Howl Mountain Canine Services

03/18/2025

Here he Is! Santino Wetnicka!

I have to say momming is harder than having 16 puppies all at once, but I absolutely love it! I love it so much, and love adding him to our life with our dogs, that Howl Mountain will be shifting focus to working primarily with households looking to prepare their dogs for babies. There will still be 3 spots per month for the aggressive/reactive guys, though!

I’m not quite ready to leave this little guy and get back to work yet but I’ll be taking on a few virtual clients in May. Reach out now to see if your needs are a good fit for virtuals 🙂

12/09/2024

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you all for a fantastic year of working with your dogs. I will be on maternity leave now! Still unsure of how long I am taking, I may go back early and just take on a few dogs per week, so be sure to reach out!

I will either refer to another trainer, schedule a virtual session to hold you over, or add you to the waitlist for in person sessions once I return- all dependent on the nuances and severity of each case/client.

Emails, voicemails, texts will all be monitored and responded to weekly, other than when I’m actually in the hospital.

As much as I am looking forward to the time off and new chapter of my life, I’m already excited to get back to work next year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

07/23/2024

Moms with Dogs is officially up on the website!

SO many things I had never thought of before popped into my head when I got pregnant regarding my dogs, their training, and how to meet everyones needs (including my own) when the new baby comes.

If theres one thing I am passionate about, its keeping dogs in their homes safely and successfully - and too many families have to rehome their dogs because they struggle to balance motherhood, work, maintaining a marriage, managing a house, keeping their dogs happy and fulfilled, and all of the other life things.... this is NOT a post to share how you feel about people rehoming dogs. It IS a post to see that a professional is coming up with a solution so that everyones needs are met, and moms sanity is in tact in the process- allowing for more pups stay in their homes when the new members arrive.

anyway, check out the website and share this initiative with anyone who could benefit!

howlmountaink9.com

07/18/2024

Changing up the bedroom manners now before the baby gets here in December. Will they still be allowed on the bed? Yes, continently. But things have to change for: 🩵The baby’s safety 🩵The dog’s safety 🩵My sanity - this is important and I think it’s forgotten all too often. As a new mom with dogs I have to put myself, my well being, and my sanity is a top priority. Which is why we are preparing for baby 5 months in advance and not waiting for any issues to arise. You all should, too! If you’re an expecting mom, reach out to book your consult so your dog can be a happy and productive member of your growing family. [email protected] 774.239.6600

06/04/2024

*segue* Be on the lookout for the new programs! Very excited to start to niche in the new direction.

05/01/2024

Fearful dogs do not have a training blueprint. It’s not as simple as “Just build confidence”, or “just counter condition”.
Especially these dogs that came from living a life on the streets in another country and are now forced into our boxes we live in with all of our over stimulating aspects of life that don’t even phase us. And letting them live a life of fear inside of their home because they don’t like walks or cars or people or dogs is no life to live. Peep Maize, happy and relaxing on a boat. And actually curious to look out and see what’s happening! She’s been a process but the rewards are so worth it. And kudos to her parents for trusting me even though our training really didn’t look like we were addressing what they called me for.

02/09/2024

Maynard and Bellingham folks, I have openings in your area for the next 6 weeks for dog training and behavior mod!

I don’t open my schedule to these locations often so jump in fast and/or share this post!

02/07/2024

01/22/2024

01/21/2024

Call for a consult today to see if this in-home training program is the right fit for you and your dog!

01/18/2024

This is actually a lot more nuanced than you’d think. It goes far beyond treat motivated, toy motivated, and freedom motivated.

Howlmountaink9.com

01/17/2024

This little thing is one of my favorite tools for training. A tab leash, about 7 inches long. Almost all of my clients get these during training.

When you start training *most* skills, you’ll use a leash. But there’s a big jump in skill level between needing a 6 foot leash and needing no leash at all. And trust me when I say, your dog knows when they have a leash on or not. So these little tabs are perfect to attach to their collar while you transition to no leash, just as a back up or safety.

-jumping
-leave it
-out
-precision
-counter surfing
…some example of when these are useful

I especially love to use a tab leashes in any new play groups, and for trail etiquette for off leash hikes.

01/16/2024

New Year, New Me? …Not really. But there are alot of new people on here so I want to (re)introduce myself.

I’m Steph! Always a dog lover, always enjoyed training my pet dogs, and dabbling in some dog sport. In 2017 I adopted a puppy that was…difficult. Dog aggressive, people reactive, runaway risk (and success!). I could have crumbled under the stress of her behavioral needs, but instead I became a dog trainer! When life gives you lemons, plant the seeds and open an orchard.

I’ve worked in shelter settings, corporate training facilities, and now I own and operate Howl Mountain K9 Services providing a variety of private training services. The most impactful part of my experience - I fully understand what its like to be the dog parent of an aggressive dog.

Proud to report that Brixy (the tough puppy) is one of my helper dogs at sessions now.

Every dog trainer will tell you about their professional accolades, and when you are inviting people into your home to work with your family, I think its super important to balance that out with some personal warmth. Aside of my job, I LOVE being out in nature with my husband and two dogs. Howl Mountain is actually a play on “Howell” mountain- a wine AVA in Napa Valley, so you can imagine we love all of the nerdy tid bits about wine and food pairing.

That really sums it up!

The only question I have is… How can I be of service to YOU?!

Also post cute pics of your dogs in comments :)

01/11/2024

NEW PROGRAM ALERT!! 🐾

Day Training for PUPPIES 💜

❤️Socialization
🧡Confidence building
💚Community outings
💙Play development
🖤Potty Training
🤎Crate training..leash walking and obedience will be worked on as appropriate. Puppy play groups will be available to pups enrolled in this program.

A great alternative to daycare where your puppy will have a 1:1 trainer and a plan tailored to them to achieve your goals. Even better? Your pup will be socialized, confident, and ready to go for obedience classes after this!

This program has options of 2, 3, or 5 days a week, and you can do private session add-ons if you choose to!

🐶Puppies under 6 months old

To ensure the quality of this program, limited spots will be available. Schedule a phone consult today!

774.239.6600
[email protected]

01/10/2024

The after dark dog walkers club is closed. Welcome to the side of dog ownership where you can safely and happily walk where and when you’d like while. 🐕 ☀️ 🏔️ 🐾

01/07/2024

I’ve seen countless dogs missing lately both on friends pages and on town pages. Either getting loose from the yard, dashing out of the door, or getting loose on a walk.

If you, your friends, family, or neighbors have dogs without a reliable recall, share my info and please PLEASE reach out to me. Recall is so important, and happens to be one of my favorite things to teach.

Howlmountaink9.com
774.239.6600

Certified dog training and behavior modification for all life stages. Behavior modification for jumping, nipping, reactivity, leash pulling and more. Post training dog walking services. Private in-home sessions, day training, and residency programs. Servicing central Massachusetts- Worcester, Aubur

01/01/2024

Want a board and train for your dog without sending them away? Do you want to learn your dog through an immersive training program and have the tools you need to carry them through their whole life? This could be the answer.