Andrew Judson

Andrew’s career working with animals began in 2007 as a teen volunteer at the Maryland Zoo. While earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology at Wells College, Andrew found a formative experience as a seal and sea lion training intern at Mystic Aquarium. Their marine mammal training program sparked an interest in animal behavior that continues to this day. Andrew was hired back at the Maryland Zoo after graduation, and remains a keeper there. His CDT journey began as a student in early 2020 with the rescue of his dog Cerena. Having worked with Paula and volunteered for Linda at the zoo, Andrew brought Cerena to CDT, hoping to find answers for some of her more difficult behaviors. Cerena had been given up by her first owners as a puppy as a result of high intensity and underlying anxiety, but with guidance using CDT’s methods she has blossomed into an extremely smart and confident (if still intense!) adult dog. It is Cerena’s journey that prompted Andrew to get more involved with CDT, because of a firm belief that every dog is supposed to be someone’s best friend, it's just a matter of finding each other! The most fascinating part of working with dogs for Andrew is the pack dynamics of social situations: much of his previous experience with bears and zebras at the zoo relies on reading animal body language, and this certainly helps with reading how each dog is feeling while staffing CDT’s daycare. Andrew has a lot of practice with managing pack dynamics, since he has a pack of three dogs of his own at home (Two of them are still students!). His hobbies include taking Cerena for hikes, playing board games, painting tabletop miniatures for board games, and watching hockey (Go Caps!).