I’m Jirka Vierimaa, M.Soc.Sc. and Expert in Behavior Analysis. As a professional, my specialization is in animal training and multispecies interaction. I am also a doctoral researcher, examining the work and education of professional hoomans working with their therapy and service dogs. And because everyone moonlights somehow, I study university pedagogy with the attempt to continuously develop my expertise and skills.

I serve as one of the lead trainers in the Tampere University’s Animal Training Program Based on Applied Behavior Analysis and I’m one of its founders. The program is unique in Finland and will be launched for the sixth time in 2025.

Over 9,500 dogs and more than 20 different animal species have participated in my trainings. As a trainer, I try to do practical exercises with the animals as often as possible, as demonstrating can make it easier to understand the training phases. Training is also a great way to learn how dogs learn new things.

For me, animal training is about interaction and hands-on work with them. It follows the plans and goals set by humans, but at the same time, the interaction needs to provide something good for both parties. That’s why I am particularly interested in developing training methods and understanding animal learning in itself.

Private training sessions

My approach to animal training is focused on solutions and based on behavioral strengths. In practice, it means training skills and using rewards, alongside with the consideration on wellbeing. My goal is to help my clients achieve the best possible results, without compromising on ethics or wellbeing.

I teach people to use reward-based methods in everyday life, hobbies/sports, and work with their animals. The training solutions I use are well-thought-out, ethically justified, and promote the animal’s quality of life as well as the interaction between the human and the animal.

Since 2008, my services have been used by both beginner and experienced dog owners, active dog enthusiasts, as well as professionals, organizations, and educational institutions working with animals. My areas of expertise include interaction, resolving behavioral issues, training planning, and professional ethics.

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