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How can I help?

Every dog and human are different and every family has different goals and struggles. I am here to be your canine coach! Living with our canine companions in the 21st century has posed quite a number of challenges. Whether you need help with the basics, wanting to become a therapy team, needing help with behavioral issues or just want a better relationship with your canine companion, I'm here to help.

 

SERVICE AREA:

I serve Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer counties and some surrounding areas. Contact me if you are outside the surrounding areas to find out if I can help. Additional cost may apply.

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*PROOF OF RABIES VACCINATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL SERVICES.

Always Tailored

to You

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Dog Pet
What to expect - The Initial Consultation

My services are always one-on-one giving you and your dog 100% of my expertise, attention and focus. Each Tailored Training session is customized to you, your family and your dog's needs. A session is between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours long. Your first session will be around 1.5-2 hours and include a Family Dog Mediation® Consultation, designing a tailor made plan for you and your dog's success and activities to get you started. Future sessions will provide follow-up, support and advancement dependent on you and your dog's needs.

Scheduling & Rates

Smart Dog
Schedule

Tuesday-Thursday between 9:00am-8:30pm
Saturdays between 10:00am-6:00pm

Times may vary 5-10min depending on locations and traffic. I sometimes book out 2-4 weeks. It is recommended to book more than one session at a time so you don't have long gaps between sessions.


Virtual/Phone Consultations
Via these apps: FaceTime, Messenger Video, Zoom, WhatsApp and Signal.

30-Minutes: (Contact for pricing)
60-Minutes: (Contact for pricing)

Rates
(*Cost Per Session)

Tailored Training ........................... $80*

Tailored Group Training ................ $60*

Therapy Dog Prep (6wks)............... $125

Aggression Help............................. $100*

Pre-Pup Consultation.....................$70*

Additional fees apply for multiple dogs enrolled at one appointment or if you are outside my service area.


 

CANCELLATION POLICY: Clients are permitted up to three cancelations before being dropped as a client. If you cancel within 72 hours of your scheduled appointment time you will be charged half the total cost for the appointment and a processing fee if applicable.

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Behavioral Help

Dogs are complex creatures! Just like us, they can experience anxiety, fear, depression, anger, sadness, boredom, trauma, frustration and so much more. What makes them different and sometimes difficult to understand is how all those emotions are received and/or experienced. Furthermore, like people, dogs react differently to scenarios, experiences and people/dogs in their environment. Listed are a few examples of behavioral issues. If your dog exhibits any of the listed issues/behaviors or others, let me help.

  • Dog reactivity

  • Leash lunging

  • Aggression towards people or dogs

  • Aggression around food, water or toys (Resource guarding)

  • Anxiety/Anxious behaviors (ie: Unable to settle in public settings or certain situations)

  • Trauma based issues (eg: Rehoming, Attacked by other dogs, Abuse, Accidents, etc.)

  • Destructive behaviors

  • Car anxiety

  • Excessive chewing or barking

Dog pulling on leash

Tailored Group Training

A truly tailored experience! I strive to keep the value of my one-on-one training sessions in a more advanced and realistic scenario making it a tailored group training class.
What sets my group training apart from the rest? A few things,...

Invitation Only  ~ Only offered to clients I have worked with. This allows me to help clients succeed faster. Not all dogs do well in a group setting.
Only teams I feel are ready for a group training 
environment and will benefit.

Small Classes ~ Group of 2 dogs minimum and 3-5 dogs maximum, depending on group needs.
 

People and dogs

Tailored to YOU ~ Skills practiced in group classes are customized to each individual team. While many teams will need help with dog reactivity/excitement, many could desire to advance basic skills or solve behavior issues all with the real life scenario of other dogs and people present. I take the stress out of traditional group lessons with the goal of "calm".

Location, Location, Location ~ Classes are held at different locations depending on the group needs. (ie: Parks, dog friendly stores, city setting)

Individual Attention ~ I spend time with each team within the group to work through issues/goals. 

Image by Jérémy Stenuit
Want to learn more? Check out the provided links below to learn more about therapy certifications, what it means to be a therapy team and the benefits of therapy dogs in your community.

Alliance of Therapy Dogs: https://www.therapydogs.com

Benefits of therapy dogs: https://www.therapydogs.com/therapy-animals-offering-comfort-and-cheer-to-people/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/pet-therapy/art-20046342


Therapy Dog Certification doesn't stop there! There is a huge demand for Crisis Response Teams! These teams volunteer and deploy to natural disasters to help those affected through the difficult times they face. For more information contact me!
Group Therapy Dog Prep Classes
Are you and your dog ready to become the ultimate team and serve your community? This 6-week class will prep you for the world of therapy service and testing. This class covers and exposes teams to wheel chairs, walkers and the hectic environments encountered during therapy visits. Each class is roughly 1 hour and occurs weekly. A maximum of 5 dogs per class will ensure training classes are not over crowded and teams receive the time and attention to make sure they are successful.

I am very proud to join The American Red Cross to bring therapy training and teams to the Capital Region Communities! The American Red Cross has generously agreed to allow these classes to be held at their warehouse at 337 New Karner Rd. in Albany. Once teams are certified and if they are looking for some direction, the American Red Cross can help pair teams with the venues in desperate need of volunteers. 

Recommended for dogs with basic-advanced level of training. The AKC CGC title is recommended but not required. This class will not offer basic skills or cover dog reactivity issues. If your dog struggles with either, I can help privately. 

The First Step...
Complete a Therapy Dog Prep Class Application.
Once received and reviewed you will be contacted. After enrolling you will be invited to an Open house, Meet & Greet where teams are evaluated to ensure they are ready and a good fit for the class. You will also be invited to take a tour, ask questions, meet Jamie and meet other potential teams. Attendance at the Open House, Meet & Greet is required to attend the prep classes. If you have been accepted you will be enrolled and payment will be due then. A class start date will be announced, if enough participants have enrolled. 
 
Pre-Pup Educational Consultation

Thinking of adding a canine companion to your home? You may be asking yourself what breed is best or how to prepare for the breed you have selected. 

Being proactive and educating yourself and your family can set everyone up for success and prevent problems from house training to even bites! During this consult we will discuss your lifestyle, goals, expectations as well as what to expect when bringing home your pup. Depending on your needs we can also discuss what breeds would be a good fit and even how to search and select. You will also learn about the basics of canine behavior with Family Dog Mediation helping you identify and understand the subtle communications that can be easily missed during those first critical days, weeks and months after your pup arrives. 

Consults are typically one hour.

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