About
I help people in Chattanooga, TN and beyond build stronger, more trusting relationships with fearful, reactive, and aggressive dogs, especially dogs who have experienced trauma, conflict, or repeated stress. My work is grounded in relationship-based behavior modification and informed by my studies with the Canine Human Relationship Institute. Rather than focusing primarily on teaching a dog commands or changing behavior through repetition, I help people learn how to truly understand their dogs and become a calm, clear, and trustworthy source of guidance.
I believe meaningful behavioral change begins with the relationship between the dog and the person. Dogs are constantly observing us and responding to our movement, posture, breathing, tension, intention, and emotional state. They are also deeply influenced by the environment we create around them. Because of this, behavior cannot always be understood in isolation. Instead of asking only, “How do we stop this behavior?” I encourage owners to ask, “What is my dog experiencing, what is he communicating, and what does he need from me right now?”
My approach is not about dominance, control, or creating obedience for its own sake. It is about developing leadership through trust, clarity, composure, and consistency. Dogs living in a human-constructed world are often asked to navigate situations they did not choose and do not naturally understand. When their person can provide a clear path forward, acknowledge what the dog is communicating, and remain composed under pressure, the dog has less responsibility to make every decision for himself. Over time, this creates the kind of trust that allows a dog to look to his person for guidance rather than feeling that he has to handle everything on his own.
This work also recognizes the importance of allowing dogs to be dogs. Biological fulfillment, exploration, sniffing, movement, rest, appropriate social experiences, and opportunities to engage with the environment are not separate from behavior work. They are part of the relationship. I want dogs and their people to experience the world together, with the human learning to take an genuine interest in what matters to the dog while also providing direction and structure when needed.
My goal is not simply to make a dog behave differently. It is to help people become better partners for their dogs. That means learning to read subtle communication, becoming more aware of our own state and behavior, understanding what our dogs are telling us, and developing the confidence to guide them through difficult moments without adding unnecessary conflict or pressure.
When a dog can trust that his person will see what is happening, respond appropriately, and provide a clear path forward, the relationship begins to change. And when the relationship changes, behavior often has the opportunity to change with it. This is the foundation of my work: reaching the dog rather than simply teaching the dog, and helping humans and dogs learn how to navigate the world together.
Leah Lykos
Owner and Founder of Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga, TN
423-468-0840 (please leave a message or text so I can get back to you)
My Experience and Learning
2026: RBBM 1 taught by Nelson Hodges at Canine-Human Relationship Institute
Analyzing Dogs as taught by Nelson Hodges at Canine-Human Relationship Institute
Dog Somatics 101: Foundations given by Waldrup Somatic Method
2025: Attended the Polyvagal Institute International Gathering, The Vagus Nerve: A Path to Wellness where I presented my poster on Polyvagal Exercises for Dogs
Completed Drive and Focus online course created by STSK9
Graduated from Triple Helix given by Canine Decoded
Completed online webinar Rethinking Heat Injury in Working Dogs
Graduated from Canine Conditioning 101 presented by Northeast Canine Conditioning
Renewed my Pet Tech CPR and First Aid Certification
Dick Staal Online Training School: Indication Behavior, Directional Training, Retrieving Course
2024: Became a volunteer at Humane Educational Society
Completed the Fear Free Shelter Program
Joined the JRH Academy and completed the 10 Hacks Workshop and Simply Behavior Lectures
2023: Completed Irene Lyon's 21 Day Nervous System Tune-Up
Completed The Trust Technique Foundation Course
2022: Renewed my certification with PetTech by taking the CPR and First Aid for Pets course given by Lynn Passfield
2021: Certified as a Level One Instructor in Canine Resistance Training
2020: Completed Pets For Vets seminar: ACE Selection Protocol: Building the Super Bond
2019: Completed Pets For Vets workshop: Working With a Veteran to Create the Super Bond, Baltimore, MD
Completed the BCT/Stillness Touch Initiatory Course given by Giorgia Milne in Micanopy, FL
Completed the PetTech CPR and First Aid for Pets course, given by April Begosh in Portsmouth, NH
2018: Accepted invitation to become a Pets For Vets volunteer trainer with the Portland Chapter
Attended a three-day immersion training led by Kris Taylor of Taylor Made Working Dogs, San Diego, CA
Completed Introduction to K9 Decoying Workshop, given by Dave Pappalardo of K9 Unlimited, Franklin, NJ
2017: Completed my apprenticeship with Kevin Behan
2016: Founded Canine Movement Lab, home of Canine Core Method
2015: Hosted Natural Dog Training Workshop with Kevin Behan, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
2014: Completed 230-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Asheville Yoga Center in North Carolina
2013: Opened The Evolved Dog, online retail store for dog supplies
2011-2017: Studied Natural Dog Training with founder Kevin Behan in Newfane, Vermont
2004-2010: Various jobs in Real Estate and other endeavors, volunteer dog walker at Midcoast Humane in Brunswick, Maine
2003: Graduated from Concordia University in Montreal with a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Creative Writing
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