What is your training philosophy?

Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and skills to build a wonderful relationship between you and your dog through understanding, compassion, and guidance! This includes coaching the humans to better understand the “why” behind our dog’s behaviors; providing behavior modification plans rooted in the science of how dogs learn and behave; and modeling and training with your dog in humane, compassionate ways allowing them to be a dog while helping them safely navigate our human world.

We do not believe using pain, fear, or force in training is ever necessary or ethical, no matter the breed, age, or behavior needs. That is not how we want to teach nor is it how we would want to learn. The risks of training with fear and pain are well studied and include the potential to create and escalate aggressive behaviors, suppress dogs’ warning signs, and create an unhealthy lack of behavior through trauma and learned helplessness.

We also know that our society puts so much pressure on dogs and their guardians - where often times the fun aspects of sharing our lives with dogs gets lost. We want to help you find that joy again so you can understand your dog’s behavior, enjoy each other, and your life together!

Can we talk first to ensure this is a good fit?

Absolutely! We know finding the right support can be tricky especially in an unregulated industry like this one. We want to ensure you get your questions answered and feel good about things which is why we offer a free 15 minute discovery call that you can sign up for here!

Can you guarantee to fix my dog and their behaviors?

Nope and offering that type of guarantee is not ethical. Every dog, environment, and situation is unique and there are many factors that will play into the success of our plan. What we will do is take the time to get to know you and your dog, discuss your goals, work with you to create a safe, effective and efficient plan, and openly communicate with you throughout the entire process.

What kind of dogs do you work with?

We love dogs! Whether you’ve got a rescue or a purebred, they’re big, little or somewhere in between, they’re shy, naughty or whatever adjective you may use to describe them - we’re here for you. We work with puppies, basic manners, higher level behavior cases, and anything in between!

I think my dog is aggressive - will you work with us, even if they have a bite history?

Yes! Safety is always our priority so we will discuss precautions and plans during our initial session to ensure we’re setting everyone up safely and successfully.

We also think it’s important to discuss the term “aggressive”. Dogs exhibiting aggressive behavior are responding to something in their environment. Aggression is context specific and is not an overall state, breed description, or personality trait. Fortunately, these behaviors are almost always modifiable and/or manageable and we will review the behaviors and the context in detail to evaluate the situation and put a plan in place.

Why is the initial consult done virtually?

The initial consult includes us talking in detail about your dog, their behavior history, and your environment as well as what our initial plan will entail. We have found that doing this virtually provides us the opportunity to dive into all the details without any added distractions.

You will then be provided with the initial behavior plan to review and begin implementing. Depending on your dog’s behaviors and needs, we will then follow up virtually or in-person to continue to support you and ensure things are being implemented efficiently.

Can you recommend supplies?

Yes! There are a wide variety of items we recommend - everything from handling equipment like harnesses and leashes, enrichment goodies like puzzles and toys, to other helpful resources! Check out our recommendations here.