog a good run. Every day.

Blog: http://blog.timesunion.com/bark/

Personal Web site: http://dogtrainingupstateny.com

On Twitter: @BarkUpstateNY

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