ABOUT JESSICA · SALT SPRING ISLAND, BC
Understanding behaviour and the relationships we share with animals.
Jessica Logan supports dogs and their people through nervous-system–based education and behaviour work that prioritizes regulation, relationship and real-life application. Her approach is grounded in neuroscience, ethology and lived experience.
My background also includes psychology, human services and self-regulation. These experiences inform my developing work in animal-assisted learning, bringing together an understanding of human development, animal behaviour and the relationships through which learning takes place.
Behavior makes more sense when we look at what's happening beneath it
A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE
Two worlds, one understanding.
For much of my early life, I travelled across North America handling dogs. Those years gave me thousands of hours of observation and shaped how I understand canine communication, behaviour and relationships.
Alongside my life with dogs, I studied psychology at university and worked in a social work capacity with youth at risk at Enviro's Wilderness School. My experience also includes supporting adults with diverse developmental needs.
Later, I spent approximately twenty years in private wellness practice, with a focus on movement and self-regulation.
Dogs have never disappeared from my life while I pursued this work. I continued learning from my own dogs and gradually began to see how these two fields of experience informed one another.
Today, I bring them together through an approach that considers the individual, the relationships involved and the conditions surrounding learning.
THE CONNECTING THREAD
Regulation changes what becomes possible.
Our ability to participate, communicate, make decisions and learn is influenced by stress, arousal, environment and a sense of safety. These considerations matter in work with both people and animals.
I pay particular attention to the nervous system, the environment and the relationships surrounding an individual. Behaviour is considered alongside developmental needs, previous experiences and the demands of everyday life.
Sometimes the most useful first step isn't introducing another exercise or expecting a different response. It's understanding what support is needed before learning can begin.
Different species. Many of the same questions.
TWO AREAS OF PRACTICE
Different needs.
A shared understanding.
Whether working with a dog experiencing behavioural difficulties, supporting a family raising a puppy or exploring opportunities for learning alongside animals, my work begins with understanding the individual.
ANIMAL-ASSISTED LEARNING
Jessica works with children and young people through individualized learning experiences involving animals.
Activities are shaped by the participant's interests, strengths and developmental needs, with opportunities to explore communication, problem-solving, confidence and connection.
The comfort, safety and choice of both the participant and the animal remain central to the work.
CANINE BEHAVIOUR & PUPPY DEVELOPMENT
Jessica provides individual behaviour support for dogs experiencing fear, anxiety, reactivity and other behavioural difficulties, as well as guidance for families raising puppies.
Her approach considers the dog's emotional and physical wellbeing, developmental history, environment and relationships.
Sessions focus on understanding the factors contributing to behaviour and developing practical ways to support the dog in everyday life.
The learning behind the work.
Jessica’s education includes studies in canine behaviour, animal-assisted approaches, human development and self-regulation. Her practical experience across these fields continues to shape how she observes, asks questions and approaches her work.
01 / ANIMALS
Canine behaviour & animal-assisted studies
Dr. Tom Mitchell · ProDog
Graduate-level coursework in the biology of behaviour and play-based concept training.
Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Completed graduate-level diploma in companion-animal behaviour science
COAPE & ILLIS Animal Behaviour
Advanced animal behaviour science.
Animal-Assisted Therapy · Trust Technique
Completed diploma programs in Animal-Assisted Therapy (Level 6).
02 / PEOPLE
Human development & regulation
University studies in psychology
Undergraduate studies in human development and behaviour.
Youth and developmental support
Enviros Wilderness School’s Trust Treatment Center and support for adults with diverse developmental needs.
Movement and meditation
Approximately twenty years of private practice in the wellness field.
HeartMath facilitator
Training in practical self-regulation approaches.
CONTINUED LEARNING
My continuing professional development includes neuroscience, ethology, animal-assisted approaches, emotional development and learning. These areas of study help inform how I understand behaviour, relationships and the environments in which people and animals learn.
