About
I work with people and their fearful, reactive, and aggressive dogs, especially those who have experienced conflict, trauma, or repeated stress. At the heart of my work is a simple belief: dogs and humans are deeply connected, and their nervous systems are constantly communicating with one another.
Rather than focusing on behavior alone, I help people understand what their dog’s nervous system is experiencing and how safety, stress, and connection show up in the body. Because dogs are so attuned to the emotional and physiological states of the humans around them, I also invite clients to gently explore how their own nervous system may be influencing the household. This work often feels less like “training” and more like tending to a family system—where the dog may be carrying visible symptoms, but everyone is part of the healing process.
I specialize in supporting dogs who are stuck in survival states such as fight, flight, or shutdown. Using principles drawn from somatic therapy and Polyvagal Theory, I create slow, body-based practices that help dogs feel safe enough to soften, settle, and reconnect. The goal is not to push dogs beyond their limits, but to help them gradually build trust in their bodies, their environment, and their relationships.
My mission is to help people learn how to listen—to their dog, to the subtle signals of the nervous system, and to themselves. When we care for a dog’s sense of safety, we often discover a doorway into our own healing as well. This work is about restoring connection, not just changing behavior.
Leah Lykos
Owner and Founder of Canine Movement Lab
My Experience and Learning
2026: Dog Somatics 101: Foundations given by Waldrup Somatic Method
Dick Staal Online Training School: Indication Behavior, Directional Training, Retrieving Course
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
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
Please use this contact form if you would like more information on our training programs: