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My Approach to Training
A dog who understands what's expected of them is less stressed, more confident, and easier to live with. Obedience is the surface layer, but what matters most is how your dog processes their environment, what they find stressful or exciting, and how clearly you're communicating with each other. My job is to help you understand what your dog is telling you, and to give you the tools to respond in ways that actually make sense to them.
Most behavior problems, like reactivity, restlessness, difficulty settling, pulling on leash, are usually a dog who hasn't learned to self-regulate, or one who doesn't yet understand what you want instead. We work on both.
My approach is grounded in positive reinforcement. Dogs also learn best when the picture is complete—when they know what earns a reward and what doesn't. I build that clarity using compassionate, consistent language, without relying on fear or force, and I adjust my approach based on what each dog actually responds to. If you want to understand how I think about training methodology in more depth, I wrote more about it here.
Every plan I build is specific to your dog's temperament, how they learn, and what matters most to your life together. The goal is always something sustainable: training that holds up in the real world, not just in a controlled training session.
Interested in working together?
Learn more about training↗, and fill out an intake form↗ to schedule a consult.
Melissa
OWNER & TRAINER
My path into dog training started with foster work through local rescues, mostly dogs who needed behavioral support after shelter life. Working alongside experienced trainers and behaviorists taught me how to help dogs decompress and build new skills in real-world settings.
My background in behavioral neuroscience shapes how I think about learning a stress, and years in project management taught me to build plans that are structured, adaptable, and help people track progress. I love that I can now use both to provide science-backed, goal-oriented training.
When I'm not with clients, I'm on trails with Jameson, reading up on animal behavior research, or home making art and silly doodles for friends :-)
Jameson
ASSISTANT TRAINER & QUALITY CONTROL
Jameson came to me in 2021 as a reactive foster with strong opinions about other dogs. Through consistent work, he went from a dog who couldn't handle seeing another across the street into a reliable training partner calm enough to walk alongside client dogs and help with demonstrations. He's proof that reactive dogs have more capacity for change than people often expect.
On the clock, he assists with demos and provides calm exposure for dogs learning to be comfortable around others. He takes treat-testing seriously. Off duty, he's into scent work, barn hunt, and scouting Seattle's dog-friendly brewery scene.
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