Our dog, Nova, used to react to other dogs and people from over 20 feet away. After working with Heather we can safely walk on trails and at parks without Nova having a reaction. Nova truly is a different dog.
~ Mollie O. & Nova
Personalized 1-on-1 Dog Training
Everyone's lifestyles, dogs, and environments are unique and sometimes, you just need one-on-one attention to get the results you want. Many of my clients continue with personalized training after attending a group class and some find personalized training simply works better for their needs.
Read more below to find out if personalized 1-on-1 training is right for you and your dog.
What to expect
Initial Consultation
Our initial consultation is an in-person visit where my meet you and your furry companion. We’ll discuss your needs and your dog’s needs, your goals, and management strategies for immediate relief. I’ll help you understand your dog’s body language, how your dog is feeling, and why they are doing what they’re doing. We’ll work together to come up with a behavior, training, and management plan that gets to the root of the problem behaviors while meeting the needs of your dog. Your plan will be full of fun and relationship building training games to help promote long-term change in your dog’s behavior, all while fitting into your lifestyle.
Follow-up Visits
Ready to move onto the next step? Whether in-person or virtually, I can help you continue on with your behavior, training, and management plans while we celebrate your successes.
Case Study: Harley
Diagnosed with Canine Compulsive Disorder (CCD)
When I first met Harley, you could tell right away that she was having trouble with her back legs. I was there to see her because she had begun barking, lunging, and snapping at people and being in pain could be part of why she was acting this way. Our first plan of action was to get a thorough vet visit, find out what was going on with her legs, and make sure she had appropriate pain management. The vet found Harley had multiple medical issues with her bones and muscles and they were degenerative, meaning they would continue to get worse as Harley aged.
The vet started Harley on a pain management regimen and we found that her reactions to people were not as intense, though she was still barking and lunging at people. After a few days on her new pain management protocol, I re-evaluated Harley’s behaviors to create a behavior and training plan to meet the goals of her owners - to be able to see people without barking and lunging (her owners didn’t have many visitors and they didn’t feel it was necessary for Harley to be able to meet people, only see them from a distance).
During the re-evaluation, I noticed Harley was showing signs of OCD type behaviors, such as having tunnel vision or fixating on one thing without being able to take her attention off of that thing. Because Harley was around a year and a half, a typical age for the onset of mental illness, we consulted with a vet who was well-versed in behavior. The vet was able to diagnose Harley with Canine Compulsive Disorder, similar to OCD in humans, and prescribed a medication to help Harley with her symptoms. It took time for the medication to build up in her system and be able to help her but we started on her behavior and training plan as soon as the medication was beginning to help.
Harley was able to learn different coping strategies and behaviors through her behavior plan with the help of her committed owners. Harley even started swimming and using a herding ball as a mitigating strategy. The plan was tweaked as we worked through it, small victories were celebrated, and Harley was able to learn how to see people without barking and lunging, looking to her owners instead.
Looking for 1-on-1 Dog Training?
Do you and your furry companion need help with specific goals? Are you looking for a personalized training plan to get there?
Looking for Classes?
Whether you have a puppy, a reactive dog, or something in between, we have the group class for you and your busy schedule!
Ready to start #ThePawsitiveWay?
Are you ready to work with a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant? Answer a few questions and we can get started!
Sadie had a lot of issues with intense reactivity (out of fear) with other dogs. Heather worked with us in a class setting with other reactive dogs in a slow and controlled manner. By the end of the class we were able to walk with other dogs in sight without a reaction using the techniques she taught us!
~ Lisa S. & Sadie
With Heather's help, my dog Pepper went from being reactive or shut down, to being trusting and more confident. I learned how to be her advocate and to love her for exactly who she is. Heather truly changed our lives so much for the better.
~ Laura N. & Pepper
When Scout developed problems with fear and anxiety of certain men and being left alone, she was quick to refer us to a vet with expertise in behavioral issues and working with us one on one to come up with positive ways to redirect his behavior. We love her force-free, positive reinforcement techniques, her love and passion for animals and have had great success working with her. Can’t recommend her highly enough!
~ Lisa S. & Scout