About us

Suzanne Clothier has been working with animals professionally since 1977. She is an widely respected trainer who has taught on a broad range of topics throughout the US and internationally for many conferences and training groups.

An award-winning author, her book Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships (2002) was groundbreaking when published, and now considered a life changing classic by many readers. Suzanne’s innovative work reflects the experience of a lifetime spent living with and caring for dogs and many other animals. Her influence can be seen across many spectrums of the dog world, from companion dogs to training, service dog organizations, breeders, academics, professional organizations, and AAI/AAT. Her ground-breaking work include her humane, effective Relationship Centered Training (RCT™) approach to dog training; her Enriched Puppy Protocol (early puppyhood development) which is the foundation for multiple guide and service dog organization raising practices; and her assessment tools: CARAT (temperament assessment), RAT (relationship assessment), and FAT.

The FAT app reflects Suzanne’s detailed and nuanced approach to understanding the dog as a whole being across physiological, cognitive and social domains. Knowing that any animal’s needs can change from day to day, she developed FAT to provide a powerful tool to collect and track the timely information needed so that all caretakers for that dog can provide the best quality care.

Suzanne lives with her incredibly patient husband, John Rice, and their animal family (dogs, cats, parrots, horses, donkeys, cattle, pigs, chickens & tortoises) on their upstate New York farm.

Learn more about Suzanne’s work, courses, webinars and publications at SuzanneClothier.com.

Heather Leonard has always had a great love for animals – surrounding herself with many different animals from a young age. Following her BS in Biopsychology with a focus on Animal Behavior, she worked as a veterinary technician for many years. She currently runs The Bark & Call Inn, an in-home boarding/daycare on her farm.

Heather has been working with Suzanne since 2002. She had the privilege of implementing Suzanne’s training program at Guiding Eyes for the Blind. She brings her lifelong animal experience and professional expertise to her work with Suzanne on FAT™ and other programs.

Heather lives on a New England farm with her husband, Andy, and a family of animals – horses, goats, dogs, cats and chickens. Heather is an integral part of the FAT™ team, working side by side with Suzanne at every step.

Raised on a Kansas horse farm surrounded by a myriad of animals, Sen started young caring for and training a menagerie of animals. His long experience as a Large and Small Animal veterinary technician for over 20-years includes management in every board certified veterinary specialty.

He is the owner of Mister Beever’s Paws & Claws in Oakland, CA, as well as being the founder of Piedmont Dog Trainer. As a Do No Harm Animal Trainer, Sen never employs prong, choke, shock or painful methods. Instead he uses his wealth of veterinary knowledge and proven science based training methods to help people and their animals develop healthy relationships and to improve quality of life.

Sen was one of the first to recognize the potential of FAT, and to support this project on many levels.

He lives in Oakland, CA with partner Alex and their considerable animal family.