Nikki and Her Dogs

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Nikki and Her Dogs Nikki and Her Dogs is a dog training and behavior modification service for folks living in Baltimore, MD and worldwide.

I teach using positive, ethical, force-free training principles. This is a judgement-free space where all are welcome.

05/15/2026

Hands off when the dog is busy! 🤚❌

We have a bad habit of touching dogs without thinking. It’s something we do mindlessly.

But that needs to stop.

Being mindful about petting builds SO much trust with your dog, and they’ll tell you when they do and don’t want your affection. It means so much more when you have their consent. 🥹

And on a practical note, it helps prevent resource guarding from developing. Touching when they have resources gives them reason to be worried. No touching, no worries.

Touching a dog when they have resources is also a great way to get bit. This happens a lot thanks to the old AWFUL advice to touch a dog’s food while they’re eating. (SERIOUSLY, STOP DOING THIS! IT DOESN’T HELP, ONLY HARMS!)

Teach and insist on this with your kids. Insist on it with your guests. It’s a house rule: no touching the dog when they’re busy. Period.

Questions? Leave them in the comments. I always answer!

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• dog trainer in Baltimore and worldwide
• positive • ethical • “force-free”
• I love complex dogs!
• leash reactivity • resource guarding • multi-dog homes • stranger danger • city dog problems • fearful dogs • nervous dogs • and more 🩷

Just a few of the old ideas I debunk at least once a week. 🫣 And hey, no shade if you didn’t know! There was a time I di...
05/14/2026

Just a few of the old ideas I debunk at least once a week. 🫣

And hey, no shade if you didn’t know! There was a time I didn’t know either. I was one of those trainers sharing inaccurate info for were more years than I’d like to admit. 😭

What counts is that we keep learning.
And when we learn more, we do better.

Pass it on. ✌️

***



• dog trainer in Baltimore and worldwide 🌎
• positive, ethical, “force-free” dog training
• specializing in complex dogs with big feelings, like reactivity, fear/nervousness, anxiety etc.
• DM or inquire through my website

The best dog training advice I could ever offer: let your values be your guide. If I had done that from the start (assum...
05/01/2026

The best dog training advice I could ever offer: let your values be your guide.

If I had done that from the start (assuming I had defined my values for myself instead of accepting the ones passed onto me), I would’ve never been a punitive trainer.

But then I guess I wouldn’t be able to share messages like this now.

I’m not an “everything happens for a reason person” 🙅🏻‍♀️ but I am a “we can find good in everything that happens” person. Posts like these are the good I’m finding.

I hope you find them valuable! 😘

***


•dog trainer in Baltimore and worldwide
•I love to work with complex dogs (reactive, anxious, fearful, etc), multi-dog homes, and bully breeds.
•positive, ethical, dog-centered, wellbeing-focused — we’re not doing anything to damage your dog or their connection to you!
•Reach out if you need help. 🫶

A manifesto. Or a Ted talk. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂If you wondered what my philosophy toward dogs and dog training was like, here it is. ...
04/27/2026

A manifesto. Or a Ted talk. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

If you wondered what my philosophy toward dogs and dog training was like, here it is.

Training with me of course includes “behavior mod” and/or “training”, but in a way that’s different from a lot of approaches out there, and far different from the traditional approach.

The folks who like working with me want to prioritize their dog’s wellbeing above all.

They want the way they bond with, relate to, and train their dog to be in line with their values.

They want to fully understand and embrace their role as the caregiver of a beloved but captive animal.

I sincerely love my clients SO much. Their commitment to their dogs inspires the hell out of me every. single. day. It moves me to tears at least once a week.❤️‍🔥

It’s amazing to work with likeminded folks!!

If this post resonates with you, I hope you’ll join our little IG community here and follow along. 🤗

And you’re also looking for help with your dog, please reach out to me! We can work together no matter where you live, so don’t let location stop you. 🌎

***



✨dog trainer in Baltimore and worldwide
✨a non-invasive, wellbeing-focused training approach without intentional fear, force, coercion or intimidation
✨positive reinforcement, ethical, force-free — our dogs deserve it
✨I love complex dogs!!! Reactivity, fearful/nervous dogs, dogs with sensitivities and strong preferences, high-support dogs (dogs with lots of needs) and more 🫶

Sometimes I think the dog training industry is the misinformation capital of the world. (Although I think the health & w...
03/29/2026

Sometimes I think the dog training industry is the misinformation capital of the world. (Although I think the health & wellness industry would give it a run for its money.)

Look, I used to be someone who believed and spread lots of misinformation, and I had literally no idea that that’s what I was doing. This is the problem with an unregulated industry. You can have a handful of mentors and dozens of colleagues all saying the same thing—and all of them are wrong. 🫠

But if I had followed my rule of thumb (on the last slide), I would’ve avoided most of it!

***



✨dog trainer in Baltimore and worldwide
✨training dogs with big feelings, like reactivity, fear, nervousness, anxiety, and of course the wild ones 🤪
✨positive, ethical, force-free dog training because our dogs deserve better than the authoritative BS some call training

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Baltimore, MD

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