Dog trainer of the year Hayward woman surprised by top honor

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

By Michelle Beaver, STAFF WRITER - Inside Bay Area

HAYWARD

LISA Clifton-Bumpass was shocked when she was named dog trainer of the year in 2005 by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. It was a huge award, but small potatoes compared to what 2006 had in store.

Clifton-Bumpass of Hayward was recently notified that at a black tie gala in New York next week, she will be honored as dog trainer of the year by the most respected dog association in the country — the Westminster Kennel Club.

The highly acclaimed club will hold its 130th annual dog show in New York on Feb. 13 and 14. Clifton-Bumpass is excited beyond belief, but even more than that, she's nervous.

"I'm very anxious," she said. "I have been below the radar for a long time. I've never been comfortable being at the forefront, and this is about as at-the-forefront as can be."

When she first got the news last month, she didn't believe it.

"I thought it was just junk mail," she said. "I almost threw it out. When I did read it, I was certain it was a joke."

Some of her colleagues had nominated her, but they kept it a secret.

"They knew I would rebel against them if they asked my permission," she said, laughing. "They were very sneaky. When I did realize that this was all real, I thought, 'Why me?' This is such a large acknowledgment. You usually think of internationalspeakers or people who write books as the kind of people who take home these awards."

Clifton-Bumpass may not fit that mold, but she does meet just about every other canine-training qualification. Her rsum is pages long.

- She is a popular, respected mentor of professional trainers

- She's a leader of JavaDawgs, a renowned group for the owners of aggressive dogs

- She's a consultant for various shelters, rescue groups and humane organizations

- She's the creator of sports and obedience programs for Castro Valley, Union City, Dublin and Pleasanton.

Clifton-Bumpass has studied with world-class dog experts and has lectured across the country on the biology of aggression and socialization, animal first aid and other topics.

That's just the beginning. Her vast formal training at San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers and elsewhere helped Clifton-Bumpass, but no amount of formal training can take the place of observation, she said.

"I'm a behavior addict," she said. "I love to watch how the dogs are acting and see how the trainers are handling them. I'm fascinated to learn about what causes dogs to have certain personalities.

"They're living, loving, breathing, intelligent and emotional beings," she added.

She most enjoys her work with dogs that have mental disorders, such as phobias, aggression or anxiety. The average owner has been to at least six trainers by the time he or she finds Clifton-Bumpass.

"It's extremely emotional for me," she said. "The fact that people are able to develop strong relationships with their animals after so much trouble is absolutely satisfying to me. It moves me to tears."

Most people want to be good owners, but don't always know how.

"They feel helpless but are still deeply in love with their animals," she said. "It takes dedication to get a good relationship. Most dogs aren't a quick fix. They're not operated by a remote control."

Clifton-Bumpass has always loved dogs but didn't make a career of training them until she was injured during her job as a Hayward police officer in 1994.

Her skills don't work with all dogs though.

"Just like people, you don't connect with everyone," she said. "You can't save all the dogs. I'm very anti-recipe training, because each dog has different needs."

Clifton-Bumpass has four dogs, and will miss them next week, especially when she'll prepare to give a speech in front of thousands of people. She said she'll ask owners for "puppy kisses" from their dogs. Maybe it will take the edge off. She hopes so, anyway.