My emphasis has always been responsible dog ownership and dog bite prevention.
My passion is to maximize the benefits of human-canine relationships.
I am a clinical psychologist, holistic health researcher and educator, and animal behaviorist with 30+ years of experience. I have an array of training methods. No one method or prop fits all dogs and can change with different people, day, age and situation.
I give in-depth evaluation with the family and then more detective work to see how the human may have misunderstood or misapplied their efforts. So owners can see how have somehow missed the dog’s needs and comprehension and how to change it.
I use a whole range of: time, patience, building on skills, verbal praise, eye contact, games, vocal tones and sounds, body language, pack influence, toys, treats, and even vibration e-collars may have their place (short term or intermittent) for shaping a particular dog’s behavior or situation; depending on the issues and goals. Use of vibration collars can be very helpful for off-leash hunting and long out-of-range beach or wilderness areas with dogs with high prey drive.
I work with dogs who have had no training or incorrect training. Some dogs have developed fear of particular situations or objects or other animals. Some of the things I often see are: a failure to understand the cues humans are giving their dogs which can create aggression, territorial behavior, shyness/insecurity, anxiety, possessiveness, jealousy, aggression, excitement, introversion/extroversion, dominance, high/low energy, loneliness and isolation.
Over time, I expose my human/canine clients to everything: we start in a house and backyard or training room. Then, move to walking outdoors being careful not to move to fast overstimulating them and expecting too much too soon. They learn both with and without a leash. There are basics at home such as crating and not destroying home items and potty training. Refraining from barking and learning boundaries and routines around food, rest, family meals and play time and exercise. Other basics is dog washing, trimming, drying, cleaning feet, back end, ears, mouth, getting ready for anything and then waiting, getting in and out doors, cars, elevators, escalators, stairs, loud sounds and working with other objects. Also I do rehab after surgery; just to name a few.
Once I successfully complete a training module with your dog(s), I guarantee that work! So I will continue to be available for you if a glitch or new development occurs or if a refresher or refinement is needed.
Here is a very simple training session called “leave it”. Here we practice with a young pit bull named “Ivy.” Ivy came to me at 1 yo with literally zero training! In no time, she joined our pack and elevated her IQ radically. She was not even potty trained and was a Tasmanian devil; the family did not know what to do but leave her crated all the time and crying. In 6 weeks, she learned everything to become a canine good citizen. Here she is joining our pack, practicing wait and then…..”leave it”:
Training and/or Preparation For:
Pet/Companion Dogs for individuals, couples, families with other dogs, seniors and/or children
Sport Dogs: pleasure and competitive surfing and bodysurfing, ocean swimming, Doga-canine-human yoga, human-canine free dance, agility, improv, sheep herding, etc
Foster Support Dogs: We foster dogs from shelters as a service to our community and to the very dogs that can become a canine contact graduate and matched with the perfect human,
Emotional Support Dogs: Is a term being modified away with now. But in keeping reference to the old paradigm, we prepare and certify dogs to work with people with psychiatric and chronic emotional conditions. Dogs are extremely helpful offering the service of emotional support, soothing, grounding, calming, re-focusing humans. Some examples are: PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and those with various cognitive challenges, and much more.
Service Dogs: Physical Mobility Dogs, and Medic Alert and Medic Support Dogs. There are various sub-specialties: support for those with seizures, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, and cardiac conditions. We do not work with dogs for the blind.
Dog Bite Prevention Classes: I offer free to communities and elementary schools:
