Dale, the CEO and Founder of Top Gun Dog Training, has a deep passion for dog training. He established the company after rescuing a remarkable 3-month-old Lab Husky Mix named Spaulding while living in Florence, Alabama in 2008.

His experience working with various top dog trainers in the area, coupled with the knowledge gained in training Spaulding, led to the creation of his own dog training company. Specializing in training puppies from as young as 10 weeks old, Dale's training philosophy revolves around a blend of classical and operant conditioning, primarily utilizing positive reinforcement.

He adheres to the Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) Effective Behavior Intervention Policy. Top Gun Dog Training serves Northern Alabama, including Huntsville, Madison, Athens, and Decatur.

Over the years, Dale has acquired certifications and designations as a Professional Dog Trainer, demonstrating his commitment to continuous learning and professional development in the field. For obedience training, Dale employs methods such as positive reinforcement, clicker training, and relationship-based training to strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners.

When it comes to behavior modification, he utilizes techniques like desensitization, counterconditioning, and differential reinforcement to address behavioral issues effectively.

Wanda Fluhler

Wanda Fluhler is a certified dog trainer with over 20 years of experience. She has a passion for helping dogs and their owners build strong, loving relationships.

Training Philosophy

Wanda believes in positive reinforcement training methods. She emphasizes building trust and communication between dogs and their owners.

Services

• Private lessons
• Group classes
• Puppy training
• Behavioral consultations
• Agility training
• Trick training

Certifications

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)

Specializations

• Puppy training
• Behavioral issues
• Agility training

Training Methods

Wanda uses positive reinforcement training methods, which focus on rewarding desired behaviors.

Island Dog, LLC offers positive, motivational clicker training for puppies, adolescent, and adult dogs either in your home or at our training center.

We specialize in companion and service dog training. Our certifications include the use of flat buckle collars, martingales, quick release collars, Easy Walk Harnesses, and Head Harnesses.

Our training philosophy is centered on ensuring that dogs are comfortable and happy in their homes. We work with you to help your dog achieve this goal while learning manners along the way.

Our services are available in Huntsville, AL. We provide group classes for puppies, adolescent, and adult dogs, helping owners in socializing and training their pups, ensuring they are comfortable in their own fur.

Island Dog offers a state-of-the-art training facility designed to help dogs become successful companions. Our spacious main training room is climate controlled and equipped with rubber flooring for your dog's safety.

Additionally, we have two private training rooms, perfect for shy dogs or one-on-one training. If our group classes are not convenient for you, gather 5 of your friends, and we'll arrange a session that suits your schedule.

For inquiries, please email us at [email protected] or call 256-270-7762.

Laurel Rose

Laurel Rose's training philosophy is based on the fact that dogs will respond to positive, rewarding situations and clear communication. She specializes in helping you learn to read your dog’s body language so you can better communicate with them.

Services
Laurel Rose offers a variety of dog training services, including:

• Kindergarten: For puppies 8 weeks to 5 months of age. Covers basic obedience commands, manners, and addresses issues like jumping, barking, and nipping. Includes swim classes in the summer.
• Elementary: For dogs 5 months and up. Covers the same material as Kindergarten but with an emphasis on canine communication. Includes swim classes in the summer.
• Junior High: Prerequisite is Kindergarten or Elementary class. For dogs of any age who are not quite ready for High School but already know the basics and just need some fine tuning. Includes field trips and swim classes in the summer.
• High School: Prerequisite is Elementary or Jr. High class. Adds distraction and distance to everything learned so far. Uses games and field trips to make a more ‘real world’ experience. Includes swim classes in the summer.
• College (C.L.A.S.S.): Prerequisite is Jr. High or High School class. Prepares you for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers CLASS certification. Covers manners for real world situations. Includes swim classes in the summer.
• Single Session: Covers one topic like jumping, door dashing, loose leash walking, or house training.
• In Home Training: Obedience training and behavioral modification in your home. Appointment required.
• Private Obedience: One on one class at Such A Good Dog’s facility. Appointment required.
• Seminars: Topics include greeting strangers, coming when called, house training, jumping, and door dashing.
• Pack Walks!
• Click to Focus: Single session class where you’ll learn to teach your dog to watch you instead of distractions. Great for clicker beginners! Class is people only and dogs will be provided.
• Field Trips: Prerequisite is Jr High or High School. 4 week series of field trips to practice loose leash walking, polite greetings, and other skills in real world situations.
• Tricks Training: Prerequisite is a solid ‘sit/stay, down/stay’. 4 week series to learn tricks like close the door, bow, play dead, roll over, spin, peek-a-boo, put your toys away, and say your prayers.
• Fun & Games: Prerequisite is Jr. High or High School. 4 week series using learned skills to play games like Scavenger Hunt, Baseball, Musical Chairs, and tricks.
• Loose Leash Walking: No prerequisite. 4 week series to practice loose leash walking outdoors in real world situations.
• Feisty Fido: For dogs who bark and lunge at other dogs while on leash. 6 week course using LAT “Look at That” and BAT “Behavior Adjustment Training”. Classes are outdoors at a variety of locations. First session is without dogs so you can learn about body language and the 2nd session you practice with the trainer’s dogs. After the 6 session course bi-weekly practice for 2 months is included. Only 2 students per course.
• Swimming in the summer!

Specializations
Laurel Rose specializes in helping dog owners learn to read their dog's body language and communicate with them effectively. She also specializes in positive reinforcement training methods and offers classes for puppies, adult dogs, and dogs with behavioral issues.

Training Methods
Laurel Rose uses positive reinforcement training methods, focusing on rewarding desired behaviors. She emphasizes the importance of clear communication and understanding dog body language.

Customer Reviews

Reviews:

• Name: Laurel is an excellent instructor, passionate about her work and makes training fun. I love the games and practical situations she places you in class. I am a puppy raiser for service dogs. She helped me better understand dog body language, how subtle their little manipulative personalities can be and how to handle this behavior. Great experience for me and my dog! I’m headed back with my new puppy!
• Name: Laurel takes the time to repeat instruction over and over again so you “get it”. She will show you rather than tell you what you are doing right and wrong. When something is not going as expected she will go back a touch on the subject to help you conquer the task! She also brings to light what can happen and why and what to do about it. I can tell she truly loves what she does!
• Name: Last year my husband and I adopted a fearful, insecure dog. He loves people, but is insecure around other dogs, specifically other insecure dogs. We signed our dog up for a class to help with his reactive nature in the form of Behavioral Adjustment Training (BAT). Kim, our trainer, did a wonderful job pointing out and photographing the dogs distress signals to help us see them. These signals, such as tongue flips, raised ears, tail down, etc were the our dog’s way of showing us he was uncomfortable. Kim taught us to train by rewarding our dog’s positive behaviors and building his confidence. In our first class, the dogs were very insecure and uncomfortable with each other. In that session, Kim helped us to recognize their discomfort and taught us how to train them. With lots of education and practice, the dogs started improving! In our fourth week of training, something amazing happened. The dogs managed to get very close to each other and even expressed playful interest! It was amazing and such a joy to see our dogs transforming before our very eyes. The experience we gained from the course has made a huge difference in our training habits and in our dog’s behavior. Kim was a patient and encouraging teacher. Her passion for training dogs is inspiring and made our learning environment feel safe and fun for us and our dogs. It is clear she loves dogs and wants to help people understand them better. I am so grateful for this class.
• Name: It was great! This class showed me that a “difficult” dog was really just a “different” dog who could do great things.
• Name: We couldn’t have been happier with the services. Laurel was very good about instructing us on how to deal with our stubborn english bulldog
• Name: Very informative, organized and fun! Loved the added tips given throughout classes and the chance to go into the store.
• Name: Kim’s class helped Hershey get much calmer on leash near a strange dog, and I got a little smarter about watching his body signs. I also am much more adept with the clicker which I avoided before now (just out of laziness I guess) but which I have already starting using with my other dog. She’s right, the clicker seems to get much faster results. Kim is knowledgeable and intuitive, a pleasure to work with.
• Name: I like the fact that you get to the heart of the matter in order for dog owners to have a full understanding and better appreciation of what it takes to care for our dogs.
• Name: I had done some training with my dog prior to working with Laurel; however, I feel as though this class helped me learn to speak with my dog. I learned to better read little changes in my dog’s body language, and most importantly I learned how to effectively communicate with him. Dog training is not difficult, but it does take time and consistency. Laurel is fantastic at helping her students learn both. She makes class fun while also being informative. I would recommend Laurel and Such A Good Dog to anyone who is interested in training their dog. She uses the best techniques without making it too difficult to learn. I feel as though the positive techniques I learned from Laurel far surpasses any \“or else\” punishment training techniques taught elsewhere.
• Name: I learned so much more than I was expecting. Especially about my dog’s body language. I feel like I understand him so much better! Loved the water run game. Just wish we could have played more games.
• Name: Fantastic experience. All dogs and OWNERS need to do check this out!
• Name: Laurel is awesome. We have participated in other obedience classes w/ other organizations and have not had the success we have had w/ Laurel. She has helped Dot become less anxious, and become a more well trained dog. Laurel actually worked w/ us w/ behavioral and obedience and Dot has made great strides.
• Name: I would highly recommend your services. Class size was small and I felt like everyone got a lot of attention. And the games were great.
• Name: With regard to my 9-month old lab, the best thing I ever did was to call Laurel. Molly was becoming a beast, dominating everything and everyone in our home! After a couple of hours with Laurel, everything started falling into place. Our biggest issue was aggression at her food bowl and with high-reward treats, which was a real problem because we have young children. Laurel knows dogs! Everything she taught us has worked beautifully. Molly is like a different dog now. I would recommend Laurel and her services (on any level) to anyone and everyone, whether its something specific or just general training. She really knows what she is doing!!! Thank you Laurel!
• Name: I am so glad we chose Such A Good Dog for obedience class. I really like that the class size was limited. Laurel really understands dogs, why they are doing certain things and how to change behaviors. Since our dog was a rescue dog, who had some obedience training before, the class helped me learn as much as refreshing things she had learned. I am hoping to get a stay sit/stay down long enough so we can come to Junior High!!
• Name: Everyone has noticed a change in our dogs since we went through the course. I liked that all training was positive. The puppies are happier, calmer, and actually listen to us. We have more work to do, but this class really gave us a great start.
• Name: I can’t say enough about Laurel. We have both of our dogs enrolled with her after having attending other training in the past. The difference in the level of expertise Laurel has compared to other local trainers was apparent almost immediately. Our dogs literally love it there and look forward to going every week. And that was when things go well… One of our dogs was involved in, and honestly was to blame, for an incident during one of the group classes. Laurel not only handled the situation calmly and professionally, but encouraged us to let her work with our dog as a project. The experience has literally been life changing for us and our dog…we have learned so much and watched our antsy, high-strung dog turn let so much of his stress go and begin enjoying a more laid back lifestyle. We are still working, but the work Laurel and Such a Good Dog does is amazing. I wouldn’t trust most people’s opinion about my dog…but Laurel has proven to be a genius!
• Name: So knowledgeable! You never made me feel bad about all the stuff I didn’t know. It was so much fun and I learned so much.