Cora Wittekind

Cora Wittekind, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and Family Dog Mediator (FDM), has over 20 years of professional dog training experience. She started her own training business, Prestigious Pooch, in 2012. Before that, she worked in dog boarding/daycare facilities in Washington and Southern California for over 8 years, developing training programs and providing one-on-one training to clients. She also volunteered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs for 11 years as a member with her chow mix Alice, as well as a Tester/Observer. Cora grew up in rural Washington State, where her family was active in wildlife rehabilitation and took in many stray and unwanted dogs. This experience sparked her passion for dog rescue/behavior and the importance of educating owners on how to build lasting relationships with their dogs based on trust and mutual respect.

Training Philosophy

Cora believes in positive reinforcement training and tailoring her methods to each individual dog. She emphasizes owner education and participation, seeing it as key to a successful training routine. She believes in communicating with dogs in a language they understand, rather than expecting them to understand human language through intimidation and physical force.

Services

Prestigious Pooch offers a wide range of dog training services, including:

• In-Home Lessons and Behavioral Evaluations
• Basic, Intermediate, & Advanced Obedience
• Dog Behavior Modification & Problem Solving (including dog aggression, separation anxiety, potty training, dog barking, fearful and shy dogs, leash reactive dogs, hyperactivity, etc.)
• Puppy Training
• Therapy Dog Preparation Training
• Agility & Trick Training
• Dog/Owner Rescue Match Making
• Board and Train (3-5 weeks)

They also offer a short phone consult prior to meeting in person to discuss the client's goals and set up an in-home consultation.

Certifications

Cora Wittekind is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, a Family Dog Mediator (FDM), and a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG).

Specializations

Cora specializes in dog behavior modification and problem solving, including dog aggression, separation anxiety, potty training, dog barking, fearful and shy dogs, leash reactive dogs, hyperactivity, and more. She also offers therapy dog preparation training.

Training Methods

Cora uses positive reinforcement training methods, tailoring her approach to each individual dog. She emphasizes owner education and participation, seeing it as key to a successful training routine.

Customer Reviews

Cora has received positive reviews from clients on Yelp. Here are some examples:

• Elizabeth B.: "Cora is an amazing, gentle, and intuitive trainer. She started with my dog, Blue, as a puppy, helping train him with manners and basic commands. He absolutely loved working with her and I could see he was developing into a confident, calm, and well-behaved dog, who LOVED to learn. Once that was established, I realized the HUGE benefits of having such a well-trained dog, and continued to have Cora work with him well beyond puppyhood. Once Blue mastered the basics, Cora challenged him with fun tricks and problem-solving games. He loved it, and I was amazed at his development.
  
  Cora's style is gentle, consistent, and positive, She is a wonderful communicator and customizes her suggestions to fit your dog's personality and your own family's needs. She also helped me learn that dog training isn't just about what she can teach your dog - but it is about *my* commitment to continue to work with him at home. Basically she didn't just train Blue. She trained me … and the bond that I have with Blue is entirely based on the trust we developed through her instruction.
  
  I am so proud to have such a well-adjusted, well-behaved dog! Blue is 7 now, and people stop me all the time to compliment his behavior. I thank them, but also make sure they know that he is a good dog today because of the instruction we received from Cora. She has enabled me to become a confident and responsible dog-owner! The BEST part of the training we both received (me and my dog) is that it has deepened the bond of trust between us.
  
  I have met/worked with several trainers over the years and Cora is the BEST! I can only hope that any other dog that joins our family in the future gets to train with Cora the way Blue did.
  
  Thank you Cora! You are as good as it gets! A+."
• Kimmy R.: "I adopted a dog-agressive, Alpha-type, wannabe pack leader pup, and despite watching countless online videos, tons of Cesar Milan, and reading tons of online articles on dog training, found I was losing more and more control and hedging into dangerous territory with my beloved dog. I emailed Cora, she came to my house, and a mere 6 weeks later, my dog and I have a stronger, more loving and safe bond than I EVER could have imagined. WOW.
  
  When Cora arrived, she asked me all sorts of questions about our time together, and listened so intently. She got him to do the basics instantly, making me see his potential. Cora showed that he was not only a smart, trainable dog, capable of listening, but also, that I could train myself to get him there. Her tips and tricks worked flawlessly. Well, OK, when I did them right. And when I got frustrated with myself and the paradigm of our relationship started shifting (which is a for better and worse transition period…she'll explain it all to you), she was there to talk me through it and refocus me on being a better dog mom.
  
  Half dog-trainer, half-therapist, I highly recommend Cora's talent. She brings an unrivaled energy, that is both soothing and fun for both human and dog. What she has taught me about myself and human and dog behavior actually translates to so many aspects of my life. I am so grateful to her. She will enhance your life in more ways that a Yelp post will ever be able to explain."
• Matt M.: "My wife and I love Cora. Plain and simple. I have raised my Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff) puppy since she was 8 weeks old, and while I read every book and did as much research as I could to be the best “dog dad” I could be, there are things you just can't prepare for, and when you have a dog that is a “power breed” and weighs well over 100 pounds, you can't afford to slip up. Cora did all of the things you expect a good trainer to do - teaching my girl her commands etc, but more importantly, Cora comes from a true “behavioral” standpoint; a PSYCHOLOGICAL approach; Understanding what is really happening within a dog's brain and treating THAT. And also, training YOU. Yes you. The owner. It's not just the dog that needs to be trained.
  
  One example (one of many), my girl had to have eye surgery at six months. You can't anticipate that kind of thing happening when you first bring a pup home. It was a very painful, traumatic experience for my dog. Making a very long and complicated story short, she developed a tremendous amount of nervousness and fear after this experience. I was way out of my league when this took place. Cora helped (and continues to help) me through this process, and it is ongoing. I don't just need a trainer, I need a trainer/behaviorist combo. And Cora gives me elements of both. There are a lot of hacks out there. I've met them. Cora is truly educated, experienced, and a good person to boot.
  
  If you're looking for the best, she's the best. And look no further than her own therapy dog Alice. The epitome of what every owner would want in a dog. The proof is in the dog-pudding, y'all."