Lesley Sinwald started Riley’s Angels after the loss of her first therapy dog, Riley. She had witnessed the positive impact Riley had on nursing home residents and decided to honor her by training therapy dogs to work in hospice. She adopted Grace and Chance, who became certified therapy dogs and worked in hospice, with veterans, and in local schools. Chance was born deaf, so Lesley taught him sign language (ASL).
Training Philosophy
Riley’s Angels focuses on positive dog training methods to teach both dogs and their owners how to better communicate with each other. They believe in building a strong human-canine bond and providing an educational approach to training.
Services
Riley’s Angels offers a variety of dog training services, including:
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Puppy Classes:
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class, designed for new puppies to socialize and learn basic obedience.
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Adult Dog Classes:
Focus, Fitness, and Friends (FFF) class, designed for dogs of all ages and obedience levels to work on focus, fitness, socialization, and impulse control.
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Canine Good Citizen (CGC):
AKC Canine Good Citizen course, which focuses on basic obedience and comfortability with other dogs, people, and distractions.
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Therapy Dog Prep:
A short prep course that introduces dogs to the beginning stages of therapy dog training requirements.
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Therapy Dog Course:
A 12-week course that focuses on experiential learning and provides hands-on training with certified dogs and trainers.
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Therapy Dog Outreach and Community Service:
Riley’s Angels is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization that offers therapy dog teams for community events and programs.
Certifications
Lesley Sinwald holds the following certifications:
- EMBA (emphasis in Servant Leadership)
- MEd (concentration in Adult Learning Theory)
- Certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy from the University of New Hampshire
- CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed)
- AKC Evaluator for several programs, including S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, CGC Advanced, and CGC Urban
- AKC Temperament Test Evaluator
- Trick Dog Certification Evaluator
- Member of the Association for Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
- Certified Pet First Aid Instructor
Specializations
Therapy dog training, puppy training, basic obedience, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), service dog coaching, and advanced classes for therapy dogs.
Training Methods
Positive reinforcement methods are used to teach dogs and their owners how to communicate effectively. The training is designed to be educational and engaging for both the dog and the handler.
