Dog Training
In-Person Services are offered in San Francisco and nearby areas.
Virtual Handler Coaching over Zoom is offered anywhere in the U.S.
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Hands-on coaching to help humans lead with calm, clarity, and confidence. We work with you (and anyone else in your household) to strengthen your bond with your dog, deepen your fluency in body language, and respond more effectively in real time. Whether you’re navigating reactivity, fear, or basic manners, these sessions give you tools, practice, and emotional clarity—right where you need it most. You’ll receive tailored guidance, homework after every session, and a support system rooted in science and empathy.
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Coaching from your couch, with the same depth and impact as in-person. These Zoom-based sessions help you understand your dog’s needs and practice the skills that meet them—calm communication, boundary-setting, and emotionally intelligent leadership. Ideal for dogs with stranger danger, or humans who want to deepen their skills between in-person sessions. Includes video feedback, personalized homework, and expert support that travels with you, anywhere in the U.S.
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For dogs who need extra support or structure to succeed in the world, we offer direct work with a trainer, either in your home or out in the world. From leash pulling to over-excitement, stranger danger to sound sensitivity, these sessions help shift behavior from the inside out. Your dog gets thoughtful exposure and training in the real-life situations that matter most. You get video, feedback, and insights after every session—plus peace of mind knowing they’re in skilled, compassionate hands.
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This isn’t daycare, and we don’t promise “send your dog away and get them back fixed.” But for existing clients who need a short-term, skill-building reset, we offer a home-based board-n-train experience. Your dog stays with us and continues their training journey in a calm, real-life environment. Great for reinforcing routines, managing regressions, or continuing momentum while you’re traveling. Availability is limited and must be part of a broader training relationship.
We help people and dogs thrive together.
We go beyond behavior management by addressing the underlying emotional state, helping dogs self-regulate, recover, and build resilience from the inside out.
High-EQ Training Grounded in Neuroscience
You’re not handed a list of cues…you’re guided in understanding your dog’s needs. From fluency in reading your dog’s body language, to responding with calm, confidence and clarity.
Human-Centered Coaching That Builds Lasting Skills
More than just a mindset, it’s the foundation for our method. Our entire approach is built on cultivating safety, mutual respect, and deep connection between dog and human.
Our P.E.T. Framework is a Trust-building Blueprint
How does P.E.T. Really Work?
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Day-to-day, this looks like shared routines that feel cooperative: your dog checking in with you on a walk, pausing instead of charging, or choosing to follow your guidance because it feels safe and predictable. For you, it means showing up as a steady presence, not a perfect one—replacing confusion or conflict with clearer communication, and co-regulating when your dog is struggling. Over time, both of you begin to anticipate and support each other like true teammates.
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It’s hearing the need behind the bark, noticing when tension is starting to build, and offering support before things spiral. On your end, that could mean adjusting your pace on a walk, responding to stress signals instead of correcting them, or choosing rest over one more rep. For your dog, empathy means they’re finally seen: their sensitivities respected, their experiences validated. This emotional fluency fosters self-regulation and reduces reactivity—because when they feel understood, they don’t have to shout to be heard.
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It’s what makes your dog exhale when you reach for the leash instead of brace for battle. You earn it through small, consistent choices: honoring thresholds, following through on what you ask, and staying calm during their big feelings. For your dog, trust shows up as softer eyes, slower breathing, and a willingness to defer to you in hard moments. For you, it means having confidence that you can handle challenges without conflict—because trust isn’t just something your dog gives you; it’s something you build together.
We Teach People to Speak Dog
Resilience isn’t just about obedience, it’s about emotional fluency on both ends of the leash.
We teach pup-parents to understand the physical and emotional needs communicated through their dog’s body language. We help people create mutually-rewarding routines that strengthen their relationship with their dog. We help parents understand why problem behaviors are happening in the first place, so they can respond to their dogs with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
We do not embrace “dominance theory.” We don’t use punishment-based training techniques. We do not recommend punishment-oriented training equipment (eg: prong or shock collars). We believe these techniques are counter-productive towards reaching a state of partnership, empathy, and trust.
We do believe the concept of “no” is just as important as the concept of “yes” in dog training, but we can establish these boundaries in a gentle, humane and stress-free way.
For clients who want more than good behavior…for people who want a deep connection, mutual trust, and lasting transformation, resilience is the way we get there.
Key Focus Areas
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Walks should feel like a conversation and a relationship, not a tug-of-war. A leash should feel like connective tissue between human and dog, not a last resort preventing something from happening. Having an easy loose-leash relationship helps keep stress at a minimum while walking.
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At home, at the park or on the trail, recall is one of the most important skills to master. We will help you develop a strong recall to ensure you and your pup can safely explore the world.
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We’ve spent a lot of time helping anxious and shy dogs over the years, helping them unlock their confidence so they can calmly explore and interact with other dogs, people, and the world. It takes time and consistency but when the dog’s true personality comes out, it’s a feeling that can’t be beat.
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It’s essential to understand the underlying emotions and motivations that cause a dog to growl, bark, pull or lunge when they see a scary trigger. And it’s equally as important to understand the handler’s role in modeling calm during high-stakes moments. We offer a collaborative process of both short-term management and long-term desensitization that allows the dog to relax and “just be” while trusting their parent for support.
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For puppies, socialization is everything, while learning clear boundaries for acceptable behavior. We help you organize a socialization and training approach that enriches the puppy whhile teaching them what is and isn’t ok.
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For new puppies, country rescues, over-stimulated and reactive dogs - simply being able to peacefully coexist with other dogs and humans can be a tall order. We help your sensitive, energetic pup develop the good manners they need to thrive in the human world.
Our Process
It starts with a Free Consultation: Many trainers charge for the initial assessment…we don’t. We’ll learn your goals, answer your questions, and make sure we’re the right fit. That way, we can hit the ground running.
Training Plan: After the consult, we’ll share a clear plan: how many sessions, what they’ll cost, and who does what. Once aligned, we’re ready when you are.
Booking & Payment: Maximum Flexibility, Minimum Stress
1) Pay-as-you-go: Book sessions as needed with zero commitment.
2) Subscription: Snag major savings with multi-session subscriptions billed weekly.
Kickoff Session: Our first session lays the foundation: reinforcement methods, body language, handler focus, and more. We build shared language and a plan for clear communication—starting day one.
Handler Coaching Sessions: These 1–2 hour sessions coach you through real-life scenarios. Afterward, you’ll get a recap and customized homework to guide your practice.
1:1 Sessions with Your Dog: We’ll work directly with your dog to deliver the reps and consistency needed for real transformation—while giving you a breather.
Your Own Daily Practice: We’ll provide step-by-step guides and video—but your growth depends on your follow-through. You get out what you put in.
Pricing
In-Person Services are offered in San Francisco and nearby areas.
Virtual training over Zoom is offered anywhere in the U.S.
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Skills development and practice for you and everyone in your household.
In-person coaching focuses on training the pup-parent to be an even better handler.
As part of the process, we review and analyze video of your dog’s behavior, demonstrate new techniques hands-on, and coach you while you practice.
We provide detailed step-by-step homework documents after every session.
Housecall service - we come to you.
*We offer volume discounts for this service, which can substantially reduce the hourly rate.
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Skills development and practice for you and everyone in your household - just done over Zoom instead of in-person.
Zoom-based training is perfect for dogs with “stranger-danger” issues in the home, reactivity to guests, fear of noises, over-stimulation, shyness/bravery, and challenging care and grooming routines.
You get all the same benefits as in-person training - video review, skills and techniques, real-time coaching. And take it from our Virtual Training clients, it works just as well as in-person.
*Volume discounts also available
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We work 1:1 with your dog, an hour at a time, in your home or outside.
Perfect for dogs with longer-term behavior transformations such as shyness/fear, sensitivity to noises, stranger-danger in the home, stalling and freezing on walks, over-stimulation and leash pulling, leash reactivity, resource guarding, body-handling/grooming/care, dog-dog greetings and play, and off-leash recall.
We come to your home, and either work with your pup inside, or pick them up and take them on a training adventure. Video, photo, and SMS-based insights, learnings and next steps provided after every session.
*Volume discounts also available
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On a limited basis we will take no more than two Clients’ dogs into our home.
We’re not a doggie daycare, and we don’t operate a traditional boarding facility. We don’t say “give us your dog for 8 weeks and we will send them back fixed”.
This is a supportive add-on service for existing Clients who are already working with us on a training program, and need some time away but don’t want to lose momentum.
Please mention board-n-train as part of your overall training plan, during your free consultation.
*Volume discounts also available
