Within the first few minutes of the consultation, I take time to observe your dog as they are naturally in their home environment.

This helps me get a sense of their personality, comfort level, and how they respond to new situations.

I may look for things like:

• Are they so excited they can’t settle around new people?

• Are they shy or fearful when the routine changes?

• Do they want to be pet or are they hiding from me?

• Are they sensitive to movement or noise as I shuffle around?

• Is there anything distracting them currently from resting & polite greetings?

• Are they potty trained?

As I observe, I take notes and ask questions so we can combine what I’m seeing with your experience living with your dog every day. This helps build a clearer picture of what’s going on and where training can be most helpful.

As we continue talking, I’ll ask you to describe what you’ve been noticing with your dog in as much detail as you can.

We’ll talk about things like:

• What the behavior looks like when it happens

• Whether the behavior is really a dog problem or an environment problem

• How often you notice it or try to reinforce it

• When and where it tends to occur

• How it affects your day-to-day life with your dog either negatively or positively

Your perspective is incredibly valuable here. You spend the most time with your dog, so your observations help fill in the bigger picture of what’s going on.

Together, we use that information - along with what I observe during the consultation - to better understand why the behavior may be happening and what skills could help improve the situation.

Behavior doesn’t happen in a vacuum. A dog’s routines, environment, and daily experiences all play a role in how they behave.

During the consultation, we’ll also talk about your dog’s daily life so I can better understand the bigger picture to help tailor your training plan.

This may include things like:

• Your dog’s typical daily routine

• How much exercise and enrichment they receive

• Their environment at home and on walks

• Interactions with family members, guests, or other animals

• Situations where the behavior tends to improve or become more challenging

These details help identify patterns that may be influencing the behavior. Sometimes small adjustments to routines, expectations, or the environment can make a significant difference.

By looking at both the behavior itself and the lifestyle surrounding it, we can create a training plan that fits naturally into your day-to-day life.

This part of the consultation is where we start shaping a clear direction for training.

Sometimes you may have a specific idea of what you’d like to work on with your dog. Other times, you may simply know something isn’t working and aren’t sure what the next step should be. Together, we’ll talk through your goals and expectations while considering what I’ve observed during the consultation and what your dog may realistically need to succeed.

Occasionally our perspectives may start in slightly different places. That’s completely normal. This part of the conversation gives us the opportunity to clarify goals, share insights, and make sure we’re working toward the same outcome.

By the end of this discussion, we’ll have a clearer picture of what skills will help improve your relationship with your dog and what direction the training plan should take.

Before the consultation wraps up, we’ll talk through practical steps you can begin implementing right away.

These early adjustments are designed to help reduce the most pressing challenges you’re seeing while we prepare for your first training session.

Depending on your dog and the situation, this might include things like using mealtimes as an opportunity to build trust with a nervous dog that guards resources, introducing enrichment activities that help channel the energy of a high-drive or working-line dog, or adjusting routines and management strategies to prevent problem behaviors from being rehearsed.

These small changes can often make a noticeable difference and help set the stage for more structured training during future sessions.

Within the next week or two, you will be emailed a copy of a training plan unique to you, your dog, and your goals!