Kristine Mele
History
Kristine has always loved dogs. When she was around 7 years old, she took her family dog (named Auction) through a town obedience class. The final week was an obedience competition which was open to the public. She came in second to a man who had a German Shephard that had already earned multiple obedience titles. To her, coming in second was just as good as winning.
Fast forward many years, many dogs, many cues/tricks later. She hadn’t thought of becoming a professional dog trainer, until her sister found a puppy on Craig’s List that ‘had to be gone by tonight’. It quickly became clear why. The puppy was very active, energetic, and needy. Her sister liked how well behaved her dog was, so turned to her for some training tips. She started to think about the previous owner, and how if they had someone to turn to, they wouldn’t have been frantically listing the puppy on a risky website, desperate to find the puppy a new home.
That was the start of her journey.
Training Philosophy
Kristine strives to use the most fear and force free techniques with both dogs, and people. She wants your dog to do what you ask because it’s the best thing in the world, rather than because they’re afraid of what will happen if they don’t.
Some of her techniques: Through positive reinforcement, she’s teaching your dog what you want them to do, rather than what you don’t want them to do (and hoping they figure out what you do want). If she’s working with fearful dogs, she will use desensitization and counter-conditioning so your dog is gradually exposed to what they’re afraid of, and can begin to learn that it’s not as scary as they thought.
Training/learning should be enjoyable for all involved.
Services
Kristine offers a variety of services, including:
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Basic Cues:
Sit, down, stay, wait at the door, general cues that we want all dogs to understand.
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Manners/Beyond Basics:
Polite guest greetings, waiting at the door, no counter surfing, added duration/distraction for cues, typical household manners.
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Behavior Concerns:
Leash reactivity, resource guarding, separation anxiety and more.
All services can be taught via video online meetings! This is great for Separation anxiety, as well as dogs that are shy/timid or wary of strangers entering their home.
Initial contact will be a free phone assessment to determine your, and your dog’s, needs. This can take between 30 and 90 minutes.
Each subsequent session lasts about 60 minutes (virtual or in-person). They’ll start with 5-15 minutes of reviewing how well things are going, and any issues that may have come up. Then about 30-40 minutes of hands-on instruction (new material if progressing, tweaking previous techniques if not). We’ll finish with ‘homework’ activities to complement what you’ve learned.
The number of sessions required depends on the desired goals, as well as dedication to practicing between sessions.
Also included is email/phone support between sessions.
$100(+tax) per session.
Certifications
Kristine is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA), earned a certificate in Applied Animal Behavior through the University of Washington, became a Fear FreeTM Certified trainer, graduated from Living and Learning with Animals (Dr. Susan Friedman) and Aggression in Dogs Master Class (Michael Shikashio), became a The Family Dog Dial Guide. She continues taking classes and attending webinars/seminars as the science of training is constantly evolving.
Specializations
Kristine specializes in basic obedience, manners, and behavior concerns such as leash reactivity, resource guarding, and separation anxiety.
Training Methods
Kristine uses positive reinforcement methods, desensitization, and counter-conditioning.
