Kathleen Walsh, also known as Kate, has always had a passion for working with animals, particularly dogs. Her passion for dog training was sparked when her family became volunteer puppy raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Throughout her teen and young adult years, she worked with animals in various capacities, including volunteering at horse stables, working in a dog grooming salon, and dog walking around Albany. Her career as a professional dog walker inspired her to pursue a professional dog training certification through Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP).

Training Philosophy
Kathleen Walsh believes in using modern, humane dog training methods that are proven in research to produce lasting results. She focuses on creating an environment that sets both the dog and the owner up for success. She relies solely on positive reinforcement and science-based training methods to manage and modify behaviors, allowing dogs to learn at their own pace and gain confidence in their choices. She emphasizes the importance of removing the aspect of correction from training to create opportunities for dogs to learn and succeed without fear or anxiety.

Services
Kathleen Walsh offers a variety of dog training services, including:

• Private Dog Training: One-on-one training sessions tailored to the individual needs and goals of the dog and owner.
• Puppy Stay & Train: A program designed to provide puppies with a strong foundation for the rest of their lives. This program includes around-the-clock care, training, and socialization.
• Group Classes: Group classes offer a fun and social way for dogs to learn basic obedience skills alongside other dogs.
• Puppy Socialization: This program helps puppies develop positive associations with new places, objects, people, and sensations, preventing fear and anxiety later in life.
• Small Pet Visits: Kathleen Walsh also offers pet sitting services for cats and other small animals.
• Wedding Services: Kathleen Walsh can help make your wedding day stress-free by providing services such as dog walking, grooming, and assistance with the ceremony.

Certifications
Kathleen Walsh is a Certified Training Partner with Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP).

Specializations
Kathleen Walsh specializes in positive reinforcement training methods and is particularly skilled in working with reactive dogs, puppies, and dogs with behavioral challenges.

Training Methods
Kathleen Walsh uses positive reinforcement training methods, which focus on rewarding desired behaviors to encourage learning and build a strong bond between the dog and owner. She avoids the use of punishment or aversive techniques.

Customer Reviews

Mell C.: "Kate has super responsive since day one, extremely patient, and worked through every speed bump with a critical eye and the least amount of stress possible to my pups. She's reassured me even when I feel like I'm screwing everything up and makes sure we're all set up to be successful. The first visit they barely let her into the apartment and now they whine when they see her car pull into the parking lot. I can't recommend her highly enough, even though she turned down my offer to be a live in dog whisperer."

Gary M.: "In a few weeks with us and with Charlie Kate has already had a big positive influence on his life and of course ours. She identifies our goals easily and clearly and works on each with a can-do attitude and a true understanding of both her dog clients and her human ones. We respond easily to her steady and kind ways of teaching Charlie and her persistence, patience and gentleness are infectious. You can't go wrong with her."

Tim C.: "Kate has been unbelievable in her work with my dog Cooper over the last several months. What sets Kate apart from her competitors is her impressive level of detail. After the first week of working with Cooper she sent me a 5 page document with what they worked on, what items I should consider buying, and videos of them working together. It was EXACTLY what I needed. The improvement I have seen in Cooper since we started working with Kate has been incredible."

Charlene C.: "Extremely knowledgeable and kind not only with your dog but with you. If you are looking for someone invested in the success of your years-long relationship with your pet, Kate is the woman you want and need. She leads and trains with kindness and offers you all the tools, feedback, and information you need to grow as a dog parent and also understand your puppers better. Not kidding, book her… NOW."

Mary W.: "I have enjoyed working with Kate to socialize our puppy. Our puppy was fearful of new environments, other dogs and new people. After working with Kate and her training partner Murphy, we are able to explore new places and greet other people and dogs without fear or barking! "

Ashleigh J.: "Kate cares so very deeply for animals and the work that she does. She is invested in the success of both the owners and dogs in her classes and sessions and will truly do whatever she can feasibly do to insure success for all."

Annette L.: "I am so impressed with how much progress my pup has made! Mochi was really shy and cautious when we first got her at 8 weeks. While I did my best to socialize her, I saw the most improvement after Mochi worked with Kate. She did a complete 180! She is more curious about her surroundings, people, and other dogs rather than overtly afraid of everything... Extremely impressed by her knowledge, compassion, and professionalism. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who is looking for knowledgeable trainer."

Rebecca Hutchins

Rebecca Hutchins, the owner of Good Choice Dog Training, adopted a 3-year-old yellow labrador named Sally who had a lot of baggage inhibiting Becky's ability to train her. After many disheartening attempts at various training facilities around the area, Becky decided to create a place where all dogs and their owners are welcome, comfortable, and included.

Training Philosophy

Good Choice Dog Training uses scientifically based reinforcement training methods that are completely humane — meaning you can teach your dog how to behave, walk with you on the street, come when they're called, and more, all without force. Our trainers are certified experts and teach you the skills to help your dog make good choices, whether in a class, at home, or in new environments. Our rewards-based methods are approved by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and are designed to help you and your pup become BFFs.

Services

Good Choice Dog Training offers a variety of classes for all types of dogs, from puppies to seniors. They also offer private training sessions to address specific challenges. Their services include:

• Puppy Class & Enrichment
• Puppy Too
• Life Skills
• Let's Get Connected
• Intro to Scent
• Mark Training
• Where are my Manners?
• Scent Work Trial Prep
• Canine Good Citizen Prep
• Community Canine
• Rally — Novice to Advanced Coursework
• Aggression Training

Certifications

Becky Hutchins is a certified knowledge-assessed professional dog trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and is an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She is also a member of the Association for Professional Dog Trainers, has completed Michael Shikashio's Aggression in Dogs Master Course, and is a member of the Pet Professional Guild. In addition, she is a mentor for CATCH Canine Trainer's Academy and Animal Behavior College (ABC).

Specializations

Puppy training, obedience training, manners training, scent work, agility training, Canine Good Citizen preparation, Community Canine preparation, Rally training, aggression training

Training Methods

Positive reinforcement, reward-based training, force-free training

She is a certified dog behavioral consultant, pet dog trainer, and dog obedience instructor. She offers beginner to advanced training as well as private lessons.