Lisa Clifton-Bumpass, CTC, CPDT, CDBC, PDT, PDBC, CAP2
AABP Advisory Board Member
Lisa Clifton-Bumpass came to reinforcement based animal training by a path rarely taken. Lisa started, as most do, with a need for change but not born from her love of dogs or an evolution of training philosophies from force based methods. She entered the arena by a back door called physical therapy.
In 1996, Lisa had to find a way to start exercising as part of her recovery process for injuries that occurred as a result of being a police officer. Her injuries physically limited her to simply walking her dogs because of debilitating chronic pain. She no longer could use the old tools of pinch collars and choke chains for controlling her Rottweilers, as each time she attempted to correct their behavior, she received significant nerve pain in her hands, arms and back which would often left her in tears. Lisa had to find a better way and that need led her to understand the contrast between the use of aversives and reinforcement training when she corrected her dogs and promptly received significant nerve pain.
Along the path of searching for dog training tools that better met her needs, Lisa met and worked for Trish King of the Marin Humane Society and that, as they say, was the fork in the road that lead Lisa to her current dedication to applied animal behavior. As part of Lisa’s personal and professional evolution in behavior modification and training, she participated in many skill and knowledge development programs that included the San Francisco SPCA Dog Trainer’s Academy, Wolf Park and the full Bailey chicken camp series. She originally started in professional dog training as the owner of Pawsitive Steps Dog Training, the first public dog training classes to use clickers in the greater San Francisco Bay Area as it’s primary training tool. She became passionate about compassionate cooperative teaching for both humans and animals alike.
Over the years, Lisa has enjoyed the opportunities of using positive training and teaching strategies in teaching children to ice skate, for physical therapists, yoga instructors, animal care specialty groups, supervisors and school teachers.
After 10 years of group classes and private instruction, Lisa faced complete job burn out and was thinking of retiring for a second time, that is until she visited her local zoo and saw zookeepers training the fruit bats with whistles and nectar. Her trainer’s imagination burned white-hot and Lisa started volunteering for the animal management division of the zoo. As keepers discovered that Lisa had a background in reinforcement training, she was asked to assist in the training and behavior modification for several species.
Lisa has a published article on modifying operant aggression in pot bellied pigs in the zoo setting for ABMA and has presented at the AZA Conference (2008) on her work with keepers and their animals as the Volunteer Training Consultant.
Lisa’s current work includes consulting, public speaking, continuing professional education, participation in think tanks, volunteering for organizations she believes in as well as mentoring animal trainers. Her JavaDawgs dog aggression work group has blossomed to include international membership and now has an extremely popular local coffee shop blend named after it. Lisa still finds the “ah-ha” learning moment for both humans and animals a moment of pure delight and the highest reinforcer possible.
Certifications & Assessments
CAP2, Clicker Assessment Program
CDBC, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
CTC, Certificate in Training and Consulting - San Francisco SPCA (Honors)
CPDT, Certified Pet Dog Trainer
IIABAC Endorsed Dog Trainer
IIABAC Endorsed Dog Behavior Consultant
TAGteach 2
Affiliations and Memberships
American Association of Zoo Keepers, Affiliate
Animal Behavior Management Alliance
Animal Behavior Society
Animal Reinforcement Kaizen (ARK)
Association of Pet Dog Trainers
Association of Zoos and Aquaria
East Bay Trainers
Humane Animal Studies
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
International Institute Applied Companion Animal Behavior
JavaDawgs
South Bay Trainers
Current Experience
Certification Council Professional Dog Trainers, Examination Development
Committee Chair