Holistic Dog Training

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United States
Richmond, CA
Holistic Dog Training

Training with us goes way beyond obedience as we are passionate about dogs and people!

With over 15 years of experience and positive reinforcement trainer accreditation, we provide clients with integrative dog training and behavior modification services.

05/30/2026

Today, Leah and I took a different kind of walk. Instead of leading, I let her choose the direction, pace, and even when we stopped to sniff, explore, or simply pause. After about 45 minutes, she led me back to the car and looked back at me as if to say, “I’m ready to head home now.” 🐾🐶

It was such a simple moment, yet a powerful reminder of how important choice and autonomy are — not only for our dogs, but for us, too. When we allow others the freedom to make decisions within safe boundaries, we help build confidence, trust, and connection.

Dogs have so much to teach us about cooperation, communication, and healthy relationships. Sometimes the greatest growth comes from loosening our grip on control and becoming more attuned to one another.

If this resonates with you, I'd love to speak with you about the group coaching - book club program I'll be leading over the summer where you'll learn to:

• Read your dog’s emotional state to understand their behavior
• Regulate your own energy (and influencing theirs)
• Use empathy, intuition, and observation to build trust
• Read and discuss Ethologist Marc Bekoff's wonderful book, "The Emotional Lives of Animals."

🐕 Plus: receive support from other people who empathize with you and love their dogs as much as you do!

➡ Book your courtesy call today! https://tinyurl.com/mtc3vjyf

05/26/2026

This is Bambi and Luna.
Luna is the white and black dog, and Bambi is the brown one. They live in the same house, but their life stories couldn't be more different.

Bambi is simply a free spirit.
She needs a lot of time to build trust with people outside her inner circle, and during walks...well, she very clearly has her own agenda 😂. She makes her own decisions, chooses her own routes, moves at her own pace--sometimes I feel like I'm just there to accompany her. And honestly, I don't mind at all.

That doesn't mean she's "dominant" or a "problem dog"-- it simply means she has a huge and authentic personality. Part of working with dogs is learning to respect who they are, instead of trying to turn them into perfectly obedient little robots.

Ellas son Bambi y Luna
Luna es la blanca con negro y Bambi la cafecita. Ambas viven en la misma casa, pero sus historias de vida no podrían ser más diferentes.

Bambi es, simplemente, un alma libre.
Necesita tiempo para confiar en personas que no pertenecen a su grupo y durante las caminatas y entrenamientos.... bueno, ella claramente tiene su propia agenda 😂. Toma sus propias decisiones, elige sus rutas, sus tiempos y, honestamente, a veces siento que yo solo estoy ahí para acompañarla. Y la verdad no me molesta en absoluto.

Eso no significa que "me quiere dominar" o que sea una "perra problemática"; simplemente significa que tiene una personalidad enorme y muy auténtica. Y parte de trabajar con perros también es aprender a respetar quiénes son, no intentar convertirlos en robots obedientes.

05/23/2026

When people find out I’m a dog trainer, they often assume my dogs must be perfectly behaved.

HA! Not even close.

My own dogs have plenty of “issues” … and that’s exactly why they’re my greatest teachers.

They’ve shaped how I work with my clients—and even how I understand myself.

Turns out, the messy parts are where the learning really happens. 🐾

And it can be a lot of fun too!

Come celebrate imperfect dogs and imperfect humans at my FREE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP on the emotions behind canine behavior issues!

SUNDAY, JUNE 7 AT 10am PT.
Register Here! https://forms.gle/WnM6TPSx1RDpkm9G8

05/21/2026

Recall may be an obedience exercise, but the part most people overlook is the foundation behind it: a strong relationship built on trust and good two-way communication.

If your dog doesn’t fully trust you—or fears you in any way—it will affect their recall. But when your dog sees you as a safe, trustworthy guide and genuinely enjoys being with you, teaching a reliable recall becomes so much easier.

El ejercicio del venir al llamado puede ser un ejercicio de obediencia, pero la parte que muchas personas pasan por alto es la base que hay detrás: una relación sólida construida sobre la confianza y una buena comunicación en ambos sentidos.

Si tu perro no confía plenamente en ti —o te tiene miedo de alguna manera— eso afectará su recall. Pero cuando tu perro te ve como una guía segura y confiable, y realmente disfruta estar contigo, enseñar un recall confiable se vuelve muchísimo más fácil.

Aquí estamos esperando que Mister tome la decisión por sí mismo de regresar a su tutora ante distracciones, sin que le llame. Esto es una práctica útil en las fases tempranas de enseñar el llamado.

05/10/2026

You know that look your dog gives you… the one that makes you wonder what’s going on in their mind? 🐶

What if you could get a little closer to understanding—not just what they’re thinking, but what they’re feeling?

When you begin to understand your dog on that level, things start to shift:

💚 You can better support them in everyday situations
💚 Their behavior—both the easy and the challenging—makes more sense
💚 You gain insight into what you can adjust to build even more trust and better communication

If that resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me for a FREE workshop on canine emotions.

📅 Sunday, June 7
🕑 10-11:30am Pacific Time
💻 Zoom

➡ Sign up here!: https://forms.gle/WnM6TPSx1RDpkm9G8

Come curious—leave with a deeper connection.

05/07/2026

I usually recommend my clients don't use a high-pitch voice with their dogs because it can be anxiety-provoking for them. But today even I couldn't resist!

04/24/2026

Educar no es imponer; es guiar, acompañar y enseñar desde el respeto.

Inscripción por WhatsApp: 5611773044
Gracias por compartir!

01/11/2026

It makes me laugh when my clients say their dog eats things off the ground, ignores recall, chases squirrels, drinks from puddles, and sniffs other dogs’ p*e and poop… and they think only their dog does that.

No weird — Just a dog 🐶

After almost 25 years with dogs, I can confirm: they all do it.

11/24/2025

Today, we thoroughly enjoyed the last group walk of the year. We take great pleasure in observing our clients having a delightful time with their dogs in a natural environment where the dogs can freely be themselves!

Hoy gozamos de nuestra última caminata grupal del año. Nos encanta observar a nuestros clientes felices con sus perros en un entorno natural donde los perros pueden expresarse libremente.

10/27/2025

This morning, Leah and I had a beautiful walk with Mako and Sallie.

As some of you know, Leah needs a bit more time and space to make new friends. Fear sometimes makes her react impulsively, so Sallie and I planned every detail to help them succeed - from choosing the right place to exchanging scents before they even saw each other. There were a few tense moments (like when Leah suddenly chased Mako right after we dropped the leashes), but sometimes, you just have to trust the dogs and the work behind them.

Both Leah and Mako have strong, stable foundations built with kindness, patience, and respect - and today, that truly showed.

Their first introduction went beautifully. They enjoyed the walk, the freedom and most importantly, each other's company.

We did it! Now we'll keep practicing and nurturing their connection so this new friendship continues to grow.

Address

Richmond, CA

Website

https://www.holisticdogtrainers.com/

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