Lilia Bozzetti, Professional Dog Trainer & Puppy Upbringing Specialist

With over 20 years of experience, Lilia started as a teen-ager in the show-ring as a judge’s assistant, learning about dogs’ conformation and movement. Soon, she wanted to deepen her knowledge about dogs and, despite her appreciation for beauty and conformation, she was more and more attracted to behavior, psychology, and drives. She formed her understanding, knowledge, and training abilities while working in big breeders’ kennels, and training with experienced trainers. She also began reading everything available on dogs, wolves, and wild dogs, to gain a better understanding of their natural behaviors. She didn’t lock into a “one school technique”; she practiced in all the major training methods, with the purpose of learning everything she could about behavior and training. Lilia believes that guided imprinting and a proper up-bringing are imperative when attempting to influence genetic traits toward predictable behavior or desirable behavior. These traits and behaviors are especially important when deciding what sport or activity you want the puppy to grow in. Her philosophy in training is that it is much easier, and more “correct”, to mold and direct behavior of the young towards what is “socially useful” for their life in the human world, than it is to force certain behavior through correction in the dog once it has matured.

Lilia gained her skills exploring, researching and training years into:
North Europeans gentle training techniques
North European puppies work
North Europeans motivational obedience
German “Classic” School/Method for Obedience
German “Classic” School of Schutzhund/IPO training and handling levels I-II-II
French Ring Puppies Work
Lilia has personally bred, whelped and brought up so many litters that she’s lost count. She has bred Italian Cane Corsos for herself for 10 years, but also for large breeders.
In Italy, where she was born and spent most of her life, she is a reference point for puppies work, dog psychology and behavior and Obedience education for families’ pets.
She has published many articles in major dog training magazines. (See listing)
In 2001, she entered the pool of teachers for the Italian K9 Police Academy where she was very appreciated in her classes as an expert in dog psychology, behavior and drives for training and the manual of K9 Education that she wrote for them became one of the textbooks that K9 police handler/trainers rely on to prepare for their final examination.
She has held several seminars for privates and for trainers.
She has obedience trained and educated a lot of pets for families and with families.
She has imprinted and brought many puppies for private as well as professional handlers.
She has formed several new trainers.
She has been a training director for two major Italian Training Centers.
She Moved to United States in 2006 to joint her fiancé, now husband, top dog trainer John Soares and they now own Happy Dogs B&T. Lilia is available by appointment.

Published Articles:
La Soria di Paco (Paco’s Story) Work Dogs Magazine N°103 Marzo 2001
Il Gioco (The Play) Work Dogs Magazine N°105 Maggio 2001
Puppy Up-Bringing Work Dogs Magazine 107/108 Luglio 2001
Istinti ed effetti collaterali (Instincts and Side effects) Work Dogs Magazine N°109 Settembre 2001
Questi famigerati Super-Cani (The Notorious Super-Dogs) Work Dogs Magazine N°110 Ottobre 2001
Sensi, Super-Sensi, Exra-Sensi Work Dogs Magazine N°113 Gennaio 2002
L’Attenzione (The Attention) Work Dogs Magazine N°114 Febbraio 2002
Il Branco parte prima (The Pack part 1) Work Dogs Magazine N°115 Marzo 2002
Il Branco parte seconda (The Pack part 2) Work Dogs Magazine N°116 Aprile 2002
Razze a confronto: Pastore Tedesco e Cane Corso (A breed confrontation: German Shepherd and Cane Corso) Work Dogs Magazine N°119/120 Luglio 2002
Meet John and Athena Work Dogs Magazine N°125 Gennaio 2003
Training in Drive: Drive Difensiva Lilia Bozzetti and John Soares Work Dogs Magazine N°132 Luglio 2003
Una coda per comunicare (A tail for communication) Monami Magazine N°6 Luglio 2003
Sua Maestà Versatilità (His Majesty Versatility) Monami Magazine N°7 Settembre 2003
Step one: FUSS Work Dogs Magazine N°133 Settembre 2003
Balla col Cane (Dance with the Dog) Work Dogs Magazine N°135 Novembre 2003
Drive Sessuale (Sex Drive) Lilia Bozzetti and John Soares Work Dogs Magazine N°139 Marzo 2004
Il movimente (The Movement) Lilia Bozzetti and John Soares Work Dogs Magazine Maggio 2004 Il cuore per vincere (the heart to win) Work Dogs Magazine Settembre 2004

Seminars:
“Canine Basic Education” Ancona 2001, 2002, 2003,2004 Foligno 2001 Brescia 2000, 2001, 2004
“Canine Advance Education” Ancona 2002, 2003, 2004
“Workshop for trainers” Ancona 2003, 2004