Me
| About me |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
I am from Denmark and very much still feel like a
Dane, even though I have lived in the US for several
years.
I was a bookish child, but not nerdish, and always
reading. It was mostly youth novels but they were
about animals, people with special relationships with
their pets, other cultures, detectives and solving
puzzles, historical figures and times, and I would pick
up all kinds of information that brewed in my head.
Everybody thought I would become a vet some day but
my interests were more concerning behavior, not that
I knew how to define it back then. For a long time I
hoped to become a zoo keeper, but it wasn't easy, and
I never found a way.
Dane, even though I have lived in the US for several
years.
I was a bookish child, but not nerdish, and always
reading. It was mostly youth novels but they were
about animals, people with special relationships with
their pets, other cultures, detectives and solving
puzzles, historical figures and times, and I would pick
up all kinds of information that brewed in my head.
Everybody thought I would become a vet some day but
my interests were more concerning behavior, not that
I knew how to define it back then. For a long time I
hoped to become a zoo keeper, but it wasn't easy, and
I never found a way.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
In 1988-'89 I recieved a Rotary scholarship to West Georgia College for
three quarters. It was a "social" scholarship, and studying wasn't very
important while getting to know Americans and people from other cultures
was. It was a great time with an overwhelming amount of inputs. Coming
back to Denmark was a bit dull and depressing.
Somewhere in all this I met a guy named Mark, had a few dates, and
thought nothing more of it. It wasn't until over a year later that we
happened to get in touch again when he wrote me a letter and I replied and
back and forth. When I made it back to the US to visit friends, I met a
more mature and much improved Mark and we hit it off. After a couple
more visits to Georgia, he came to spend part of a summer with me in
Denmark, and we also managed to do a car trip in Europe, especially Italy.
three quarters. It was a "social" scholarship, and studying wasn't very
important while getting to know Americans and people from other cultures
was. It was a great time with an overwhelming amount of inputs. Coming
back to Denmark was a bit dull and depressing.
Somewhere in all this I met a guy named Mark, had a few dates, and
thought nothing more of it. It wasn't until over a year later that we
happened to get in touch again when he wrote me a letter and I replied and
back and forth. When I made it back to the US to visit friends, I met a
more mature and much improved Mark and we hit it off. After a couple
more visits to Georgia, he came to spend part of a summer with me in
Denmark, and we also managed to do a car trip in Europe, especially Italy.
Naturally, I always wanted pets, but the one on the very top of my wish list was a dog. But no, my father wouldn't
allow it. So it was guinea pigs and budgies for many years. Finally I had a breakthrough! I had, of course, befriended
the dog owners in the neighborhood, and one day, one of them asked if I could pet-sit their lovely golden retriever
bitch for a week and my dad gave his permission. I still remember the moment when he came down the stairs from
the upper floor, looked down at the dog resting on the floor below and said something to the effect of Dogs really
aren't that Bad! Next thing I knew, my mother had persuaded him to let us get a dog (she is also an animal lover,
though not as intensely as me) and we were researching dog breeds.
To make a long story short, we went and got a flat-coated retriever! That breed will always be one of my favorites,
it just has so many good qualities. I came up with the name Tanga, and as luck would have it, I learned about Roger
Abrantes and his Kynologisk Center just after we had been through our first training class. I got a spot on Roger's
kids' summer camp. We loved it and returned for another camp, and as the oldest kid there and familiar with the
exercises I helped the new kids. Again we returned and helped some more. One of the instructors was Jan Kofoed
Jensen, and when he and another of Roger students, Merete Mader, were looking for assistants for their newly
opened Den Alternative Hundeskole, it made sense to ask me and a fellow camp participant named Gitte. We started
out as assistants and after some seasons we were promoted to instructors.
The field of dog training was alive with new ideas at that time. Agility was invented and came to Denmark, positive
reinforcement methods in dog training surfaced, and Roger and his students were smack dab in the middle of all
this, often being the ones to practice and promote it. It seeped into police dog training, Dansk Kennel Klub and all
sorts of dog clubs and regular homes that wanted the best for their family dog.
Jan and Merete helped start Dansk Agility Forening and Gitte and I got involved, too. Den Alternative Hundeskole
closed for personal reasons and for a while it was just agility.
When I got my beauceron, Icone, I took him to training in Dansk Kennel Klub, and got involved in teaching there, so I
went through their instructor education for Puppy Kindergarten and the assistant part of Level 1 obedience. I only
had time to get my PK certificate before moving to the US.
allow it. So it was guinea pigs and budgies for many years. Finally I had a breakthrough! I had, of course, befriended
the dog owners in the neighborhood, and one day, one of them asked if I could pet-sit their lovely golden retriever
bitch for a week and my dad gave his permission. I still remember the moment when he came down the stairs from
the upper floor, looked down at the dog resting on the floor below and said something to the effect of Dogs really
aren't that Bad! Next thing I knew, my mother had persuaded him to let us get a dog (she is also an animal lover,
though not as intensely as me) and we were researching dog breeds.
To make a long story short, we went and got a flat-coated retriever! That breed will always be one of my favorites,
it just has so many good qualities. I came up with the name Tanga, and as luck would have it, I learned about Roger
Abrantes and his Kynologisk Center just after we had been through our first training class. I got a spot on Roger's
kids' summer camp. We loved it and returned for another camp, and as the oldest kid there and familiar with the
exercises I helped the new kids. Again we returned and helped some more. One of the instructors was Jan Kofoed
Jensen, and when he and another of Roger students, Merete Mader, were looking for assistants for their newly
opened Den Alternative Hundeskole, it made sense to ask me and a fellow camp participant named Gitte. We started
out as assistants and after some seasons we were promoted to instructors.
The field of dog training was alive with new ideas at that time. Agility was invented and came to Denmark, positive
reinforcement methods in dog training surfaced, and Roger and his students were smack dab in the middle of all
this, often being the ones to practice and promote it. It seeped into police dog training, Dansk Kennel Klub and all
sorts of dog clubs and regular homes that wanted the best for their family dog.
Jan and Merete helped start Dansk Agility Forening and Gitte and I got involved, too. Den Alternative Hundeskole
closed for personal reasons and for a while it was just agility.
When I got my beauceron, Icone, I took him to training in Dansk Kennel Klub, and got involved in teaching there, so I
went through their instructor education for Puppy Kindergarten and the assistant part of Level 1 obedience. I only
had time to get my PK certificate before moving to the US.
I went to the US again and we drove west to Las Vegas. On January 21, 1995, at 10 o'clock at night, we were married at the Graceland
Wedding Chapel. I was given away by Elvis Jones! Two friends from San Francisco had joined us to witness and celebrate with us.
The week after, I went back to Denmark while Mark stayed in Georgia to finish his semester at school. Then he moved to Denmark with
most of his belongings in two military duffel bags. That was the last time any of us were able to move that easily.
Wedding Chapel. I was given away by Elvis Jones! Two friends from San Francisco had joined us to witness and celebrate with us.
The week after, I went back to Denmark while Mark stayed in Georgia to finish his semester at school. Then he moved to Denmark with
most of his belongings in two military duffel bags. That was the last time any of us were able to move that easily.
I had been accepted to the University in the early 90ies. My dream was still to do something involving animal behavior. At the time, there
was no education in Denmark where you could learn about that subject besides one or two special classes as a biology major. I applied to
SPRØK (business finances and language/corrospondence) and was in the process of moving to Odense when I was informed that I had also
been accepted to the Psychology school in Copenhagen. I was interested in human psychology because of its relevance to dog psychology,
but I had also become more and more interested in the psychology of people over time. But it was hard to get into the school, and I still
have no idea why they qualified me for a spot. Maybe they were convinced by my extensive experience in dog training and my stay abroad.
was no education in Denmark where you could learn about that subject besides one or two special classes as a biology major. I applied to
SPRØK (business finances and language/corrospondence) and was in the process of moving to Odense when I was informed that I had also
been accepted to the Psychology school in Copenhagen. I was interested in human psychology because of its relevance to dog psychology,
but I had also become more and more interested in the psychology of people over time. But it was hard to get into the school, and I still
have no idea why they qualified me for a spot. Maybe they were convinced by my extensive experience in dog training and my stay abroad.
Whenever I could during my bachelor years, I would incorporate dogs into the material. My BA-thesis was on comparative psychology and
was very well received. For my Master's level I chose developmental psychology, and again I combined theories and experiences from
animal and human psychology. I finished my MA course work but we decided to move to the US before I had finished my thesis. I thought
I could finish writing it in the US but that turned out to be wrong. The first years were hard, and later I just never could get back to it.
At that point I had already become involved in the Idaho Humane Society as a volunteer and spent a good bit of time with that, besides
having a job.
was very well received. For my Master's level I chose developmental psychology, and again I combined theories and experiences from
animal and human psychology. I finished my MA course work but we decided to move to the US before I had finished my thesis. I thought
I could finish writing it in the US but that turned out to be wrong. The first years were hard, and later I just never could get back to it.
At that point I had already become involved in the Idaho Humane Society as a volunteer and spent a good bit of time with that, besides
having a job.
I didn't have a way to get back into dog training, and only used my expertise during the time I helped with dog evaluations once a week. I
also wrote the internet descriptions for the shelter's website for a while.
I did some agility with Thunder and fostered a few dogs (and kept 2) but didn't have the time or, especially, money for anything else.
First I worked in the school system as a teacher's assistant, then for a few months as a Psycho Social Rehabilitation Specialist for a
private company that contracted with Health and Welfare (but the promised work never came), and finally I took a part time job with a
private company as a substitute child care provider. All these jobs payed poorly and the two last ones were quite tough.
Finally, our financial situation and Mark's job prospects got so bad that we decided to move. Mark heard about some good entry-level jobs
in his chosen field back in the metro Atlanta area, applied, and got hired. We loaded the U-haul and car and drove to Georgia. That was a
turning point and things started going better. Mark was happy at work, I had a part time job as a substitute in our county, and I
volunteered with Zoo Atlanta, which was incredible. Unfortunately, we didn't like living in the south, and a crazy neighbor forced us to look
for a new place to live, so we decided that we might as well move back west while we were at it. New jobs had opened up back in Boise and
Mark applied and got accepted. I was sad to leave Zoo Atlanta, but pleased to be getting back to beautiful Idaho and the Idaho Humane
Society. So this time we rented 2 U-hauls and drove back to Boise.
also wrote the internet descriptions for the shelter's website for a while.
I did some agility with Thunder and fostered a few dogs (and kept 2) but didn't have the time or, especially, money for anything else.
First I worked in the school system as a teacher's assistant, then for a few months as a Psycho Social Rehabilitation Specialist for a
private company that contracted with Health and Welfare (but the promised work never came), and finally I took a part time job with a
private company as a substitute child care provider. All these jobs payed poorly and the two last ones were quite tough.
Finally, our financial situation and Mark's job prospects got so bad that we decided to move. Mark heard about some good entry-level jobs
in his chosen field back in the metro Atlanta area, applied, and got hired. We loaded the U-haul and car and drove to Georgia. That was a
turning point and things started going better. Mark was happy at work, I had a part time job as a substitute in our county, and I
volunteered with Zoo Atlanta, which was incredible. Unfortunately, we didn't like living in the south, and a crazy neighbor forced us to look
for a new place to live, so we decided that we might as well move back west while we were at it. New jobs had opened up back in Boise and
Mark applied and got accepted. I was sad to leave Zoo Atlanta, but pleased to be getting back to beautiful Idaho and the Idaho Humane
Society. So this time we rented 2 U-hauls and drove back to Boise.
We chose to move to Boise, Idaho because we wanted to try to live somewhere that wasn't the place that Mark came from. We wanted to
try something new. I had long been fascinated by the West and big, dramatic landscapes. Mark just happened to know someone who had
moved to Boise and recommended it, so we chose to give it a try.
try something new. I had long been fascinated by the West and big, dramatic landscapes. Mark just happened to know someone who had
moved to Boise and recommended it, so we chose to give it a try.
Mark was and is really happy with his new job, and I went back to working for my old employer for a while. Mark found out that he loves
working the night shift and started to make decent money, so we decided that it wasn't worth the little I could earn for me to keep my
part-time job, which was also causing me to get a lot of headaches. Also, the dogs would make noise while Mark tried to sleep during the
day, and we had trouble planning time together. I was also getting more and more involved with my volunteer work at the shelter.
I had also volunteered for Zoo Boise for a little while but it got to be too much with all these scattered activities. I still like to help out
with major events when I can.
With more time and flexibility I have been able to return to some of my old activities at the shelter as well as add new projects. I really
miss teaching dog owners how to make better and happier family members out of their pets, and I finally feel I am on the right track to
be able to consider myself an instructor again. My dream is to offer classes to the public in my own name in the not too distant future.
working the night shift and started to make decent money, so we decided that it wasn't worth the little I could earn for me to keep my
part-time job, which was also causing me to get a lot of headaches. Also, the dogs would make noise while Mark tried to sleep during the
day, and we had trouble planning time together. I was also getting more and more involved with my volunteer work at the shelter.
I had also volunteered for Zoo Boise for a little while but it got to be too much with all these scattered activities. I still like to help out
with major events when I can.
With more time and flexibility I have been able to return to some of my old activities at the shelter as well as add new projects. I really
miss teaching dog owners how to make better and happier family members out of their pets, and I finally feel I am on the right track to
be able to consider myself an instructor again. My dream is to offer classes to the public in my own name in the not too distant future.
