Ferdie Yau
is a dog trainer and biologist with a Master’s degree and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification. He is the host of the “Worry Less, Wag More” podcast, where he discusses treating difficult behavior cases and interviews leading experts in the animal training world.
Ferdie Yau’s training philosophy emphasizes science, kindness, and compassion. He believes in using evidence-based methods to help pets with challenging behavior issues.
Services
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Veterinary Support:
Behavior consultations, physical exams, behavior modification programs, medication management, environmental enrichment, preventive behavior counseling, referral to specialists, educational insights and resources.
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Concierge Service:
A monthly subscription that provides a structured approach with bundled services and cost savings for clients committed to proactive pet care.
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A La Carte Services:
Standalone services that do not include communication with the medical team between appointments, 24/7 triage, or other benefits and discounts offered in Concierge Plans.
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Behavior Training:
Development and implementation of training plans to address and improve problem behaviors.
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Virtual Training:
Remote training sessions that provide instruction and guidance for putting a training plan into practice.
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Separation Anxiety Program:
A dynamic, hands-on program that offers one-on-one support to work through a dog’s separation anxiety.
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Fear & Aggression Training:
Help for dogs who are uncomfortable around strangers or family members.
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Dog-Dog Issues Training:
Help for dogs who are uncomfortable around or threatening toward other dogs.
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City and Noise Phobias Training:
Help for dogs who are afraid of thunder or the world outside their home.
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Kitten and Cat Behavior Training:
Help for cats with litter box issues, feline aggression, scratching, destruction, and other behavioral problems.
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Family Paws Parent Education:
Help for expecting parents to prepare their dogs for the arrival of their baby.
Certifications
Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Specializations
Ferdie Yau specializes in treating difficult behavior cases in dogs, cats, and other companion animals. He has expertise in areas such as separation anxiety, fear and aggression, dog-dog issues, city and noise phobias, and family dog training.
Training Methods
Ferdie Yau uses evidence-based, science-backed methods that are non-confrontational, humane, and designed to decrease household stress and improve the human-animal bond. He emphasizes positive reinforcement and avoids the use of force, fear, intimidation, or pain.
Customer Reviews
“Let me start out by saying Lauren is the BEST trainer you could get in NYC. First off she treats your pup as if it were her own. Secondly, she does everything she can to take care of YOU. She trained me as well as the pup and helped to educate, provide resources and helped with any of my needs. Her energy is positive, kind and loving. It’s amazing what she was able to do in training. Having a puppy is not easy, but Lauren made it so much easier! She was there whenever I needed her and she sent me detailed notes via email after every training, along with pictures and videos. In panicked moments she replied quickly by text. Thank you, Lauren!”
“Lauren is incredible! She came to help teach us to train our first puppy, Tess, and we could not have found a better trainer. She is knowledgable and so passionate about the dogs—you can tell she genuinely cares about building a meaningful relationship with the parents and pup. Right off the bat we knew we made the right decision to have her train us and our puppy. I don’t know what we would have done without her! If you are looking for a trainer, look no further than Lauren’s Leash!”
“My husband and I started working with Rikke at Behavior Vets when our dog began exhibiting some aggressive behaviors towards strangers entering our home. I was pregnant at the time and knowing that the baby would bring lots of new visitors to our home, time was of the essence.
By the conclusion of our first virtual meeting with Rikke, she had already given us concrete tools to work with our dog to start anticipating triggers and reverse negative reactions to new visitors. She validated our concerns, empowered us to work strategically together to navigate our pup’s issues and always presented the issue as solvable (importantly, without the use or need for punitive corrective instruments).
After just a few virtual sessions his behavior had drastically improved. We were able to have family stay with him at our apartment while I gave birth and friends over to meet our baby without any incidents.
Rikke is truly a miracle worker. She allowed us to see our dog’s anxieties based on what we know about his personality and breed. She taught us how to mitigate aggressive behaviors by reducing environmental stressors and creating a safe space in our home for him to cope. We simply cannot say enough kind words about Rikke.
She was able to accomplish more in a few virtual sessions than anything we could have hoped for with an in person trainer or dog specialist. She made herself incredibly accessible in the event we needed an immediate session and always gave us helpful tips to combat what we viewed as Franklin’s negative behaviors. Would hands down recommend Rikke to anyone who is struggling with their dogs behavioral issues!”
“Lauren is working with our French Bulldog puppy. We saw a difference fast and people all over the neighborhood stopped to tell us how wonderful Lauren was with our Willie! The puppy program is perfect for your puppy before he or she has had all of the needed shots. Lauren treated our dog as if he was her own.”
Is Bigger Team:
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Social Media Links:
Media Appearances:
Dr. Christensen has contributed to articles in Dog Watch, Cat Watch, Cat Fancy, Dog Training Solutions, Real Simple, Newsday, and various other print media. She has been a contributor and guest on Foxnews.com’s “Pet Health” and “Studio B with Shepard Smith”, ABC News’ “Nightline,” and many other radio programs, television programs, and newscasts.
