Ariel has been working with animals since she was a child, and has been professionally training dogs for 5 years. She joined the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) in 2017. She is one of the less than 10 trainers in the US to earn the prestigious title of Professional Canine Trainer (PCT-A) from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board.
The testing process for this credential is extremely rigorous, requiring:
Additionally, you must pass a video test, which includes:
Ariel’s Certifications & Titles |
Program Links |
| Professional Canine Trainer Accredited-PCT-A Certified Trick Dog Instructor-CDTI All Star Trainer of the Year (2020) Canine Conditioning Fitness Coach-CCFC Stunt Dog Judge (SDJ) Canine Good Citizen Evaluator-CGC Evaluator Pet Dog Ambassador Instructor/Assessor Be a Tree Presenter Pet CPR and First Aid |
Click on a logo to learn more about each organization:
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Ariel acquired Padme as a puppy to train as a service dog. Padme began picking up on helpful behaviors very quickly and has come a long way in training. Currently she participates in rally and trick training with hopes of doing agility and stunt dog!
Padme’s Titles |
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| Novice Trick Dog-NTD Intermediate Trick Dog-ITD Advanced Trick Dog-ATD |
Pet Dog Ambassador Level 4-PDA4 Canine Good Citizen-CGC 20 Tricks 1 Prop-20:1 2K-9 |
Halligan was rescued by Ariel in 2014. He was very ill and needed months of steady vet treatment and care at home. Ariel nursed him back to health and later began training him to be her service dog.
This process led her to learn more about service dog training and becoming a service dog trainer.
Halligan performs a wide variety of tasks to help Ariel day to day. They have been a working team since 2015. Halligan is also Ariel’s demo dog and has earned many titles himself. The team competed in AKC obedience, rally, agility, and has also competed in Stunt Dog trials.
Halligan’s Titles |
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| Canine Good Citizen-CGC Community Canine-CGCA Urban Canine Good Citizen-CGCU Novice Trick Dog-NTD Intermediate Trick Dog-ITD Advanced Trick Dog-ATD Expert Trick Dog-ETD Trick Dog Champion-TDCH |
AKC Trick Dog Performer_TKP Novice Stunt Dog-NSD Open Stunt Dog-OSD Proven Stunt Dog-PSD Professional Stunt Dog-SDPro Rally Novice-RN AKC Achiever Dog Beginner Novice (Obedience)-BN Pet Dog Ambassador Level 3-PDA3 |
To reward behaviors we like, we mark the behavior with either a click or verbal marker, such as "Yes", and give the dog a treat. While some dogs like toys, we find the majority of dogs enjoy working for food.
By marking the behavior and offering food, we are using positive reinforcement and building the dog's understanding of what behavior we are looking for, and, therefore, they will be more likely to perform the behavior in the future. This is the premise of reward-based training.
Simply offering the wrong behavior (i.e., siting when he was asked to lie down) means the situation will be set up again and he will be given another opportunity to perform. If the dog offers the wrong behavior twice in a row, it's best to retract to an easier step in the process (for the previous example, going back to using a hand signal to give the dog a visual representation of what is being asked) or redirect them to something else before going back to the original behavior. There is a vast number of reasons a dog may get it wrong, and it's the human's job to set the dog up for success.
If the dog is exhibiting signs of stress (lip licking, yawning, looking away, tucked tail, hunched body, tightly closed mouth, intense stare, stiff body, piloerection or raised hackles, etc.), we will remove the dog from the environment as quickly and gently as possible. We will then work with you to determine the cause of your dog's stress and how to desensitize your dog to the trigger, and how to manage the situation during that time.
We are proud of the Pet Professional Guild membership! This organization has strong ethical standards and believes pain, force, or fear should NEVER be an option for animals. This organization has tough vetting for potential members to ensure they meet their strict standards.
See above for full list of credentials
To view my PPG membership profile, Click Here
To view my PCT-A credential profile, Click Here
Payment is due at the time of booking to reserve your spot. Payments can be made through credit card, cash (in-person only), or by check by mail. If a check is sent via mail, please be aware that your spot will not be saved until the check is received.
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