INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA

Cheryl S. Smith has lectured across the U.S. and in Canada and Japan, appeared on television in the U.S. and Canada, and been featured on radio as far away as Australia. She hosts her own call-in radio show and answers questions about all things dog on her website. Cheryl's areas of expertise include

• Dogs and gardens - planting with the dog in mind and training with the landscape in mind
• Canine-human communication - verbal and nonverbal communications in both directions
• The many ways canines benefit humans - from companionship to search and rescue to cancer detection to medical research
• Dog parks - how to use them safely (or why to avoid them)
• Creating/maintaining an enjoyable human/canine bond - selecting a dog to suit your lifestyle, providing training and socialization
• Positive training - lure and reward or clicker training, from simple basic behaviors (sit and come) to complex tricks ( go to a mark, choose the bigger item)
• Canine nutrition - how to feed for optimum quality of life

Cheryl has received five Maxwell medallions for exemplary writing on canine topics from the Dog Writers Association of America, as well as four special awards including the "best in show" President's Award.

Contact Cheryl

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MEDIA APPEARANCES

Television

• HGTV, Gardening by the Yard
• KIRO, Gardening with Ciscoe
• Good Morning Vancouver, Global Network (Canada)
• KTCH, San Jose

Videos

• Latham Foundation Canine Good Citizen videotape
• Bob Bailey chicken camp videotape
• Legacy Canine Behavior & Training pet dog classes videotape

Radio

• Host of PetSmith, KONP
• KFNX, My Doggie Says
• Good Dog podcase
• Pet Central with Steve Dale, Chicago
• John Patch, Talkin' Pets
• The Pet Hour, XM Satellite Radio
• Gardening with Ciscoe, KIRO, Seattle
• Radio show in Sydney, Australia, with Kari Keenan
• Animal Companions, KNRY
• Animal Planet Radio
• Pet Pointers with Greg McDonald, KTMS
• KFBK Garden Show
• KSTE Get Growing

Lecturer

• IAABC
• Northwest Flower & Garden Show
• Van Dusen Gardens Flower Show
• Bainbridge Island Garden Tour
• Nestle Purina Nutrition Conference
• Alaska Dog Mushers Association symposium, keynote speaker
• Minneapolis Institute of Art
• Port Angeles Rotary Club
• WCFO International Conference
• Groom and Kennel Show
• Cat Writers Association annual conference
• PNBA book fair
• Best Friends Nutrition
• 2-day clicker training seminar with Mandy Book, Minnesota
• Boston Flower & Garden Show
• Legacy Canine Behavior & Training, Washington and Japan
• Association of Pet Dog Trainers annual conference

Certifications

• CGC evaluator
• Delta Pet Partners evaluator
• Judge 4-H Rally
• Teaching Assistant, Bob Bailey chicken camps
• Graduate, Nutrition Matters
• Instructor, Legacy Canine Behavior & Training

Titles Earned

• CD, CDX, UD (obedience)
• Ch (conformation)
• UAG-I, AG-1 (agility)
• Retriever instinct (field)
• Water Dog I (water work)
• Sassy Senior Freestyle Dog (freestyle)
• NWI from Natl Assoc of Canine ScentWork
• Various Dog Scouts of America titles

A SELECTION OF QUOTES IN PRINT

New York Times - "I don't understand the American ethos that the lawn has to be perfect. Dogs don't just walk low to the ground, they actually eat the grass. There have been studies linking lawn chemicals to bladder cancer in dogs."

Animal Planet - (in reference to giving the dog tomato juice to eliminate brown spots on the lawn) "No, it's not a good idea. First, it simply doesn't work. Second, sustained spoonfuls of tomato juice may cause problems for you dog. Create a potty place in your yard for your dog. It's an inexpensive solution."

The Bark magazine - (dog park tips) "Small dogs need special consideration. Try to find a dog park with a small dog section. It's so easy for a little guy to get overwhelmed - not to mention bowled over - by larger dogs. Keep your small dog on the ground rather than toting him around with you in the park. Being elevated can either give a dog a false sense of control because of the elevated position and close human backup, or entice other dogs to jump up at the dog being held to get a closer sniff."

Ask Amy column - (in reference to wife cuddling with dog that husband resents) "You can teach an old husband new tricks too. If you would engage in even one short daily play session with this dog, it would benefit both of you. You might want to read The Rosetta Bone: The Key to Communication Between Humans and Canines by Cheryl Smith."

Minnesota Star-Tribune - (Question "Aren't dogs just being dogs?") A dog's breed can predict behavior - don't try to fight it. If your terrier likes to dig, make a digging pit. The guarding breeds like to patrol the fence, so leave an open pathway there."

USA Weekend - "Dogs and cats are turned off by the pungent scent of a new variety of coleus - Coleus canina -" says Cheryl Smith. "Try planting this annual, with dark green foliage and lavender flowers, around vegetable and flower gardens.

Los Angeles Times book review - "Learning what she refers to as 'doglish' involves going beyond understanding obvious nonverbal signals, categorizing canine body language into eyes, ears, mouth, tail, and body posture. . . . Smith succeeds in making the book more than a simple how-to guide by touching on emotional, spiritual and philosophical reference points throughout."

Newsday - "Many dogs who prefer to leg-lift on your favorite forsythia instead of squatting on the lawn present their own challenges. Despite being neutered, one of Smith's dogs is an inveterate marker, and she solved the problem with container plantings, 'so he waters the pot and not the plant'."

Washington Post - (in reference to why people show their dogs) "I think a lot of people do it because it makes them proud that they have a dog worthy of ribbons. And shows are social events where friendships are made. There can be people that you wouldn't visit to go shopping in the afternoon two hours away, but you travel to a show on a weekend, and you're all there."

Seattle Times - "Cheryl Smith lets the needs of dogs inspire, rather than baffle her. In a landscape she designed for Legacy Canine, a dog-training facility in Sequim, a 'dog garden' is mounded on top of a 20-foot agility-style tunnel. Weeping trees and tall grasses - which dogs love to run through - plus climbing rocks, a digging pit, paths and a water feature complete a sort of dogtopia."

• Books in Print
  • Grab Life by the Leash, Howell Book House, 2008
  • Visiting the Dog Park: Having Fun, Staying Safe, Dogwise, spring 2007
  • Right On Target! with Mandy Book, Dogwise, 2006
  • Canine Washington, Fulcrum, 2005
  • The Everything Yorkshire Terrier Book, Adams Media, 2005
  • The Rosetta Bone, Howell/Wiley, 2004
  • Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs, Dogwise, 2004
  • The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog, Crown, 2001
  • Quick Clicks with Mandy Book, Legacy By Mail, 2001
  • The Trick Is in the Training with Stephanie Taunton, Barron's, 1998

• Awards
  Note: The Maxwell medallion is awarded annually by the Dog Writers Association of America for the best writing, photography, and artwork in approximately 40 categories. DWAA also offers a variety of sponsored special awards.
  • 2008 - Maxwell for book Grab Life by the Leash
  • 2007 - Maxwell for article Searching for the NCL Gene in Tibetan Terriers
  • 2007 - AKC Canine Health Foundation special award for article Unconventional Cancer Therapies
  • 2004 - Maxwell for book The Rosetta Bone in category of training books
  • 2004 - PetSafe special award for The Rosetta Bone for training publication of the year
  • 2004 - President's Award for The Rosetta Bone for best dog writing of the year (chosen from all Maxwell winners for the year)
  • 2002 - Maxwell for Teaching Tricks for best short book
  • 2002 - Eukanuba Canine Health special award for article The Little Dog Laughed
  • 1995 - Muse medallion from the Cat Writers Association for best magazine article

• Print Appearances
  • New York Times
  • USA Weekend
  • Washington Post
  • Newsday
  • Dogs in Canada
  • Canadian Show Dog
  • Steve Dale, My Pet World, syndicated column
  • Gina Spadafori, Universal Syndicates
  • AKC Family Dog
  • Dog Fancy
  • Custom Home Outdoors
  • Cornell Plantations
  • Seattle Times
  • Seattle PI
  • Chicago Tribune
  • Women's Magazine
  • Miami Herald
  • Baltimore Sun
  • The Oregonian
  • The Whole Dog Journal
  • The Bark
  • PetAge
  • Bookviews
  • Midwest Book Review
  • Many local newspapers

• Selection of Articles Published
  • Pre-Agility 2-part series, Clean Run, 2007
  • A Course of a Different Color, Clean Run, November 2006
  • Table That Motion, Clean Run, Nov. 2005
  • Hark, Hark, The Dogs Do Bark, Clean Run, Oct. 2005
  • The Devil Is in the Duration, Clean Run, Sept. 2005
  • Random Thoughts on Random Reinforcement, Clean Run, 2005
  • Fading Targets on Contacts, Clean Run, 2004
  • Stress 3-part series, Clean Run, 2004
  • Help Your Pup Learn with a Marker, Clean Run, 2004
  • Speaking Dog, Pet Sitters International
  • How to Keep Your Gardens and Your Pets, Farmers' Almanac 2006
  • Electronic Containment Systems, IAABC Journal, Spring 2006
  • The Longest Year, Rally to Rescue, 2006
  • BAER Testing for Dalmatians, Pruina Pro Club, Winter 2006/2007
  • Canine Malignant Melanoma, Purina Pro Club, Winter 2006/2007
  • Exercise-Induced Collapse, Purina Pro Club, Fall 2005
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Purina Pro Club, Fall 2005
  • Epilepsy in Dalmatians, Purina Pro Club, Winter 2005/2006
  • Epilepsy in Siberian Huskies, Purina Pro Club, Winter 2005/2006
  • Grooming the Cocker Spaniel, Purina Pro Club, Winter 2005/ 2006
  • NCL and Batten;s Disease, Today's Breeder, 2006
  • The Canine Genome, Today's Breeder, 2006
  • Unconventional Cancer Treatments, Today's Breeder, 2006
  • Nutrition and Scentwork, AKC Gazette, March 2002
  • Mission to Serve, AKC Gazette, October 2001
  • Maximizing Performance: Stress Conditioning, AKC Gazette May 2000
  • Puppies' Lifestage Nutrition, Puppies 2000, Puppies 2001
  • Westminster Show Shots, AKC Gazette, March 2000
  • Functional Foods, AKC Gazette, June 2000
  • Maximizing Performance: Nutrition, AKC Gazette, March 2000
  • Westminster Show Shots, AKC Gazette, March 1999
  • Feeding Puppy Right, American Kennel Club Puppies 1999
  • On the Move, Parts I and II, AKC Gazette, October and November 1998
  • Niche Foods, AKC Gazette, October 1997
  • Giardia, AKC Gazette, October 1997
  • Handling with Grace, AKC Gazette, February 1997
  • Doggie Dentition, AKC Gazette, February 1997
  • Check Out that Stud, AKC Gazette, March 1997
  • How Does Your Dog Stack Up?, AKC Gazette, December 1996
  • Seizures, AKC Gazette, December 1996
  • Fertile Ground, AKC Gazette, August 1996
  • The Little Dog Laughed, Dog World, April 2002
  • In Your Own Defense, Dog World, February 2002
  • Muscle Injuries in Working Dogs, Dog World, October 2001
  • Mushing the Methow with Malamute Express, Dog World, December 1999
  • Puppy Food and Nutrition, Puppies Annual 1999
  • Nosocomial Infections, Dog World, May 1999
  • Fire Safety in Home and Kennel, Dog World, March 1999
  • Zoonoses, Dog World, Sept. 1999
  • Therapy Dogs, Dog World, July 1998
  • Training People and Dogs in the 90s, Dog World, March 1996
  • Wool Dogs, Dog World, August 1995
  • The Training Game, Dog World, July 1995
  • Working Like a Dog, Dog World, May 1994
  • Service Cats, pets.com, March 2000
  • Hip Dysplasia, pets.com, March 2000
  • Getting Off to a Good Start with Your New Puppy, pets.com, April 2000
  • Office Etiquette for Pets, pets.com, May 2000
  • Favorite Dog Places USA, pets.com the magazine, June 2000
  • Pets Need to Flee Family Violence Too, pets.com, July 2000
  • Senior Pet Protection Act, The Latham Letter, Spring 1994
  • In-Store Obedience Training, Pet Product News, August 1997
  • Here Kitty Kitty, Pet Product News, March 1995
  • Educating Customers about Fleas, Pet Product News, March 1995
  • Selling Flea Products Year Round, Pet Product News, July 1995
  • Special Diet Dog Foods, Pet Product News, April 1995