Leanne James

Leanne James has a passion for working with animals, which developed during her teenage years. She worked with various animals, including turtles, dogs, horses, and farm animals. After serving in the military, she pursued her passion by becoming a certified dog trainer through the Animal Behavior College in 2005. She also earned a degree as a Licensed Veterinary Technician in 2007. Leanne started her own professional dog behavior training business in 2021, focusing on her passion full-time.

Training Philosophy

Leanne James believes in using humane, reward-based, ethical training methods. She follows the LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) approach, focusing on positive reinforcement and avoiding punishment. She emphasizes understanding the dog's motivations, fears, and individual learning styles to create customized training plans. Leanne believes in building a strong bond between the dog and owner through positive communication and teamwork.

Services

Leanne James offers a variety of training programs and services, including:

• In-Home Consultation & Assessment: A 90-minute session to assess the dog's needs and create a customized training plan.
• Evolution Solution Programs:
  • Premium Program: A VIP training experience with more one-on-one time with the trainer.
  • Classic Program: A more affordable plan with a balance of professional guidance and self-management.
  • Foundations First Program: An essential training package for basic obedience or refining existing skills.
• Specialty Behavior Programs:
  • Reactivity Rehabilitation Program: For dogs with leash and barrier reactivity, territorial, protective, and similar behavioral issues.
  • Composed Canine Behavior Program: For dogs with challenging behaviors such as fear, aggression, bites, fights, and other complex behavior concerns.
• Family Dog Program: Designed for parents to learn how to teach their kids to have a safe and fun relationship with their dogs.
• Puppy Success Programs: For puppies under 4 months old, covering foundational commands, puppy essentials, and leash skills.
• Common Behavior Problems: Leanne can help with a wide range of behavior concerns, including aggression, anxiety, leash reactivity, separation anxiety, resource guarding, confinement anxiety, excessive barking, destructive chewing, doorbell barking, guest greetings, fence running, inter-dog conflict/fighting, dog bites, and enhancing social skills.

Certifications

Leanne James holds the following certifications:

• Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT)
• Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants - Certified Dog Trainer (IAABC-DT)
• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers - Certified Professional Dog Trainer (ACBDT)
• Fear Free Certified Professional
• Human-Animal Bond Certified Professional
• CPR Certified
• NAVC Nutrition Counselor

Specializations

Leanne James specializes in:

• Behavior Modification: Addressing a wide range of behavior concerns, including aggression, anxiety, leash reactivity, separation anxiety, resource guarding, and more.
• Obedience Training: Teaching basic and advanced obedience cues, including sit, down, stay, come, place, leash walking, and heel.
• Puppy Training: Helping puppies learn essential skills like potty training, chewing, biting/nipping, kennel training, manners, socialization, and more.
• Holistic Approach: Considering the dog's physical and emotional well-being in training.

Training Methods

Leanne James uses positive reinforcement methods, focusing on rewarding desired behaviors and avoiding punishment. She emphasizes:

• LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive): Using the least intrusive and minimally aversive methods to achieve training goals.
• Positive Reinforcement: Rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, or other positive reinforcement.
• Classical Conditioning: Pairing neutral stimuli with positive experiences to create associations.
• Operant Conditioning: Using consequences to shape behavior.
• Observational Learning: Allowing dogs to learn by watching others.
• Social Learning: Facilitating learning through interactions with other dogs.
• Shaping: Breaking down complex behaviors into smaller steps and rewarding each step.

Customer Reviews

Chase - Leanne was very helpful with training of our pup. She guided us on way to correct our dogs behavior in positive manners. She is very knowledgeable and friendly when working with her. Since we have been training with her, we noticed tremendous improvement in our pups behavior around other dogs and people. I puked recommend 10/10 if you need someone to help with your dogs issue. We plan to continue our training with her and can't wait for the intermediate class.
Laurel - Leanne is a fantastic dog trainer! She is incredibly knowledgeable and communicates her training strategies clearly and effectively. Through her puppy class and private sessions, our dog is steadily improving her behavior. Leanne helped us with our dog's basic obedience and with anxiety and reactivity to other dogs and stimuli outside the home. She also helped us address our dog's unique compulsive behaviors. We are so grateful for Leanne and highly recommend her!
Jenny - I want to thank Leanne for all of her guidance with my dog training goals. Very professional, great training methods and super nice. I'm exciting to use all of the tools that she gave me to help get my dog earn her Canine Good Citizen.
Samantha - We just finished the beginner course with our now 6 month old puppy and four private sessions with our 7 year old dog. Leanne has been a great help! Our 6 month old now has the basic obedience and puppy skills along with socialization. Our Ziggy is a little more work. He has leash reactivity with other dogs and shows signs of separation anxiety as well. He has been making improvements over the four sessions with Leanne and she has given us the tools to continue the training. If anything comes up, we will definitely be coming back for more sessions! Plus, we are still invited to doggy socials since our puppy graduated.
Angela - We were very impressed with the level of training we received from Leanne. Our little puppy was full of energy and needed to be trained. In 6 weeks she learned all the commands and was able to do them on cue. In addition, Leanne offered many tips and suggestions for any problems or concerns we experienced in those 6 weeks. We loved the personal touches and caring for the puppy she gave. I would highly recommend doing this class. We can't wait to continue training with her.
Debra - Evolution Dog Training has been great with our two pups. Leanne is very experienced with the dogs and is skilled at working with both dogs at the same time, as well as, separately. She is attentive in how she works with us and the dogs to ensure we are learning to be the leaders in the house and how we are to work with the dogs to keep focused. Her verbal communications are easy to understand and the lessons taught are simple enough to continue, once she is gone. She send details instruction on how to continue training in between lessons that are easily used. We have seen improvement after 2 lessons on some of the tasks we have been working on.
Michaela - Leanne was absolutely amazing! She takes the time to get to know you and your dog. She not only trains your dog but trains you to train your dog. My puppy was in her basic obedience group class and after just 6 weeks it was like she was a completely different dog. Leanne genuinely cares about your dog and was always super excited to start class. I would definitely recommend coming to her for training! She takes the time to really understand what it is your dog needs. I will be signing up for her intermediate training class!!
Eric - As Leanne will attest our little Zuli is smart, independent and will test you every chance she gets. However, at the end of the puppy training course Leanne had her focused, sitting, staying, leaving items alone, walking at our side and socializing with other dogs and people. She kennels up at night on her own and listens (most of the time). At 9 months now Zuli cannot thank Leanne enough and will be back for intermediate training after the summer. Leanne is smart, knowledgeable, patient and in command. Her classes are well worth it for the puppy or oldster alike. Highly recommend!
Michelle & Rick - We retained Leanne James, Evolution Dog Training, before we even brought our female Golden Retriever puppy home, and we are so thankful that we did! Leanne has been a game changer for our dog, helping us to socialize our puppy and teach her all the necessary skills to live a happy and balanced life. Leanne also helped us navigate and overcome some challenging behavioral issues, and she did it all with gentle, humane and loving training methods. Thanks to Leanne, our dog recently completed the AKC Canine Good Citizens class!

We highly recommend Leanne/Evolution Dog Training. Leanne is incredibly passionate about what she does and made a positive difference in our dogs’ life. She takes the extra time to explain everything and taught us as much as she taught our dog. Leanne is simply the best trainer we have ever dealt with!!