My Immersion Programs are designed for dogs who benefit from focused, consistent training woven into real life. Instead of simply practicing isolated commands, we work on the skills, habits, structure, and confidence your dog needs to live more successfully with you.

Residency is our overnight immersion experience, where your dog lives and trains with me for most of the week and returns home for an extended weekend (arrangements can be made for holidays and vacations if needed).

DayCamp provides much of the same focused training during the day, while your dog returns home with you each evening.

Both are personalized around your dog, your lifestyle, and your goals and designed to benefit both you and the dog long term.

Most Immersion Programs are built around several weeks of consistent work rather than a quick “fix.” The appropriate length depends on your dog, your goals, and the amount of change we are trying to create.

I’ll recommend the right program during your consultation.

Yes. Daily or weekly transportation via my canine adventure van is part of the Immersion experience.  We also use it for our field trips around town during the programs.

For DayCamp, your dog is picked up in the morning and returned home at the end of the training day. For Residency your dog is picked up on Monday and returned home Thursday evening each week.

Training is integrated throughout the day and balanced with exercise, enrichment, decompression, rest, and real-world experiences.

The goal is not to keep your dog “working” all day. It is to create a thoughtful rhythm that helps learning carry over into everyday life that you can continue to maintain for years.

Yes, when appropriate. Every dog is different, and social exposure is selected intentionally rather than automatically. Dogs, like us humans are socially selective creatures and some dogs benefit from carefully managed time around other dogs, while others make better progress with more individualized work. 

Regardless we will work around the distractions of other dogs during the program.

Yes, but obedience is only part of the program. We focus heavily on practical skills that matter in daily life—walking together, coming when called, settling, holding still, navigating distractions, and developing greater freedom responsibly.

The training tools we use are based on a discussion with you, your dog and the goals of the program. Depending on the dog, that may include food, different toys, flat collars, martingales, long lines, training collars, and/ or an e-collar. Tools are never the program—they are simply part of a larger approach built around enhancing communication, welfare, and real-world reliability.

If you want and only when it is appropriate for the dog as well as consistent with the goals you have chosen. For dogs working toward greater off-leash freedom and reliability, the mindful use of an e-collar may be incorporated into the program and of course taught to you as part of the transition home.

Your dog can make significant progress during an Immersion Program, but training does not end when the program does. My job is to build the foundation, create better habits, and develop reliable skills and habits in both your dog and you.

Your role is to continue living those patterns once your dog returns home.

Each transition home is an important part of the program.

In the short term, whether daily or weekly, I will show you what your dog has learned, how to communicate clearly, how to maintain expectations, and how to integrate the things learned into your actual lifestyle.

In the long term we will schedule follow up lessons, calls and if needed refreshers to help support the program.

Yes. You’ll receive daily photos, videos, and progress updates regardless of the program you choose so you can see how your dog is doing and understand the work taking place.

Yes. The Residency Program consists of "Weekly Residency Blocks" followed by a "Home Stay" where your dog spends planned weekends at home during the program.  This is useful for practicing, integrating behavior and helping you apply what your dog is learning.

This is not a short term "intensive" 1-2 week program like a typical board and train or a "send your dog away for a month" program but rather a longer Weekly Immersion Cycle that consists of "Residency Blocks" and "Home Stays" for the duration of the program.

Immersion is best suited for owners who want or need more help than one on one private lessons or group training.  It works especially well for non-human aggresive dogs who are crate trained and need help with better manners, reliability, confidence, and impulse control.  Clients looking for real-world skills and greater freedom along with the ability to go on adventures and want their dogs to play a regular role in daily life.

Yes. Not every dog or situation is appropriate for an Immersion Program.

The safety and long term welfare of your dog, along with whether we genuinely believe the program can help are considered before enrollment.

In some cases, another training format or a different professional may be a better fit.

Not at all... and that distinction matters. Immersion gives your dog concentrated experience and professional consistency, which can accelerate progress.

But there is no substitute for the relationship and lifestyle your dog has with you. We do the heavy lifting however you still become part of the process.

This is the concept behind the Weekly Immersion Cycles consisting of "Residency Blocks" and "Home Stays" for 3-4 weeks.

You don’t have to decide that before reaching out.

We’ll discuss your dog, your goals, your schedule, and the kind of life you want to share together, then recommend the program that makes the most sense.