Being kind to a dog feels way better than hurting or scaring them. I speak from experience. When I was a kid in the ‘90s, trainers and books taught my family to use alpha rolls, prong collars, and leash jerking with our puppy Hobbes. So that’s sadly what we did. I’m so grateful to have learned about training with treats when Hobbes was a senior. It was the best when he learned to boop me on the nose for a treat. 

When we adopted our puppy Trixie, I wanted her to experience only kindness in training but didn’t know what that looked like. And we needed help with Trixie, who was nipping us all the time with needle-sharp puppy teeth. Luckily a friend connected us to force-free trainers. Working with force-free trainers has helped Trixie and us so much with her separation anxiety and with giving Trixie and our human baby happy experiences with each other. 

Trixie and the trainers we worked with inspired me to apply to the Academy for Dog Trainers, aka the Harvard of Dog Training. I graduated with Honors with my Certificate in Training in Counseling. At the Academy I learned first-hand how astonishingly well it works to train with treats. I learned to use and make training plans based on learning science. I also learned about scientific research showing how training with fear and pain brings unhappy side effects in dogs: fear, anxiety, and aggression.   

My partner Heather and I live in Glendale, California with our toddler and dog Trixie. Before I started dog training, I worked in ecology. I earned a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University where I focused on zebra behavior. 

Learning to be kinder to myself helped me be ready to adopt a dog again after many years and to follow my dream of dog training. You and your dog deserve compassion too! I will offer you kindness no matter what training you’ve tried in the past with your dog.