About Rikke
“Helping dogs and their humans understand each other’s point is my jam. Those ‘lightbulb’ moments and breakthroughs never get old—it’s like being a translator between two species. Feeling understood and heard makes us all happier, less frustrated, and more confident, and makes the training journey so much more pleasant.”
- Rikke Brogaard, CPDT-KA, PMCT2, FDM, FFCT.
Rikke Brogaard, CPDT-KA, PMCT2, FDM, FFCT
A lifelong animal lover and self-proclaimed behavior nerd, I grew up in Denmark surrounded by dogs, cats, and horses.
After moving to New York in my mid-twenties, I found myself spending more and more time with my dog and her friends—and their humans, who often became my friends too. My curiosity about how dogs think and communicate grew, and I devoured every book, article, and video on dog behavior I could find. I also attended seminars and workshops to deepen my understanding and hone my training skills. In 2002, inspired by my mentor, the incredible Pat Miller, I decided to turn my passion into a profession. My journey as a professional dog trainer began in 2004 when I launched RikkeB dogtraining, a New York-based training and behavior service offering one on one training for dogs and their humans in New York City. That same year also marked the beginning of a an almost 20 year stint as a volunteer behavior consultant, rescuer, foster parent, and many time adopter for MAGDRL, the Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League.
In 2012, I co-founded the NY Force Free Trainers Program with my fellow trainer, Jenny Chun-Ossowski (CPDT-KA, PMCT3), later joined by Vivian Arzoumanian (CDBC, CPDT-KA, CBATI, PMCT2, FDM). Together, we mentored and trained a new generation of dog trainers in reward-based training, client coaching, ethics, and business practices. I’m proud to say many of our students have gone on to become rock stars in the Force Free training community, making a real difference for dogs and their humans. I loved teaching other trainers, and I’d like to do it again when the time is right.
One of my favorite long-term collaborators and clients was Mt Sinai Children’s Hospital in New York City, where I trained the three wonderful full-time facility dogs in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, along with their handlers, for several years. Together, we developed daily routines that balanced play, enrichment, and decompression between the dogs’ responsibilities as patient and staff support animals. We also worked on specific skills, tricks, and games that helped keeping their work fun.
When the Covid crisis hit, and the dogs’ responsibilities changed overnight, I had to quickly adapt and find creative, safe ways to support them. Being challenged to think outside the box to create effective solutions made me a more creative and resourceful trainer, as well as a more adaptable person. I love the dance of it; for me, it’s the perfect combination of art and science.
Most recently, I was part of the highly skilled team of Behavior Veterinarians and Behavior Consultants at Behavior Vets NYC for 2 2/2 years starting in 2021. My work there was almost exclusively helping dogs with complex and often heartbreaking behavior challenges live better, less stressful, lives with their humans. Many of my clients were located in other states or cities, and I realized that meeting with them online via Zoom was just as effective—sometimes even more so—than meeting in person.I knew that any future iteration of RikkeBDog would include a significant virtual training component.
After over 30 years in New York, I craved a change of pace and returned to my native Denmark in 2023. Jumping straight from Brooklyn to a remote place on an island was a significant life change, but I was ready for the adventure, and I missed being my own boss. I now live in a farmhouse rented from a local castle, surrounded by nature—and yes, it’s just as magical as I envisioned.
Here in my office, with a perfect view of fields and water, I provide one-on-one virtual behavior consulting and training to clients worldwide, and I also see a limited number of in-person clients.
Future plans include mentoring trainers again, hosting workshops, offering online training programs, and increasing availability for public speaking events. Stay tuned, and reach out to say hi.
