Julie Schmitt

Julie Schmitt began working at Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., in San Rafael, California in 1996. She completed a three year intensive apprenticeship and is a licensed Guide Dog Mobility Instructor through the State of California. With six years of hand-on experience at Guide Dogs, Julie trained over 90 guide dogs. During her tenure, she worked with over 400 dogs. She was responsible for the teaching and reinforcement of positive and humane methods of dog care; including training, daily care, administration of medications and provision of stress relief activities. In 2002, Julie and her family moved to San Diego where she established Out N' About Dog Training. She was privileged to be approved as a Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer by Victoria Stilwell herself, star of Animal Planet's hit TV series It's Me or the Dog and a passionate advocate for positive reinforcement training methods.

Training Philosophy

Julie Schmitt trains dogs the same way she raises her kids. As a mom of two girls, she knows that raising kids is not a "fix it and forget it" prospect, and the same is true when working with dogs. She believes that when dogs act out, it's too easy to lose sight of their moments of greatness, so she helps empower frustrated dog owners to create lasting change in their dogs, leading to improved behavior and more shared joy. The methods she employs represent a lifestyle choice. They are the same practices that can be used to improve relationships with family members, friends, or co-workers.

Vision: Keep it simple, appreciate the small things, find the joy.

Services

• Behavior Consulting & Training: (dogs 5 mos. and older) Private, virtual and in-person training sessions. Focuses on helping you have a well-mannered dog, ready to enjoy the world.
• Puppy Training: (dogs under 5 mos.) Learn all you need to know to survive (and enjoy!) puppyhood, and watch your puppy grow into the well behaved adult companion you look forward to.
• Group Classes: Functional classes that are developed specifically for you and your dog. Drop-in classes are available, along with ongoing virtual training.
• Board and Train: Julie Schmitt will train your dog for a minimum of a three-week period. During this time, your dog will be taught basic on-leash obedience cues such as sit, down, stay, relaxed leash walking, and come. Your dog will be able to perform these cues even in the most distracting environments.
• Day Training: Have a trainer come to your house multiple times a week to train your dog while you are out n' about. Your dog gets to stay in the comforts of their own home, and you get to provide all the fun stuff while we do the hard stuff.
• Puppy Preschool: Hybrid class where you will have access to the trainer twice a week. It's for puppies under 4 months of age. Puppies are required to have 1 set of vaccines from their vet prior to attending their first in-person class and should be kept up to date on vaccines throughout class.
• Puppy Kindergarten: The next stage of training for puppies under 7 months of age. We build upon the foundations established in preschool, and introduce more focused behavior and impulse control around distractions. If you have not participated in Puppy Preschool, initial virtual training is necessary.

Certifications

• Licensed Guide Dog Mobility Instructor
• Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
• Certified Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer (VSPDT)
• Certified Fear Free Professional
• Licensed Be a Tree Presenter (dog bite prevention for children)
• Member, The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
• Professional Member, Association of Professional Dog Trainers

Specializations

• Puppy Training
• Behavior Consulting & Training

Training Methods

• Positive reinforcement training techniques
• Reward-based training
• Science-based training methods

Customer Reviews

• Andy & Jeana: “We wanted to make sure that our new pup, Zoe, was trained from an early age since we knew she was going to be a large dog and it’s no fun when 55 lbs of energetic fur doesn’t behave. We tried the group courses at a local chain pet store and, while great for socialization & basic commands, weren’t satisfied with the results. After getting a referral from a former customer of Julie’s at a dog park we decided to give her a try.
  
  Julie’s approach to training was very effective & we easily related to it. We liked that it was reward/praise based (no punishment) and we got to meet at different locations of our choosing which proved to be both fun & effective. Consistency is critical to training a pup and we appreciated how Julie spent more time “fixing” us and not really our dog.
  
  Julie pointed out our inconsistencies, explained why Zoe was confused and not following commands, and then showed us what we should be doing. We also appreciated how Julie was able to have a phone conference with us before the first session to discuss Zoe and we were immediately able to make progress from day 1. This meant a lot to us because it showed the Julie valued our time & wanted to maximize the value of a private trainer. Julie also divided each lesson into focused areas so that we weren’t overwhelmed with “homework” and we were able to see incremental progress.
  
  The results are amazing – we have a 6 month old pup that now behaves very well for her age. It was particularly beneficial that Julie focused on Zoe’s issues and didn’t rely on a standardized program for every dog. We would highly recommend that anyone make the investment and start training with Julie. We still have to keep training Zoe (it’s never done) but Julie definitely gave us a toolkit for continued success!”
• Rachel: “I have a 2 year old Shiba Inu named Corner who has the name for a reason… Julie was an amazing dog trainer and a very professional person! I have never gone to a trainer or had one come to the house before because I was afraid of how they would treat Corner since he is like a kid to me. I found Julie online and chose her specifically because of her training philosophy. I didn’t want Corner to be punished during training and Julie’s training program is based upon rewards. I am very impressed with this experience. Corner has had three sessions so far and has had remarkable improvements! He is a very smart/stubborn little guy and Julie knew just how to handle his antics. I highly recommend her to anyone! Its well worth it!”
• Priscilla and Tank: “I liked the idea of clicker training because it really helped the training get started. The class helped Tank improve every week and I’ve noticed he is far more advanced than other puppies his age. The instructor worked very well with the pups! We had fun and Tank has improved greatly, than you!”
• Sheryl and family: “The instructor is great and has complete knowledge of all aspects of a dog. Julie is Fantastic! Her methods work and it’s all done with kindness. There are no questions that Julie can’t answer; everything from training to nutrition, grooming and beyond.”
• April and Leroy: “What was most beneficial about the class was socializing with other puppies. The class helped with distractions, meeting new friends and learning basic training skills. The instructor knew what she was talking about, was very organized, friendly and helpful.”
• Joseph and Marley: “Thank you very much for the class. My dog is well behaved and very responsive to commands. The instructor was knowledgeable and accessible. I would recommend this class to a friend.”
• Andrea and Wonder Mutt: “(My dog) listens better and walks better. I loved that the instructor knows what she is talking about and knows information about different breeds. I sure would recommend this class to a friend.”
• Linda and Apple: “The homework assignments were helpful because they provided detailed information about training procedures. Puppy play time was very helpful because (my dog) doesn’t have lots of dogs nearby. I already recommended the class to a friend. The instructor is very approachable.”
• Lisa and Bridget: “I liked that the instructor used positive reinforcement and no punishing. The class was very helpful.”
• Lileana and Indy: “I really enjoyed the class and would recommend it to a friend. Our dog has more focus. Thank you!”
• Annie and Elvis: “The instructor was excellent and it was a great class!”
• Chris, Don and Sarge: “Thanks so much! I feel like I came in with an unruly puppy and came away with a sweet responsive “best friend!” Yes, yes! The instructor was very personable, not judgmental and made me feel like I could do this! She had an excellent disposition and good control.”
• Jenn and Tiki: “I feel prepared and knowledgeable as a dog owner and trainer. My dog has a longer attention span. She looks for direction and guidance from me – “what’s next Ma?” I really enjoyed coming to class and thought it was great. Julie is in complete control and so professional and friendly. She really impressed me from the start!”
• Jessica and Luna: “My dog is much more calm and pays attention to commands more. The homework assignments gave me bonding time with my dog and were very informational. Thank you very much for all the great information! We’re going to miss you.”
• Mark and Luke: “I’ve never trained a dog before. The class helped me to be a better owner. The instructor knew her stuff!”

Media Appearances

• Victoria Stilwell makes the cover of the October issue of San Diego Pets Magazine, San Diego's premier pet magazine for pet lovers. In this issue, Victoria discusses her mission of changing the focus of today's dog training methods by embracing solely reward-based dog training. She highlights her global network of highly qualified, like-minded trainers who subscribe to her philosophy.