Steve Austin (dog trainer)
Encyclopedia
Steve Austin is an Australian dog trainer, who has been training dogs for over 25 years. He is renown as one of Australia's top animal trainers, with a particular skill in dog behaviour and training. His lifetime in dog training has seen him train animals for quarantine, search and rescue, police work, and wildlife preservation, among other roles. He has also travelled internationally lecturing and training dogs. He is president of the Pet Industry Association of Australia (PIAA).
Austin and his wife, Vicki, own Pet Resorts Australia in Dural and Terrigal, NSW, where they offer dog boarding and training. Here, Austin has the role of ‘leading dog trainer’ and supervises all training.
for 10 years (1996–2006) where he pioneered training dogs to indicate materials that were potentially dangerous to Australia, particularly food products. He has also worked with state-branches of quarantine in several states.
Much of Austin's work has been around training dogs for scent detection and many of the dogs used for this work are rescued from shelter situations. He is recognized as being the trainer of Australia’s first truffle detector dog in Tasmania. He has also been involved in training termite
detector dogs. He has worked with the Californian Narcotic Drug Association and California Narcotic and Explosive Detector Dog Association on training dogs for narcotic
detection. He has been involved in training dogs internationally, including New Caledonia Agricultural Detector Dog Unit.
In Australia, he has often trained dogs for environmental roles, including training dogs to locate cats and foxes in the Kimberley, WA, Australia, to locate rabbits and rodents, on Macquarie Island
, Australia, and also to locate cane toad
s. He also trained fox detection dogs for Lane Cove Council, NSW. Fox detecting dogs have also been trained by Austin for use in Manly, NSW
, and these dogs have also been trained to alert to fairy penguins, for conservation purposes. Similarly, he has trained dogs to alert to Murray River Turtles. In Nambia, Africa, he has trained dogs to track cheetah
scats.
Additionally, Austin has lectured to international audiences, including: American law enforcement agencies, at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo
, Mt Everest Kennel Club in Katmandu, colleges throughout Japan, and Czech Republic Customs Detector Dog Unit. He has been involved with temperament assessing dogs in a variety of contexts, both in Australia and California.
Austin has owned and trained an Australian Obedience Champion and two Field Trial
Champions, and also is licensed and active as a judge with the Australian National Kennel Club (ANKC)
for these events. He once won the Sydney Royal Dog Obedience Utility Dog Section.
, he advocates exercise as a cure for some behavioural problems. He also advocates the Nothing In life Is Free (NILIF) methods, though does not refer to the program by name.
, Celebrity Dog School
, Harry’s Practice
, 60 Minutes and The 7:30 Report. In 2011 he received much television exposure for his work in training rabbit and rodent indicating dogs for seabird preservation on Macquarie Island.
Personal life
Steve Austin, as a 12 year old, was given a puppy. This dog was called “Sooty”, and he taught the dog to balance a schooner of beer on its head.Austin and his wife, Vicki, own Pet Resorts Australia in Dural and Terrigal, NSW, where they offer dog boarding and training. Here, Austin has the role of ‘leading dog trainer’ and supervises all training.
Career
Austin was notably the National Detector Dog Trainer with the Australian Quarantine Inspection ServicesAustralian Quarantine and Inspection Service
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian quarantine laws...
for 10 years (1996–2006) where he pioneered training dogs to indicate materials that were potentially dangerous to Australia, particularly food products. He has also worked with state-branches of quarantine in several states.
Much of Austin's work has been around training dogs for scent detection and many of the dogs used for this work are rescued from shelter situations. He is recognized as being the trainer of Australia’s first truffle detector dog in Tasmania. He has also been involved in training termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
detector dogs. He has worked with the Californian Narcotic Drug Association and California Narcotic and Explosive Detector Dog Association on training dogs for narcotic
Narcotic
The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
detection. He has been involved in training dogs internationally, including New Caledonia Agricultural Detector Dog Unit.
In Australia, he has often trained dogs for environmental roles, including training dogs to locate cats and foxes in the Kimberley, WA, Australia, to locate rabbits and rodents, on Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage...
, Australia, and also to locate cane toad
Cane Toad
The Cane Toad , also known as the Giant Neotropical Toad or Marine Toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad which is native to Central and South America, but has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean...
s. He also trained fox detection dogs for Lane Cove Council, NSW. Fox detecting dogs have also been trained by Austin for use in Manly, NSW
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
, and these dogs have also been trained to alert to fairy penguins, for conservation purposes. Similarly, he has trained dogs to alert to Murray River Turtles. In Nambia, Africa, he has trained dogs to track cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
scats.
Additionally, Austin has lectured to international audiences, including: American law enforcement agencies, at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on 7 October 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman...
, Mt Everest Kennel Club in Katmandu, colleges throughout Japan, and Czech Republic Customs Detector Dog Unit. He has been involved with temperament assessing dogs in a variety of contexts, both in Australia and California.
Austin has owned and trained an Australian Obedience Champion and two Field Trial
Field trial
A field trial is a competitive event at which hunting dogs compete against one another. There are field trials for retrievers, pointing dogs and flushing dogs. Field trials are usually organized by kennel clubs or other gun dog organizations...
Champions, and also is licensed and active as a judge with the Australian National Kennel Club (ANKC)
Australian National Kennel Council
The Australian National Kennel Council is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by individuals across Australia. It was formed in...
for these events. He once won the Sydney Royal Dog Obedience Utility Dog Section.
Methods
Austin believes in using both rewards and punishments in training dogs. Many of his scent detector dogs are trained with a rolled towel as a reward. Like Cesar MillanCesar Millan
Cesar Millan, is a Mexican-born American dog trainer. A self-taught expert, he is widely known for his television series The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, now in its seventh season and broadcast in more than eighty countries worldwide...
, he advocates exercise as a cure for some behavioural problems. He also advocates the Nothing In life Is Free (NILIF) methods, though does not refer to the program by name.
Television Appearances
He has made a number of television appearances on including Talk With the AnimalsTalk to the Animals
"Talk to the Animals" is a song written by British composer, Leslie Bricusse.Written for the film, Doctor Dolittle, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 40th Academy Awards. It was performed in the film by Rex Harrison...
, Celebrity Dog School
Celebrity Dog School
Celebrity Dog School was an Australian reality series which aired on Network Ten. It was based on the original version aired in the UK. The show was hosted by Larry Emdur, who also hosted The Price is Right on the Nine Network, and Wheel of Fortune on the Seven Network...
, Harry’s Practice
Harry's Practice
Harry's Practice was an Australian lifestyle television program that broadcast on the Seven Network between 1997 and 2003. It is currently repeating on 7TWO at 7pm week nights. The show was hosted by vet Dr Harry Cooper, who provided advice for pet care. The show also featured Dr Katrina Warren and...
, 60 Minutes and The 7:30 Report. In 2011 he received much television exposure for his work in training rabbit and rodent indicating dogs for seabird preservation on Macquarie Island.