Our Founders

Becky Kier Co-Founder, Executive Director

Becky Kier is a dog trainer and educator, specializing in assistance dog training and mentorship of aspiring trainers. With a career spanning over two decades, she has dedicated her expertise to shaping life-changing service dogs and empowering the people who work with them.

Becky co-founded Freedom Canines International (FCI) alongside her husband, Todd, to fulfill the mission of “Pups Empowering People!” At FCI, she leads the charge in raising and training assistance dogs, partnering them with Texans in need—at no charge. Beyond serving clients, Becky has helped design an innovative youth empowerment program, engaging high school students in the training process to develop leadership skills while helping shape future service dogs.

Previously, as the Director of Training for Service Dogs Inc., Becky played a pivotal role in enhancing training protocols and fostering innovation. Over 20 years, she guided every aspect of the training department, mentoring apprentices and refining strategies to elevate both dog and human learning. Her ability to coach trainers and dogs through plateaus and challenges has made her a sought-after instructor.

As the lead instructor of Assistance Dog Training for Professionals, Becky develops curricula and provides hands-on education, giving professional dog trainers an in-depth look at all aspects of assistance dog training, including working directly with program dogs.

Her expertise extends beyond traditional training environments. Through a partnership with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s PAWS program, she helped establish one of the nation’s first service dog training programs within a juvenile detention facility, offering incarcerated youth an opportunity to learn valuable skills while helping to train future service dogs.

A seasoned shelter dog evaluator, Becky has traveled across the southern U.S. and internationally, including Istanbul, Turkey, assessing thousands of shelter dogs to refine selection protocols for service dog candidates.

In addition to her hands-on work, Becky founded Seize the Click!, a consulting and educational service for trainers. She has presented Click for Independence I and II nationwide, sharing her passion for developing engaged, advanced learners—both canine and human.

Her expertise has led to speaking engagements at Assistance Dogs International, Clicker Expo, and Fundación Bocalán, as well as an international consulting role with Service Dogs Malta Foundation, where she helped establish their training department. Becky’s articles on assistance dog training have been published in The Association of Pet Dog Trainers’ (APDT) Chronicle of the Dog, and she has also led webinars for APDT.

A proud graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Animal Science, Becky is a diehard Aggie. One of her most unique consulting projects was advising Texas A&M faculty on the selection of Reveille VIII, the university’s beloved Collie mascot.

Whether training a service dog, mentoring a trainer, or refining assistance dog selection, Becky’s passion lies in helping dogs and people reach their full potential—creating partnerships that transform lives.

Todd Kier Co-Founder, Director of Programs

Todd’s love for dogs began early in life, growing up alongside his two cherished companions, Diamond the beagle and September the terrier mix. Hailing from Canada, Todd’s passion for teaching led him to Vancouver Island University in 1989, where he discovered his calling for canine training while helping a friend with puppy lessons.

He soon launched Kier Dog Training & Consulting, gaining experience in everything from obedience and agility to behaviour modification and even training canine actors for film. True to his Canadian roots, Todd’s dedication to helping others inspired him to specialize further, apprenticing with one of Canada’s oldest assistance dog programs. He became the first Canadian certified as an Assistance Dog Instructor for both Hearing and Service Dogs under Assistance Dogs International standards.

Combining his passion for education with his expertise in assistance dog training, Todd co-founded Freedom Canines alongside his wife. With over three decades of experience in dog training and more than 20 years dedicated to the assistance dog field Todd continues to work alongside fellow trainers, offering his expertise to individuals and organizations internationally. Through it all, Todd remains committed to improving the lives of both people and their four-legged companions, embodying the collaborative and compassionate spirit Canadians are known for.

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