The Force Free Way Dog Training

05/09/2026

Owner-Trained Service Dogs: a cost effective way to get the service dog you need and deserve. Go to www.theforcefreewaydogtraining.com

04/21/2026

04/19/2026

The value of cues, even when unintentional!

04/19/2026

Watch this video! Then comment re what cues does your dog know that you did not actually teach them!

01/08/2026

Do you have a documented mental health or medical diagnosis?
You may benefit from an Owner-Trained Service Dog!

A Service Dog is trained in two specific areas. One is basic training such as walking nicely on a leash, along with Public Access. Public Access work involves training the dog to be able to lie calmly under a table at a restaurant, proper behavior entering, waiting and exiting an elevator, and staying with and helping their handler at all times, even with lots of distractions.

The second area involves specific tasks related to your needs. For instance, a PTSD Service Dog could be trained to gently alert to someone walking behind the person to prevent them from being startled or triggered. They might be trained to walk in a circle around the handler to create a sort of 'bubble of safety'.

For a diagnosis of Diabetes, a Service Dog can be trained to recognize the scent of a change in blood sugar, and then to alert the handler when they smell it. And because of a dog's incredible sense of smell, they can often detect these changes before a blood sugar monitoring device picks it up!

Getting a fully trained Service Dog can cost $20,000-$40,000. Nonprofit trained dogs will put you on a waiting list up to 5 years long.
I can help you choose, assess, raise and train your own Service Dog, saving you thousands of dollars and preventing the years of waiting. And the bond that develops as you do this work together creates a bond like no other. Getting involved in your Owner-Trained Service Dog training can be therapeutic for those with mental health diagnoses.

Let's get started! If you already chose a puppy or young dog, I can offer a formal assessment to evaluate their suitability for Owner-Trained Service Dog training. If you do not yet have a dog, I can help you choose and assess them.

If you would like to learn more about raising and training your own Owner-Trained Service Dog, please message me or email me at [email protected]

12/17/2025

Hello and welcome to the page for The Force Free Way Dog Training! For announcements about classes, services and more, please visit my personal page. See link in comments below.
Peace, Love and Dogs!

06/10/2025

Got a new puppy? Come to KinderPuppy! Six weekly 1-hr classes full of beginning training, Puppy PE and socialization. Have fun learning to raise your best dog ever! In the College Park, MD area and conveniently located minutes from exit 23 of the beltway. Go to www.theforcefreewaydogtraining.com.

06/09/2025

Thank you, IKEA!

05/05/2025

I have developed a method for reducing leash pulling, and reducing leash reactivity, in dogs. It incorporates concepts of mindfulness, nervous system regulation and co-regulation, and the power of choice.

My own two dogs with Leash Reactivity have both made incredible improvements with this method. And one, a rescue who also has a history of leash pulling, has reduced her pulling by 80-90%. I have also seen marked improvements in clients' dogs.

I'm offering a three-session workshop (3, one-hour classes) for a sliding fee scale of $60-$90. The first session will be a no-dogs hour with lecture, demonstration with my dog, and Q&A. The second and third sessions will be held two weeks apart. To see good results, you must commit to using only this method for every walk for those two weeks. You will be given on loan a 10' leash, which will be available for purchase for $20 if you decide to keep it. Class size is limited to 10 dogs.

The first session will be held at Joe's Movement Emporium in Mt. Rainier. Sessions 2 and 3 will be conducted in Berwyn Heights (nearby College Park area), off Kenilworth Ave near East-West Hwy and Kenilworth. We will meet Sundays at 9:00am-10:00am.

Before registering (or for questions), please contact me via the link below to schedule a free 15 minute phone consult. We will talk about whether your dog is a good candidate for this workshop. If I get enough responses from people whose dogs are too reactive towards other dogs and/or people to be in a class, I can offer a group Zoom version as well.
Contact form:

Looking for a dog trainer in the DC area using humane, force-free training techniques? No e-collars, prong collars or choke collars. Contact us today to learn more about dog training classes and private sessions.

03/20/2025

Sometimes mental enrichment is as simple as viewing construction work. This can reduce stress for your dogs about both the noise and having strangers on their property.