Behavior Team of Southern Arizona
Welcome to the Behavior Team of Southern Arizona!

Are you a Southern Arizona resident looking for professional training or care for your pet?
You’ve come to the right place!
The Behavior Team of Southern Arizona takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets. Our team members were brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics and are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care.
We recognize that helping pet owners requires a village of professionals they can trust—from behavior experts and pet care providers to the veterinary community. Each of our team members is dedicated to bringing their own unique skills and specialties to best support you and your pets.
Find a Professional
Click on the team members’ bios to learn more about them and their areas of expertise. You may reach out to a team member directly using the contact information in their bio or, if you’re unsure which team member is the best fit for your needs, simply click on “Find a Professional” and we will find your perfect match.
Kim Silver, PCBC-A, KPA CTP, CBATI-KSA
Certified Canine Training and Behavior Professional
Kim Silver is the owner and lead behavior consultant at Building Bonds Behavior Center in Tucson, Arizona. She helps dogs and their guardians thrive through relationship-based training rooted in welfare and compassion. Specializing in puppies, adolescent dogs, and complex behavior issues including fear and aggression, Kim brings empathy and expertise to every case.
As a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant–Accredited and Professional Canine Trainer–Accredited through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board, she upholds the highest standards in humane, evidence-based practice. A Family Dog Mediator and Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor, Kim integrates the LEGS model to address each dog’s unique learning history, environment, genetics, and self.
Through education, advocacy, and hands-on support, Kim empowers families to build lasting, joyful partnerships with their dogs, one bond at a time.
Specialties:
- Puppies
- Adolescent dogs
- Complex behavior issues including fear and aggression
Contact details:
Building Bonds Behavior Center
Dr. Heather Gerrish DVM, ACVB Resident
Veterinary Behavior
Dr. Gerrish completed her undergraduate degree in music at the University of Pennsylvania, then worked in both general practice and emergency veterinary medicine as a veterinary assistant prior to completing her veterinary degree at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Behavior remained a passion, and while in veterinary school Dr. Gerrish added a sweet and complicated miniature dachshund to the family, who taught her much more than can be learned from a book about living with and loving an animal with behavior challenges.
After veterinary school, Dr. Gerrish completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery in Mesa, Arizona. She is currently completing a non-conforming residency in veterinary behavior with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Gerrish enjoys singing, appreciating beauty in nature, and spending time with her husband, son, and animal companions (Liffey, the miniature dachshund, and Oscar, the domestic shorthair cat).
Contact details:
Arizona Veterinary Behavior
Join Our Team
Are you a pet professional in Southern Arizona? Come join us! Please click “Join Our Team” and tell us a bit about yourself, and we will reach out to schedule an orientation call.
Check out the Behavior Teams “Working Together” agreement here.
Helpful Articles for Pet Owners
Benefits of Force-Free Dog Training
Dog training is essential to pet ownership, shaping your dog’s behavior, enhancing communication, and ensuring their well-being. Training without aversives (force-free) focuses on positive reinforcement and promotes trust, confidence, and consistent behavior without the risk of causing harm or distress to our dogs. Strengthened Trust and Bond Reduced Behavioral Issues Ethical Considerations Trainer Transparency Transparency about training methods often reveals a trainer’s commitment to force-free methods and is critical when hiring a dog trainer for several key reasons: ★Ensuring humane treatment: Knowing the training methods helps ensure that the techniques… Continued
Special Thanks to Our Team Sponsor

