Individual obedience lessons for puppies waiting for classes and older dogs who need special attention or remedial training; behavior work for fearful, reactive, or otherwise troubled dogs.

 

Certifications:

 

Training Philosophy: I believe that a trained dog is a happy dog, and that training should be a happy exercise. I believe the best results come from patience and an attitude that focuses on setting your dog up to succeed and building on every small success.

 

Locations Served: Poulsbo, WA Bainbridge Island, WA Kitsap County, WA

 

I've been a dog person my whole life. I grew up with Saint Bernards and started obedience training about as young as I can remember. As a kid growing up in the 70's and 80's I learned the old ways from older trainers. "The Monks of New Skete" book was my first training method. Choke chains, correction, dominance. And I admit that they worked, though I don't think the dogs we trained back then were having a whole lot of fun. In the 1990's I learned about gentler methods, using food, praise, and shaping to show your dog what you expect. I learned that not only did the dogs enjoy training a lot more, but that they learned faster and more accurately when training was fun and positive. I count my experience as a trainer starting from when I learned to do it in a dog empowering, happy manner that is fun for the dogs and the owners. I've taken lessons from a wide variety of trainers, taken knowledge from them and many of the great trainers who have written books on the subject, attended workshops and taken online courses; but like any trainer who takes it seriously I am always learning, from teachers, clients, trainers, and especially dogs. I've trained eight dogs of my own in my adult life, and currently I have three dogs trained to Canine Good Citizen level and a fourth rescue who has overcome crippling anxiety. And aside from my dogs I have had great experiences teaching and training a variety of other clients and their dogs, as well as working as an assistant trainer in group classes for about 15 hours per week. I'm currently working toward my first CCPDT certification, and I only started doing this professionally and teaching others in early 2015. But I feel confident and comfortable saying I've been a dog trainer using positive methods for about twenty years.