I want a dog to follow and obey me because they trust and respect me, not because they’re afraid of me. To facilitate that, I use food, toys, a clicker, touch [e.g. petting], and verbal praise as rewards. To make corrections, I use my voice [e.g. a calm but firm “no”], a quick but pain-free pop of the leash [when out on a walk], or physical removal of the dog when correction or redirection is not stopping the dog’s unwanted behavior [e.g. excessive nipping or biting during play with a human or another dog].
I bring over 30 years of personal, hands-on experience with dogs, and the ability to make life to life connections with deeply troubled dogs so that I can better help them.
Many trainers take expensive courses through privately owned and operated organizations that provide certificates to prove they are qualified to do what they do. I am not one of them. Rather, I prove my worth by providing owners with actual, visible proof. Like many people, I believe that seeing is believing; that the proof is, indeed, in the proverbial pudding.
A Board-and-Train program is a program designed for dogs with issues ranging from reactivity, anxiety, or fearfulness, to housebreaking, leash pulling, and basic manners. It is designed for owners who want to get help for their dogs but find that group classes don’t work, or they need more than a weekly lesson but can’t get the time to accommodate it.
In order to best and most effectively help a dog, I accept only one into my program at a time. For troubled dogs who are struggling with issues such as fear or reactivity, one-on-one attention is especially important to helping them learn how to become calmer and more relaxed around their triggers.
This form is a protective measure in the event that something unexpectedly goes wrong. By signing it, you’re promising me that what you’ve told me about your dog is true and current; that there aren’t any unpleasant surprises that could result in me or you getting hurt. If you would like to have a copy of the form, all you need to do is ask; I’m more than happy to email it to you.
Absolutely! I’m a firm believer in being completely transparent with you. I would never board my dog with someone I hardly know without first seeing where they’ll be sleeping and how they’ll be living – regardless of how good I might feel about them. I don’t expect you to do anything different just because you like me. So, yes, please do come to my home! Visit and work with your dog as often as you can – in fact, I encourage you to do this so you can start learning sooner how to handle your pup. You’ll meet my husband and our silly cat, Violet, you’ll get to visit with Glimmer [you will have met her prior to your dog coming to me], you’ll find a calm, relaxed, open, friendly atmosphere, and you can see for yourself how your dog is progressing.
No. The CGN evaluation is conducted by certified evaluators. However, I do help you and your dog prepare for the test by helping you and your dog learn, practice, and master the requirements. Then, when you feel ready for the evaluation and you’ve booked your testing date – and only if you want me to – I’ll come with you for extra moral support. 🙂