Jordan Michaels
Behavior Modification Manager
A Little Bit About Jordan
Jordan has been active in the world of animal welfare since her teenage years, rescuing and fostering countless dogs, (primarily bully breeds) and supporting local Chicagoland animal shelters by both volunteering and serving on leadership boards. Through her years of training/rescue, Jordan has become familiar with multiple behavioral concerns and disorders that commonly occur in animal shelters and advocates for treatments focused around cooperative care, counter-conditioning, and desensitization. Jordan has also taught numerous obedience classes, sport classes, tricks classes, shy/fearful and reactivity classes through the years. She also offers free training support for local area shelters in need to help homeless animals throughout Chicago find forever loving homes.
Jordan is a professional canine behavior trainer and educator certified through Karen Pryor Academy, Animal Behavior College (ABCDT), and evaluator for AKC Trick Title and Canine Good Citizen (CGC). Jordan utilizes science and data-backed training methods, rooted in reinforcement and relationship-building with the animal learner.
Professional Development & Continued Education: 2023 Aggression in Dogs Conference, 2023 Cooperative Care: Husbandry at home with Laura Monaco Torelli, 2023 Summit: Building Reinforcement Systems for Accelerated Learning, 2022 Canine Problem Solvers series with Pat Miller, Malena DeMartini, Trish King, Dr. Ellen Lindell and Susan Garrett, 2019 Foundational Shelter Workshop – First Train Home, 2019 Positive Solutions to Canine Aggression with Pat Miller
Jordan’s Role at PAWS: As the Behavior Modification Manager, Jordan helps shelter animals and handlers identify areas of common concerns like stereotypical aggression, leash reactivity, and separation distress. Jordan also builds training focus around support exercises that help manage arousal, impulse control, and fear/anxiety often seen in shelters. In her role, she’s instrumental in the creation, training, and management of behavior modification and support plans for individual animal success.
Jordan’s Fun Facts: Jordan stays busy at home with 3 dogs (a Staffie mix, a Lab/GSD, and a Malinois), 2 cats, a menagerie of fish and reptiles, and a very active toddler that sometimes makes her Malinois seem sedentary. Jordan has also made an impact in the foster community by fostering 30+ dogs of all ages and sizes with a variety of medical and behavioral challenges.
