My Approach

My goal is to help you achieve harmony with your dog.

Dogs need to feel safe, before they can learn. San Francisco is an inherently unsafe city. Many dogs struggle and may be called reactive, aggressive, anxious or territorial.

Dog training through relationship building can help your dog thrive, not just survive

My first priority is to ensure that you and your environment are reliable, predictable and consistent for your dog.

As someone who lives in the Mission District of San Francisco with a sensitive dog, I know how hard that can be.

My dog training approach is based on the dog’s ability to attach to their caretakers, in the same way that children do.

When children have a “secure base”, they are able to freely explore their environment with confidence.

They check in with their caretakers, when they are stressed or worried.

I work to establish that same relationship with you and your dog.

The most recent dog/guardian attachment research came out in September 2021 —as explained here

Reward based dog training can help establish a “secure base”, as described in this article.

Adolescence in dogs is similar to the boundary pushing we see in teenagers- as demonstrated in this research.

Most people typically struggle when their dogs are between 1-2 years.

Adolescent dogs are a HUGE challenge! It’s so important to support them through this phase without corrections or punishment.

A positive reinforcement dog trainer can help you navigate this process.

My dog training approach works well with all dogs- but it’s critical when addressing fear & reactivity.

I focus on play in dog training, as taught by Amy Cook.

Just because your dog can take treats —it does not mean they can learn or make new associations.

But if your dog can play, then we can help your dog learn.

That’s when the magic can happen.

After watching the videos on this page, you will have a good idea if I’m the right dog trainer for you.

Adolescent Dogs

Adolescence is the time to learn 4 things:

How to stay safe, how to stay fed, how to make friends and how to find a mate.

Even though we are responsible for all 4 things- your dog’s software is running in the background 24/7.

Learn how I navigate this developmental period.

Recall

It’s very tempting to start teaching our dogs recall at the beach.

Learn how I begin the process and the steps I take to ensure it works.

Strangers & our dogs

Dogs deserve access to public space with anonymity.

Learn why I avoid interacting with the public when I am walking a dog.

Where dogs learn

It’s tempting to start reactivity training in your neighborhood.

But that’s like learning how to swim in the Pacific Ocean- way too complicated.

Learn where I begin the dog training process.

Meeting your dog where they are

We all have expectations that will not be met when we bring a dog into our lives.

Learn how I adjust the environment to help dogs be successful.