My primary goal as a dog trainer is to support humans and pups in living more peacefully with each other. I assess the needs, goals, and abilities of each being and work with you to find creative, effective ways of hitting that middle ground - where everyone has their needs for emotional safety, mental stimulation, and physical exercise met. This in-depth process also involves strategizing ways of communicating with our dogs what we would like from them, and showing humans how to better understand what our dogs are trying to communicate to us. 

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As a positive reinforcement trainer in a punishment-focused society, I focus on setting our dogs up for success and utilizing techniques to capture the behaviors that we love to see from our dogs. This diminishes the likelihood that we will continue to see those challenging, or unwanted, behaviors, with an understanding that this process takes time, repetition, and consistency. 

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Though my interest in dog training began in January 2021 with the adoption of my dog Willa, my training journey really took off in March 2022, when I began to assist other trainers throughout the Montgomery County, MD region with their classes and private sessions. This time was spent gaining a deep understanding of the behaviors and concepts you find valuable - such as puppy relaxation, canine body language, engagement around distractions, loose leash walking techniques, building confidence for fearful dogs and calm for reactive ones, solidifying recall even around wildlife, and more. In November 2023, I became a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, which shows my dedication to clear, simple, positive training methods.  

 

I currently teach basic manners classes for puppies & adult dogs at Your Dog's Friend in Rockville, MD, and assist with reactive dog classes for Unleashed Joy Dog Training in Damascus, MD. I also occasionally host puppy playtimes at Your Dog's Friend - 45 minutes of pure socialization and fun!