Frequently Asked Questions

I guarantee you and your dog will be treated with respect and compassion. Your dog will be trained using only positive reinforcement and I promise to be transparent and honest about outcomes, progress and prognosis but it is unethical for any trainer to guarantee results. Dogs are animals, and we cannot predict how they will behave, as behavior is subject to many factors, including but not limited to environmental changes, medical issues/pain, reinforcement history, human behavior and genetics.  Dogs are animals and behavior, whether dog or human, is never 100% and fluctuates with circumstances.

A good trainer doesn’t need to see the dog being fearful or aggressive to help them. I know what stranger danger or food guarding looks like without intentionally pushing the dog to react. Through the use of easy to use, free technology we do training sessions in real time with me coaching you or demonstrating myself.  If you can click a link or use a phone, you can do online training! I have a handy “how to prepare for your online session” guide here or you can read my blog post about it here.

All of my services and prices are listed on the Services page.  While it may be tempting to shop around for the cheapest trainer you can find, with dog training being an unregulated industry, there’s a lot of unscrupulous people out there and it’s buyer beware.  As with many things, you get what you pay for.  Many clients find their way to me after going through several other trainers, not getting results and wasting money.  You’re not just paying for the exact time I spend with you, but you’re paying for all I bring with me – years of education, numerous credentials and certifications and experience as well as my commitment to continued education and to getting results.  I am extremely committed to follow-up and communication with clients and this is built into my pricing structure as well. 

At your initial consult, we review prognosis and discuss what your case will require.  Some people are more DIY and take the information from their consult and through follow-up notes and work through things on their own while others require more frequent coaching and one-on-one sessions.

You can read about my training philosophy on my About page but I use only positive reinforcement methods, training with a plan to ensure the most efficient results.  I know how to motivate dogs to increase behaviors we want more of and decrease behaviors we want less of, all without the use of any force, fear or pain. 

I often recommend no-pull harnesses to help get pressure off their neck/trachea, but also focus on training exercises to teach the dog what to do. These harnesses do not hurt your dog.  If there is a safety concern with an aggressive dog or dog with severe or unknown bite history, I will sometimes recommend muzzle training but I always ensure the dog is a willing participant in wearing it and that it’s never painful or scary to the dog.