About

Pupstart offers virtual consulting or quick phone consults nationwide!

Pupstart Dog Behavior Consulting has been in business since 1998. The company's mission is to:

• Promote methods and business practices that are safe, kind, and ethical to both humans and dogs;

• Advocate for the least aversive and most humane options when troubleshooting; 

• Offer relevant and practical advice;

• Resolve and/or improve undesirable behavior by helping the dog 
  "get it right" through training and behavior modification, and creating an environment such that the dog cannot continue to engage in that behavior.

• Use reward-based training tools and techniques, and, 

• Provide the latest accurate and evidence-based information, solid instruction, thorough training plans, and close follow-up.

Dana Fedman, CPDT-KA, CDBC, owns Pupstart, LLC, in Des Moines, Iowa. She is the sole proprietor. Business Insurers of the Carolinas insures Pupstart.

Wondering what this alphabet soup means?

The CPDT-KA certification means "Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed." This credential is from the independent and accredited Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). She was one of the first dog trainers in the United States to pass the first CPDT exam in upstate New York, when it was first offered in September 2001. The CCPDT has fallen out of favor due to its weak stance on the use of methods and tools relying on escape and avoidance. As a result, I will be relinquishing this credential at the end of 2025.

Dana also has the Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) credential from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC.) 

Trainers certified through IAABC and CCPDT are required to maintain their knowledge by completing continuing education units (CEUs). Dana traveled across the United States for conferences and seminars. Since the pandemic, she has regularly participated in streaming conferences, webinars, and online courses.

The brightest minds provide content in dog training, behavior, veterinary behavior medicine, and running a successful training business. These are the continuing education units Dana has accumulated since 2001. Public speaking engagements, CEUs recognized by the CCPDT and IAABC, and non-recognized educational units are included.

Dana lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband.

Zak Russell (pictured above) was their just-shy-of 12-year-old Golden Retriever. He passed away on 05/10/24 of hemangiosarcoma, which suddenly overtook multiple organs. He was the 800th member of the AKC Morris Animal Foundation's Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. Zak is now Angel Hero #800. He is greatly missed.

Liked: walkies, sucking on his woobie, stomping on and rolling in mud, eating "lawn biscuits" (what falls off the underside of the lawn mower blade), car rides, stuffed Classic Kongs and West Paw Qwizl toys, playing "Tug of Peace," and SNACKS!

Disliked: No walkies. Hair mats. Blow dryers after baffs. Insufficient cheese.