What types of training do you offer?

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the training areas I can help with:

• Puppy raising and training from 8 weeks and up

• Vital skills for “teenage” canines; impulse control, frustration tolerance, and social skills

• Basic to Advanced Obedience for dogs of all ages

• Leash Skills remediation

• Phobic and anxious dogs

• Dogs with high prey drive

• Reactive and aggressive dogs

• Dogs with bite histories, including of human beings
  

Where will our training session be held?

Most sessions are held in-home. This is both convenient for you, and also usually the most effective way to train your dog.

What are your methods and approach?

Training is individualized to each dog. Each case starts with a thoughtful inventory of your training goals as well as of your dog’s behavioral tendencies, preferences, and unique needs. I will work with you and your dog to create your ideal approach.

My training style is best described as force-free and positive reinforcement oriented. I train whole dogs, taking into consideration my student dog’s breed, history, natural capacities, and any limitations or special considerations imposed by health, trauma, or temperament. I am also committed to training the dog in front of me, meaning that there is no one-size-fits-all method or approach. Each and every one of my canine students has taught me something new about training. I have adapted my skill set to hundreds of unique students, creating countless variations of countless training techniques to suit the dog in front of me at the moment.

Much of my training work focuses on expanding a dog's behavioral repertoire, giving them behavioral options that function for them without creating conflict with their human. Why do we teach dogs to sit before greeting someone or going out the door, or to keep our pace and walk by our side although they can go much faster? Because it suits us humans, of course. But dogs won't do as we wish just because we say they should - the dog must be allowed to pursue their own goals, too. For this reason, I use reward-based methods to teach most new skills. Dogs who train under me can expect a fair “paycheck” for good work. Payment could be food treats, toys or games, social experiences such as greeting another person, passage through a door or gate, or anything else which that student values and is willing to work for. This approach makes for training sessions that are both productive and enjoyable.

How Do you work with dogs who have behavior problems?

There are a number of behavior problems that I can help you with. These include, but are not limited to:

• Extreme leash pulling

• Specific and contextual phobias, anxieties, fears

• Generalized anxiety, fear, and stress

• Fixations and obsessive behavior

• Nipping, biting: of other dogs, humans, or other animals

• Fighting with other dogs or animals

• Inappropriate herding, for example of small children

• Aggression

• Housesoiling, potty training regression or incomplete potty training

• Chewing inappropriate objects

• Inappropriate or excessive barking

• Countersurfing, scrounging

• Resource guarding

• Reactivity: leash reactivity, barrier reactivity, door reactivity, etc

• Inappropriately directed prey-driven behaviors; hunting chickens, chasing the cat, etc

In these cases, I emphasize that problem behaviors are purpose-driven, and begin investigating the cause and potential solutions from that perspective. Training methods vary widely depending on the specific problem. Speaking broadly, my aim in these complex cases is to work with you to understand the reasons for your dog’s problematic behavior, and to then use that analysis to create strategies to decrease your dog's preference for inappropriate or harmful behaviors while increasing his preference for appropriate alternatives.

Most cases involving those behaviors that spring from escalated states of the nervous system - think lunging on leash, barking at the mailman, biting, getting into a fight - will also require at least some amount of desensitization or “exposure therapy” to help your dog learn a new way of existing around things he finds exciting, threatening, or frustrating. If you have 5 spare minutes a day and are ready to learn something new, good news! You are ready to begin the desensitization process. While it is quite simple in theory, desensitization can be tricky to navigate without a guide, so it's always best to work with a trainer when starting out. In most cases, the owner of a dog with one of the aforementioned behavior problems can probably hope to see some changes in the first month or two, but total transformation takes time. Desensitization can be a long-term project, as can working on behavior problems more broadly. So when working on desensitization, I aim to teach both theory and application, ensuring that my client is able continue working with their dog, adjusting and adapting their practice through each stage of their dog's learning process, long after I am out of the picture.

Cases involving behavior problems can sometimes feel challenging and complicated, especially when those behaviors are reactive, fearful, or aggressive. I aim to make the science of behavior change accessible and functional for all dog owners - no matter where they or their dog are starting from. No matter the issue, chances are that training can help make life easier and more comfortable for both you and your dog.

Don't see your issue mentioned here? There's a good chance I can still help! Please reach out for a discussion. If I can't help you, I will make every effort to refer you to someone who can.

what’s a CPDT-KA, and why should I work with one?

Dog Training is an unregulated industry. Legally speaking, the field is open to any and everyone who’d like to call themselves a Dog Trainer.

Various private organizations have moved to fill in this regulatory gap. Among these options, The Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers is distinct due to it's rigorous testing standards and emphasis on independent verification of knowledge. For these reasons, the CCPDT is often considered the gold standard for professional certification in Dog Training.

A CPDT-KA is a Dog Trainer who has been tested and certified by the CCPDT as “Knowledge Assessed”. A CPDT-KA has demonstrated their knowledge of field. This doesn’t automatically make them a high quality Dog Trainer, but it does ensure that your Trainer at least meets minimum standards of ethics and competency.

I want to work with a prong collar or e-collar. Can you help me?

I can’t help you use a prong collar or e-collar because I do not recommend them. Aversion-based tools often do change observable behaviors quite quickly, making them an appealing option to trainers and clients alike. However, this increased speed comes with significant risks. See the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s position statement for more information.

AVSAB Position Statement on the Use of Punishment in Training

Good news, though! With continuing advances in behavior science and an ever deepening understanding of how dogs think and make decisions, Trainers are developing an incredible range of techniques and strategies to address any and every training need from leash training to aggression - no fear, pain, or force required!