Kathleen Gallina discovered early on that she has a knack for training dogs. Growing up in Bay Shore, she was always feeding and taking in strays. When she was just 16, she rescued a dog tied up with a telephone cord, and took care of the neglected animal until she could find the dog a new home. It was the beginning of her lifelong commitment to educating people on how to care for their dogs.

Like most reputable trainers, Kathleen believes in positive reinforcement, using praise and rewards, rather than punishment, to teach dogs right from wrong. A lot of trainers share that approach, but Kathleen is unique in other ways.

“I’ve always had an interest in behavior issues, and I love being able to show people how to work with their dog,” Kathleen says.

She began a business offering dog training and providing private consultations for handling pets’ behavior problems. Kathleen says that her practice, Zen Dogs, has blossomed. Now many dog owners seek her out when they have nowhere else to turn.

“My philosophy is to teach our dogs what we want them to know,” she says.

About three years ago, Kathleen began a community outreach program called Break the Chain. The program’s mission is to assist both owners and their dogs to improve the animals’ quality of life. Break the Chain wants to end the practice of keeping dogs chained and left out in the elements, devoid of human contact.

Most of the dog owners who Kathleen visits haven’t asked anyone for help, but that hasn’t stopped her from venturing into impoverished neighborhoods on Long Island and offering her assistance. For Kathleen, the potential danger of going into a high-crime area outweighs the benefits of helping both the owners and their dogs. Kathleen not only takes the dog’s well-being into account, she also tries to help the owners and has brought them food, clothing and other necessities. “They need support, too,” she says. “People have lost their jobs and can’t feed their kids, no less their dogs.”

By adapting the program to each owners capabilities, Kathleen and her volunteers teach owners the skills they need to care for their pets. Having the dog spayed or neutered is a program requirement, so Kathleen often provides the service free of charge. So far, more than 60 dogs have been neutered since Break the Chain began.

Sometimes Kathleen introduces a weight-pull contest as a way to rekindle the owners’ interest in their dog. She says these techniques have been very successful in boosting the bond between the pet and its owner. Weight-pulling is an obedience-based sport that requires skill, focus and training, and it’s enjoyable for the dog.

“It’s safe for the dog, and the owners get a kick out of it. It’s turned out to be a really productive thing. They love it! ” she adds. “We see the spark in the owner’s eye.”

Kathleen then offers to bathe and groom the dog. She’ll supply flea treatments, de-worming and food. Kathleen’s goal is to have the owner bring the dog into the home. If the owner isn’t ready for that important step, she’ll supply a dog house in the interim. If the yard has no fence, Break the Chain will provide a cable run so the dog can move around more freely outside.

Kathleen has become a lifeline for these animals and has had a huge impact on how their owners treat them. Dogs once left outside to lie in the dirt are now indoors sleeping in bed with the kids.

“We see this every week. This is not an isolated story,” she adds. “Compassion is contagious.”

Kathleen and her assistant and trainer, Cathy Langevin, believe it’s important to include family members in the training and that children should learn how to play with the dog properly, By involving them, they hope the dog will be treated as a member of the family, breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect.

Kathleen is very patient and persistent. She stays in contact with dog owners whom she believes would benefit from the program until she can convince them to have their dog neutered. Break the Chain now has more than 100 dogs in the program.

“It’s taken us a year to get some dogs neutered, but we go every week,” Kathleen says. “We are always respectful [to the owners] and they know we come through.”

“I have always spent way more time with dogs than humans,” Kathleen admits. “If we don’t help them, there really isn’t anyone else out there.”

Kathleen’s wish is for all dog owners to feel love and pride for their dogs because they will always receive that love in return. She is committed to building that special bond between a dog and its owner.

“I want to be part of the solution,” she says. “My favorite thing to do is walk with my dogs. I want everyone to enjoy their dogs as much as I do.”

For more information go to www.facebook.com and search Break the Chain Program, www.zendog.biz, e-mail zendog@zendog.biz or call Kathleen at 631-650-6328. If you’d like to donate items (all of these are for larger dogs), their wish list includes new or used bedding and blankets, crates, dog food, chew toys, cable runs and igloo dog houses. Break the Chain also accepts cash donations, call Kathleen for details.