Joel Silverman

Joel Silverman (born December 21, 1958) is an animal trainer who hosted Good Dog U on Animal Planet from 1999-2009. He was raised in the San Fernando Valley by his parents, who were both teachers. The first animal Silverman ever trained was the family dog, Shadow, a wire-haired mutt. Anyone who knew Joel in the 1970's knew he would be an animal trainer, because of all the things he trained Shadow to do, and the way he related to her. That style he developed at the age of 13 has never changed, and even today when you see him on TV or read his books. As a teenager, he and his family spent their summer vacations in San Diego and would go to SeaWorld every year. After watching the trainers riding the killer whales every year, Silverman...