... Because we take puppy and dog training very seriously. There's too much at stake.

 

In April of 2020, when Covid shut the world down, I rescued an 8-month old Chihuahua mix whose family simply couldn't afford to look after him. I named him Bradley. He had been isolated, unsocialized and untrained. He was fearful, didn't know how to play, and taking him outdoors was extremely stressful for him. Whenever I walked into a room, Bradley would find a corner and sit and shake. Taking him out to go potty was nearly impossible, so I kept a light leash on him at all times so I could gently coax him to come to me. What have I done? What will I do? How can I help him?

 

I've had many dogs in my life - most of them well over 100 pounds. Dog training had always been my retirement dream job. Bradley gave me the inspiration and confidence to take my 20+ years of informal training to the next level.

 

After months of on-line and hands-on learning, I obtained my professional dog training certification in early 2021. That September, I officially launched my business, Outside the Crate. Since then, I've successfully trained 100's of puppies and dogs in both classroom and private settings.

 

I'm committed to providing the most science-based, positive reinforcement training solutions to canines and their human companions. I'm always learning and continuously pursue ongoing education and professional development by attending seminars, participating in live webinars, and keeping current on all industry trends and topics.

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Back to Bradley. In April of 2021, one year later, almost to the day, Bradley jumped up on my lap and rested comfortably. It startled me when it happened because that was the first time he had ever done that. Now I knew I could start to train him. He finally chose me. All on his own! He still has his issues and limitations because of his first 8 months of life, but he is a well-trained and engaging young 4-year old, whom I love dearly.

Outside the Crate works with dogs of all ages, but - because of Bradley - I specialize in training puppies and adolescent dogs because they are at most risk of being re-homed or worse. My mission is to provide you with effective and humane training for your dog. Training that makes your life easier by teaching you how to teach your dog how to behave and live within the rules and structure of normal family life.