Who We Are
Kiki Yablon
MA, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, KPA Faculty
Owner and Trainer
I came to training as just another dog owner in 2005, when my husband and I adopted Pigeon, a timid seven-month-old shepherd mix whose fear and anxiety would soon blossom into aggression. She was my first teacher, and remains one of my best.
Soon after I found Pigeon (left), I was lucky enough to find Laura Monaco Torelli at Animal Behavior Training Concepts—where by 2009 I was apprenticing as a trainer. In addition to running my own business, I served as a senior trainer and training manager for hers from 2011 until mid-2018, when I left to pursue a master's degree in behavior analysis from the University of Kansas.
I graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior in February 2011, becoming a Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP, #38894), and in subsequent years earned the "client endorsed" distinction through KPA's Assurance, Commitment, and Education program, a system for ensuring that members continue to meet the organization's high standards for force-free training. (You can read what clients have said about their training experience, on the survey and otherwise, on the Testimonials page.) In 2020, I accepted a position as a faculty member for KPA, teaching the flagship dog trainer professional course and, more recently, joining the faculty for the new behavior consulting program. I am also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA).
Dog training opened a window into the broader world of behavior science, specifically applied behavior analysis, and since 2014 I have worked under Dr. Susan Friedman at Behavior Works, becoming a teaching assistant for her Living and Learning With Animals course for animal behavior professionals. This fall, I will also be teaching a course as part of Behavior Works’ new Zoo School, for trainers of both exotic and domesticated animals. Since completing my master’s degree, I have also presented at a variety of dog training conferences, including those organized by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Foundation, Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
I'm also a former journalist and editor who has worked for Outside, Chicago, and the Chicago Reader, among other publications, and am available for select writing and editing projects related to dog training and behavior.
I live in Chicago with my husband and my current dog, Finn, and see clients both in-person and virtually.
Education and Certification
MA, Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas
Coinstructor, Behavior Works
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP) and Faculty
TAGteach Level 1 Certification
Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Northwestern University
BS, Medill School of Journalism
Radcliffe Publishing Course
Postgraduate certificate
More detail and a list of Kiki’s continuing education activities here.
Keira Moore
PhD, BCBA-D, KPA CTP
Trainer
Dr. Keira Moore, who handles separation anxiety cases for Kiki Yablon Dog Training, holds a PhD in Behavior Analysis from Western New England University and is a doctoral-level board certified behavior analyst as well as a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior.
In her work with dogs, Dr. Moore draws on two decades of experience working with humans, including children and adults who have difficulty with sleep and separation, and her dissertation work involved the treatment of anxiety. Her other interests include reactivity, puppy training, service dog training, and trick training—Keira herself once ran away with the circus, and her own dog, Frida, is a certified Trick Dog Champion!
Keira lives near San Diego and works for us remotely.
Maia Huff-Owen
KPA CTP, CSAT
Trainer
Maia Huff-Owen has two decades of experience working with multiple species. She grew up on a working cattle ranch, where riding and training horses and dogs shaped her early understanding of animal behavior and partnership—an influence that continues to guide her work with dogs today. Her interest in animal training eventually led to an interest in the science of behavior, and she is now pursuing her master’s degree in behavior analysis at the University of North Texas.
Maia has a special focus on separation-related problems in dogs. Along with helping her own clients resolve separation problems, she consults on complex cases for other separation anxiety specialists, and has co-taught and co-wrote the CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer) live course curriculum, teaching other trainers these same skills. She also works with fear, anxiety, aggression, and new puppy/dog integration, and enjoys helping dogs learn how to make (and keep!) new friends—both human and canine.
Maia lives in Memphis and works remotely.