Reactive to Relaxed: Live your best lives, together!
Train your dog to get what THEY want by doing what WE want!
Reactive to Relaxed: Live your best lives, together!
Train your dog to get what THEY want by doing what WE want!
My Approach
My Approach
My Approach
STRESS IS STRESS!
Did you know that dogs that are excited, afraid or angry are all experiencing too much adrenaline and cortisol!!? And these chemicals stay in the dog's system for 48 hrs! So, a dog that is always excited or upset is never processing stress and is living in a chronic state of agitation. I'm sure a lot of us humans can rel
STRESS IS STRESS!
Did you know that dogs that are excited, afraid or angry are all experiencing too much adrenaline and cortisol!!? And these chemicals stay in the dog's system for 48 hrs! So, a dog that is always excited or upset is never processing stress and is living in a chronic state of agitation. I'm sure a lot of us humans can relate right!?And our dog's smell our pheromones, so they know we are stressed and then they get MORE freaked out or over enthusiastic! It can be a never-ending cycle.
CALM DOWN!
I will teach you and your dog how to counter the unavoidable stressors with calming skills, tools and exercises. We live in a highly urban environment and cannot control 99% of what goes on around us - even just outside our homes, that is "triggering" an already over-aroused dog to react. We need tools that we can use when evrything is on top of us and when our dog is already reacing. But this starts with prevention. I will give you tons of useful stuff ot use to do your best to help your dog remain more calm inside the home and then they wiull be more calm outside the home
HOW?
We will also do basic exposure therapy, or what is known in the dog training world as "desensitization". We will use all the skills, tools and exercises to try to help our dogs learn to feel more safe and ok in general and ewhne in the presence of the "problem" that is causing them to do all the things we do not want them to do.
BOSSY BEHVIORS?
This method also works on demand behaviors. How do we get a dog to stop doing the thing they do to get us to do what they want? Think pawing, jumping, barking, humping, whining, etc. I have a protocl for this that is different from the expsure therapy system and is very effective.
WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT?
THIS: I GET THE DOG TO TRAIN US=MAGIC
Dogs live 24/7 thinking "How do I get the human to do or give me what I need and want?" I figure out how to train the dog to train me. So, a dog that jumps to get attention, play, food, learns to sit to get the same needs and wants met. This dog learns jumping gets the opposite of what he needs/ wants and sitting gets it all and more. So, what does this dog do in future? They SIT. And they can't sit and jump at the same time. Since we already know the dog is thinking "How do I wear the human down to get pets, play or food?" I train the dog to train me to give them these things only by doing a WANTED behavior. Even if the dog is reacting! Meeting the dog's needs and want through wanted behaviors and in safe and appropriate ways is the key to my dog training and to helping your dogs feel more confident, safe and comfortable in their worlds.
FREE PRO TIP: Both over-excited and overly fearful/angry dogs primary need in that moment is space and distance. Pairing that with fun, engagement activities and food helps make positive associations with the trigger while meeting the primary needs for the dog. Through this, the dog can learn, over time, to not feel as frustrated or upset by the surrounding environment. This alone will start to help right away. But I give you a bunch of actual tools and games to help you do with with increasing success. And in highly urban environments. Every client I have ever worked with tells me that hwile their dog might still get startled and react the intensity diminishes and they calm down MUCH FASTER through using my training methods.
Still with me? Read on for even ore details about how we will do things!
GOALS:
- NEW EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE
- NEW EXPECTATIONS
- NEW DEFAULT BEHAVIORS
My training does not result in a dog that is “fixed” and returned with no problems. And there are no real “quick fixes” in behavior modification. The goal is to change the dog and human emotional experience, expectations and behaviors in any given situation. This results in a new way for the human and the dog to interact, communicate and experience life together. The human is very involved in the training and the consistency and repetition of the skills, tools and exercises I provide is key to any success we will have with your dog learning new behaviors. New emotional experiences and new expectations in the face of the triggers you listed above results in new default behaviors in the dog. In animals of all species, human included, working with emotional reactions to things (whether it is fear, aggression or excitement) THIS is the way to change the resulting behaviors.
OUTLINE OF BIGGER PICTURE IN ALL SESSIONS:
Humans go through exposure therapy in the exact same way and these are the steps we are working on through all/every exercises, tools and skills I train:
- Experience trigger (from safe sensory distances)
- Work on feeling safe and ok or calm and contained when experiencing trigger
- While pairing positive things with experiencing the trigger
- Transforming to new emotions when experiencing the trigger
- New default behaviors in face of trigger
- Working on possibly getting sensorily closer to trigger, over time and through progress achieved in above steps
ESTABLISH WANTS AND NEEDS OF EVERYONE INVOLVED:
FIRST QUESTIONS WE ASK:
- WHAT IS YOUR NEED AND WANT?
- WHAT IS THE DOG’S?
- HOW CAN WE MEET THESE NEEDS AND WANTS IN SAFE, APPROPRIATE, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WAYS?
- WHAT BEHAVIOR CONCERNS YOU THE MOST?
- WHAT BEHAVIORS PLEASE YOU THE MOST?
- WHAT GIVES YOUR DOG THE MOST JOY?
For all species, an unmet need and want remains and the animal will continue the unwanted default behaviors they resort to to try to get it met. Maturity and training lead to impulse control in all species, which is the ability for the animal to delay gratification. But in order to teach this, we must meet the original need/want. When we meet it in new ways, the animal learns to prefer this to their former default methods.
I work on finding both the human and the dog’s need/want in any given situation and work on specific strategies we can use to meet both in mutually agreeable ways. We identify the needs and wants and figure out ways to meet them in safe and appropriate ways. This results in a reduction in the need and want to engage in the undesired and/or emotionally driven behaviors because the need and want is being met in other ways. (Ex: If a dog is lunging and barking to yell “I need space and distance! Go away!”, we start by giving the dog space and distance and implementing a bunch of skills, tools and exercises to do this, while also pairing it all with positive things. This way this dog starts to have a different emotional experience and different expectations when they interact with the trigger).
All of what I do also establishes enhanced impulse control in the dog while building on the relationship and bond between the human(s) and dog. All of this builds trust and engagement and enhances your relationship(s). In short, the human/animal bond strengthens and this serves as yet another way in which we start to redirect frenetic energy and impulse reactions.
EXERCISES:
SPECIFIC TASKS, SKILLS AND EXERCISES TO ACHIEVE ABOVE:
Throughout this process, I provide exercises and games to use to help you and the dog get different results than the ones you are coming to me to change. We will establish specific goals and track progress throughout the process. We will address impediments and success along the training journey and establish ways to overcome challenges while enhancing and solidifying successes. Both humans and dogs have challenges and successes along the way and I am here to address both with equal importance and assistance. Obviously, I am here to help the dog but I am also here to help YOU succeed and meet your goals. Learning new things is hard for everyone! I am here to help make it as easy, accessible and fluid as possible for all parties involved.
HOMEWORK BETWEEN SESSIONS:
You will be given easy, simple, brief homework to do in between sessions. We will actively chart progress made throughout our time together. One special difference between my approach and that of other trainers is that I am equally involved in the human side of the leash. What I mean by this is that I will help you identify personal struggles you are having that you might see as impeding progress/success and I will help you develop ways to overcome these challenges. I have been there personally and with all of my clients! You are not alone! We all experience roadblocks and, as your trainer, it is my job to help you overcome them!
PROGRESS TRACKED THROUGHOUT:
BASELINE BEHAVIOR: We will establish the baseline behaviors and arousal levels in the first session.
GOALS: We will determine specific goals to be achieved.
TRACK PROGRESS: We will then develop markers to help track our progress.
IT’S UP TO THE DOG (AND YOU, TO SOME EXTENT):
The old adage “You will get out what you put in” is very fitting here. Your progress and success will be directly proportional to your efforts and doing the homework along the way. Having said that, it is ultimately up to the dog as to how much emotional change we can make in the face of triggers. An extremely anxious dog, a dog with a trauma history, a dog with a neurological condition, or a dog that is too close to the trigger all will have varying abilities to acclimate to new emotions and responses around the triggers. Part of what I do is help determine a prognosis as training evolves. While not all dogs will learn to feel as safe and ok or as calm and confident around triggers as the client might hope, every dog I have ever worked with has made SOME progress. And some dogs have made a complete emotional transformation, learning to experience their triggers in an entirely new way, with new expectations and new default behaviors (see my Miles video on the homepage of my website).
MY PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH:
I am a science based, force-free trainer that uses “R+” methods to train the humans and the dogs. I do not use gentle leaders, martingales, prong or ecollars. I do not use fear or intimidation, control, “dominance” or use words like “alpha”. I will spare you all the dog nerdy science beyond why all of the above impedes learning, is not science based, has been scientifically proven to cause harm, pain and injury.
TROUBLESHOOTING: Throughout the process, I check in with the human clients(s) and we will be addressing your personal challenges (even things like time management, motivation, focus, follow-through) and I will help us figure out ways to overcome them! We will also focus on and build on your strengths!
NO JUDGMENT: Judgment free safe zone starts here
No matter what training you might have done in the past or how frustrated you get with your dog or how disappointed you are in his behavior or how much you have slacked in between sessions, no judgment. I am human. I get frustrated. I make mistakes. I am busy and tired and juggling a lot. I am neurodivergent. I GET IT! I will try to help you make this as productive, rewarding and efficient as possible.
Training
My Approach
My Approach
These sessions are offered as 1:1 trainings with dogs & their humans present.
We will meet in person (contact directly for location).
$250 75: Minute Initial Consultation
Throughout the Initial Consultation, you will receive loads of information, management and training tools that you can start using that same day. We will also discuss the
These sessions are offered as 1:1 trainings with dogs & their humans present.
We will meet in person (contact directly for location).
$250 75: Minute Initial Consultation
Throughout the Initial Consultation, you will receive loads of information, management and training tools that you can start using that same day. We will also discuss the details of your living environment, as this is often where the reactivity starts and builds throughout their day.
Should we decide we need to do an in-home session to directly address in-home reactivity, we can discuss.
I also send each client a generalized overview of the Initial Consultation for your future reference It is a dense session but clients find this overview very helpful afterwards.
$150: 60 Minute Follow-Up Sessions
The remaining sessions we have together will flesh out everything we cover in this consultation, adding new tools and skills while addressing any remaining or new issues that arise. Basically, we briefly go over everything you need help with in the first session and then elaborate on everything, advancing it all to get us closer to our goals, throughout the process.
*Ask about discounts
"Prior to Cyd’s classes, I never felt comfortable enough to walk our Goldendoodle Miles without my husband, but am now able to using her training methods. We learned so much in such a short period of time!" Allie Antes, Las Vegas
"Harley (our 8 month old Doberman) is able to stay in a sit or a down and there is a lot less jumping on people. Cyd helped teach Harley how to walk on a loose leash and stay in step with us. She keeps her stay when greeting people or dogs. and when people enter the house." Olivia & Ben R, Las Vegas
"Benji started showing fear behaviors out-of-nowhere and was cowering and darting around on walks. He would freeze up and not want to move. He ran to avoid his harness when he saw us get it out.
I am a kindergarten teacher and Benji once LOVED coming to class with me. But he even started showing fear and barking and lunging at kids during and after the SIP, after not being around them for months.
Our once easy going, fun loving pup was scared of everything and it was heartbreaking.
Cyd helped show us how to help him feel safe and confident again on walks as well as even how to help him feel ok around things like the vacuum cleaner!
Since our work with Cyd in SF, we moved to LA and the move sort of re-triggered his anxieties. Per her suggestion, we sought out the help of a Veterinary Behaviorist. The combination of his puppy prozac and Cyd's behavioral modifications has brought Benji back to the joyful dog he as before he started hiding in his fear!"
Addie Johnson, Los Angeles
Certifications & Credentials
