Philosophy

In my 25 years of training dogs from pet dogs to competition dogs in a variety of sports, I've had the opportunity to work under some amazing trainers and been exposed to a variety of training philosophies. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all for dogs and while some dogs do extremely well with a purely positive training approach, others succeed with a more balanced training philosophy. Our job isn't to push one ideology on a pet owner, rather we embrace where an owner is at with their dog and see how we can improve on their dogs training. 

​​​

We would like clients to understand that while we are balanced trainers, we encourage owners to do what they feel is right for their dog. We do not have restrictions on training tools used in class as long as they are used in a clear, humane way. We do reserve the right to restrict tools if not used properly or expel from class any owner who uses a tool in an inappropriate way. Examples of tools would be head-halti, gentle leader, no pull harnesses, pinch collar, choke chain, e-collar, martingale collar, muzzles, etc. If you have a question about a particular training tool, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

​​

We strive to have our classes be welcoming and appropriate for all ages of dogs and handlers. Younger handlers are welcome to participate fully in class as long as the dog is under control at all times. For owners with mobility issues, we are happy to help handle your dog during parts of class as appropriate. And for dogs who may be seniors or have mobility we are happy to help modify our classes to match where your dog can safely participate. If you are unsure if a class is the right fit for you or your dog - just reach out to us and we are happy to discuss what might be a good option for your dog.