Love the time you spend training your dog  

Collingwood, ON and area  |  Call today (705) 443-9302|  Register Now

About Me

A bit about me .... I am a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP) as well as a graduate of the Animal Behavior College Professional Program. I have been training professionally for 20+ years and I am a former owner of a Doggy Daycare and training facility. I am a member of the APDT -Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the CAPDT -Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers. I am proud to be the 'other half' of a Therapy Dog team (retired) that visits Retirement Residences with ‘Andy’ one of my yellow labs.

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Training different Species at The Karen Pryor National Training Centre
July 2019

An incredible learning experience being able to train with other species of animals including Alpacas, donkeys and goats.  Networking and learning alongside other animal trainers was a truly enriching experience for me as a Professional Dog Trainer.  I can't wait to get the chance to go again!

Continuing education and professional development within the field of animal behavior is of the utmost importance to me. It ensures you are getting the most current, relevant information on training and behavior  management that I can provide you and your dog.

Why hire a KPA CTP? 

All KPA CTP’s are graduates of the Dog Trainer Professional program who have completed an extensive educational program, have demonstrated excellent technical knowledge and hands on skills in positive teaching and training.Each is educated about using science and behavior based methods to make training more efficient for you the pet owner and your dog. 

I believe that all training and learning should be Force Free.  I am a Positive Reinforcement /Reward Based Trainer.  Simply put, we are Rewarding all Good Behavior using a Clicker or a Verbal marker & then reinforcing desirable behavior with something that your dog finds super rewarding - Toys, treats, snuggles, a ride in the car, a sniff of a bush, a stroll in the park, praise! By creating this solid history of rewards, the dog learns very quickly what behavior ‘pays’ and what doesn’t. This is an incredibly powerful tool that will help shape your dogs daily habits.
We want to set up situations so that your dog will make good choices and learn that working with you is not only rewarding but it can be A LOT of FUN! Dogs of all ages are very quick to catch on to this method of training!

My Current Studies:

Aggression in Dogs

My current studies are with regards to Aggression in Dogs.  I have completed my Master Course for Trainers and Behavior Consultants with Michael Shikashio CDBC.  Michael is a world renowned aggression expert.  This is the most comprehensive course on dog aggression for trainers and behavior consultants available anywhere in the world.

I look forward to sharing my knowledge with those of you who are struggling with reactivity and aggression issues.

Separation Anxiety

Within the period of Covid 19, I have personally seen a rise in Anxiety with both puppies and dogs.  I am continuing my studies with regards to Separation Anxiety and will continue to support those clients who are facing this challenge with their companion dogs.

  As a supporting member of the IAABC I have access to a large variety of Continuing Education courses.  Completing Continuing Education Units is a requirement for my accreditation but it is also incredibly important for me, so that I can bring all of this new information to my clients and help support their companion dogs success.

Our goal at Always Focused Dogs:

Dogs are very quick to catch onto this method and find it to be a lot of fun and very rewarding!!

You will build an incredibly strong bond with your dog and find that the time you spend with your dog will be so much more rewarding for you, your dog and your whole family!!
I look forward to meeting you and your dogs! Happy Training!
Allison

 

One of my favorite sayings....
Dogs are not our whole life but they make our lives whole. Rogers Caras