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Name: K-9 Care

Type of business: Dog behavior service

Telephone: (908) 769-8074

Web site: www.k9care.com

Number of employees: 1

Founded: 1980

Top officer: Jeff Cushner

How would you describe your business?

"I'm a dog behaviorist. I deal in solving people's problems with their dogs," said Jeff Cushner, who has been working with dogs for more than 25 years.

"Our philosophy is based on what the dog's natural instincts are. The dog's natural instincts are to be in a pack and be led or to be the leader. The relationship is the key thing. With a dog-owner relationship only one can lead. Dogs are descendants of wolves and have a pack mentality. They need to know where they stand in the group. The owner is the only one to be in control -- you can't co-exist with a dog. If the owner doesn't take control, the dog is leading, not being led. The dog is running the house and the owners are acting like servants.

"The behavior course is three sessions once a week in the owner's home where the problems are occurring with the dog. The first session is two hours and one hour for each of the other two sessions."

What makes your business special?

"I come to the home and work with the entire family. The entire family needs to be involved to ensure the training is consistent. I don't have classes with a group of dogs and their owners. This is in contrast to 'trainers' who will teach some tricks without changing the behavior.

"Our family home classes work where you need the education to occur, with the dog in your home where the problems are occurring and where I need to be able to see the true behavior occurring. The cure comes from working through the problems that are occurring in the present when they are occurring in situations that I can produce where the dog is comfortable enough to produce behavior we are working at resolving."

What goals do you have for the business?

"My primary goal is to re-educate the world to learn what dog behavior really is instead of the media perception of making dogs into furry humans rather than what dogs are -- magnificent animals that make rational decisions."

How has your business changed?

"When I started I would hold classes for group training of dogs. But I found no matter how convenient it is for me and the dog owner, classes don't solve the problems owners want solved. I was teaching dogs to perform, but not solving the inherent behavior problem. I no longer hold group classes. My business changed into working one on one with families."

What was your most important deal?

"My understanding more about dog behavior and how it can be modified. When I started I didn't know more than most trainers. When I worked with dogs, I found dog behavior went a lot deeper. I began to understand the relationship between dogs and man. Before any proper behavior can occur a dog's basic needs -- security, nutrition, water, and social interaction -- must be met. The owner must be the dog's benevolent leader to clearly communicate the rules for the dogs. Using food or treats will make the dogs perform for own selfish needs giving the illusion your dog is behaving but the dog will be working for what you have rather than for who you are."

What changes do you expect in next 10 years?

"The change I want is to get more well known. I was written up in The New York Times. I had my own show on local cable for four months on a local TV station and appeared on Channel 12 back in late 1990s."

What's the most important thing you've learned in your business?

"People need to be re-educated about their dogs. It's not the dog that's the issue, it's people. In order to do this business you've got to love people and dogs."

What advice would you give to someone considering your line of work?

"There are no shortcuts, no easy ways to do this. You have to put in a lot of work and time. You have to put in the effort. I'd tell anyone doing this to not just look at this work as an entrepreneur but as a 'propreneur' -- someone who believes in what he is doing and is passionate about his work."

Is there anything else you would be doing?

"In college, I was a physics major with a minor in psychology. I graduated and became a systems analyst for 11 years. Then I found that working with people and their dogs brought all my talents together. I'd be doing this even if I won the lottery."