Paws for Thought Dog Training

Paws for Thought has truly been a lifesaver-- we cannot thank Maddie enough for the work she has put into getting to know our dog & helping us navigate these final stages of puppyhood. ♡ When we started working together, we were at a very sensitive crossroads with reactivity & final stages of heat before a spay. Maddie did a wonderful job of helping us understand our dog on a deeper level and reframing our thinking to see behaviors as communication. This has truly made all the difference in helping our dog feel comfortable enough to even be available for learning/reinforcement of any kind. Prior to beginning our work together, we had tried searching everywhere for advice, education, and strategies, but never felt like it aligned with our dog specifically. She wasn't particularly food motivated, and was often already overwhelmed before we could reinforce. Before we started, we had zero commands; after three sessions, we've learned "sit", "stay", "place", "thank you", "find it", *and* we now have extremely practical strategies and cues to apply across contexts in reducing reactivity in a graduated way. Maddie also provides highly detailed notes that summarize practice activities, general concepts to remain aware of throughout the week, and feedback on what is working, what needs adjustment, and guidance for the future. This feedback alone was truly invaluable, as we are first-time pup parents and didn't know what we didn't know. She is incredibly knowledgable, and she does a fantastic job with explaining concepts in a way that is easily digestible & applicable to different contexts. Since we've began working together, we've already noticed a tremendous difference in our chi's responsiveness to us, reduced reactivity, increased confidence, and a general back-and-forth that we couldn't really break through to before we started. I can't recommend this service enough to anyone with a tiny dog and an anxious/fearful temperament in NYC. We realized that we had to change our approach to exposure and training to avoid reinforcing discomfort/fear around being in new spaces with new people. It is truly well-worth the money for the education we've gotten, the progress we've made in such a short time, and the understanding we now have of not only the "Why" behind the behaviors, but how to navigate situations in the moment & work towards these skills in a scaffolded/graduated way. Thank you Maddie and PawsForThought!! We truly could not have done it without you. Thank you for all that you do! ♡ ◡̈