Adam’s journey into the world of dog training began with their first dog, a brindle boxer named Sansa. Sansa introduced Adam to dog sports, leading them to compete in agility, nosework, and obedience. However, Sansa also presented challenges with physical health issues that impacted her behavior and serious resource guarding. This experience led Adam to their passion for helping guardians struggling with their dogs’ behavior.
Since then, Adam has immersed themselves in all things dogs and training, pursuing professional certifications, participating in conformation shows and nosework trials, and even engaging in donkey training at the Karen Pryor Academy Ranch in Washington. They are currently working towards another professional certification with their Boston Terrier, Wibble.
Training Philosophy
Adam’s training methods are rooted in positive reinforcement, utilizing play, access to the environment, food, and other things dogs love to modify behavior. Their approach emphasizes understanding dogs as complex individuals, meeting their needs, and building the skills they require to navigate the world. Adam frequently collaborates with veterinarians, veterinary behaviourists, and other specialists to assist teams in identifying, diagnosing, and treating medical causes of behavior problems.
Services
Adam offers a range of services, including:
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Aggressive Dogs:
Specializing in human-directed aggression and guarding.
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Teenage Terrors:
Helping guardians navigate the challenges of adolescent dogs.
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Sport Teams:
Creative problem-solving for sport teams.
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Recalls for the Real World:
A 6-week class designed to achieve off-leash freedom for dogs and reduce handler frustration and fear.
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Virtual Coaching:
Weekly one-on-one virtual coaching with video review, curated resources, and assignments.
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Hybrid Coaching:
A combination of in-person and virtual coaching.
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Field Trips:
Twice-weekly training outings for dogs up to three years old, including exercise, enrichment, training, and downtime.
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Seminars and On Demand:
In-person seminars and on-demand webinars covering topics such as resource guarding, conflict and control, engagement and ring prep, and refining sport skills.
Certifications
Adam holds the following certifications:
- Certified Control Unleashed Instructor (CCUI)
- Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional (KPA-CTP)
Specializations
Adam specializes in:
- Human-directed aggression and guarding
- Adolescent dog behavior
- Sport dog training
- Off-leash reliability
- Resource guarding
Training Methods
Adam’s training methods are based on positive reinforcement, utilizing play, access to the environment, food, and other things dogs love to modify behavior. They emphasize understanding dogs as complex individuals and building skills through a combination of training techniques.
Customer Reviews
- Laken W.: “Adam has a solution for everything! Trust the process and know that you are in knowledgeable and compassionate hands.”
- Laken W.: “[Adam] helped us develop a lot of life skills I didn’t know I was missing and helped me repair my feelings about my dog.”
- Tish B: “I trust my dog more. Before training, I was burnt out on trying to learn everything I could to the point I couldn’t stomach anything about dogs. Now, I’m interested again and open to learning.”
- Tish B & Ripley: “You never feel alone in your struggles.”
- Anonymous: “At trials, before was not knowing if he would get worked up over a volunteer or other dog and be too aroused to search at his best. Now, by using pattern games in staging areas and through the parking lot he goes in to searches 100% focused and we’ve had great success.”
- Emily Adair & Fiddle: “This course is essential for any dog guardian who wants their dog to have off leash time! We have learned soooo much and most importantly I feel like I now have access to a framework of foundational skills that I feel confident working on with Fiddle till the end of time.”
Social Media Links
Media Appearances
Adam has presented virtually at Conference Unleashed 2020 & 2021, and at Over the Top Workshop for Worked up Dogs in Julian, NC, as well as presenting their popular Crazy Calm Start Lines workshop in Franklin, MA, Winslow, ME, and through Scent Work University.
