About Us

The Kennedy Canine Center is owned-and-operated by dog trainer and canine behavior modification specialist Michael Kennedy. As a young boy, Kennedy realized he had a knack for handling dogs. Born and raised in New York City, he grew up at a time when stray dogs were rampant in Manhattan.

From an early age, he would befriend the stray dogs in his neighborhood, consistently gaining the trust of even the most fearful animals. Easily capturing the dogs and bringing them home, he soon found that he'd filled his parents' apartment with "fostered" strays. He eventually landed a job as a trainer for the ASPCA in New York City.

It all began when Michael Kennedy trained his first dog at the age of 16, a Doberman Pinscher he'd rescued named Beauty. His neighbors had been telling him about a stray Doberman that they'd seen roaming the area, which looked to be in very poor condition, but was unapproachable and very scared. Michael was not only able to approach the dog, but quickly gained her confidence enough to be able to place a lead around her neck.

He brought the dog back to his parents' house, but unfortunately she did not get along with the other dogs in the apartment (which already included a number of other strays). Luckily, Michael's father was the super of the building and allowed him to keep the dog in one of the empty apartments.



After bringing the dog back from the brink of starvation, Michael trained her in basic obedience. After re-socializing Beauty, he discovered how much easier it was to place an obedience-trained dog, and this thinking led him to his first training job at the ASPCA.