Valarie has been working with and training animals for as long as she can remember. After fostering a dog named Mitchell, she was inspired by another dog trainer to change career paths. Since that time she has become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, and a Dog Bite Prevention Educator. She is also working towards becoming a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor. Valarie finds working with dog that struggle with anxiety, fear, reactivity, and aggression very rewarding. She enjoys working one on one with dedicated guardians.
Training Philosophy
Valarie and her team believe in using only humane, science-backed, force-free, ‘n positive reinforcement dog training methods. They do not use choke, slip, prong, or shock / e-collars, which teach dogs what not to do in hopes of avoiding pain. They use positive reinforcement or science-backed training. This training method has been proven through extensive scientific research to not only be the most effective, but will reduce stress, fear, and anxiety. They believe the science when it says it is the most humane way to train. They will never use shock, prong, or choke collars. They will never starve, hit, or yell at your dog. If they “mess up” believe it means that we didn’t set them up for success and we need to change what we’re doing. Dogs do not want to dominate us, they want to be safe, have a comfortable place to sleep, to have some fun, and probably some snacks. They use those basic desires to teach them how to best navigate this crazy human world they live in.
Services
Sits ‘n Wiggles offers a variety of services, including:
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Private Dog Training:
In-home or virtual sessions to address behavioral issues such as fear, aggression, resource guarding, and anxiety.
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Behavior Helpline:
A 30-minute GoogleMeet call to provide resources, instructions, and general advice for one specific behavior issue.
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Group Classes:
Specialized classes for puppies, adult dogs, and reactive dogs, covering topics like socialization, basic manners, leash manners, visitor greetings, nose work, Happy Ratters barn hunts, and reactivity modification.
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Day Dog Training:
Daily in-home training sessions for basic obedience, advanced training, behavior modification, and puppy training.
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Service Dog Training:
A comprehensive program for training dogs to assist individuals with disabilities.
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For Veterinary Professionals:
Lunch & Learn sessions to educate veterinary staff on positive reinforcement training and behavior modification.
Certifications
Valarie holds the following certifications:
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed
- Fear Free Certified Professional
- Completed Aggression in Dogs Master Course
- Official Catch Mentor
- Catch Canine Trainer’s Academy Graduate
Other trainers on the team also hold certifications, including:
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed
- Fear Free Certification
- Accredited Dog Trainer
- Catch! Canine Trainers Academy Graduate
Specializations
Valarie specializes in behavior issues such as reactivity, aggression, fear, overarousal, resource guarding, and generalized anxiety. Michelle specializes in reactivity modification, basic manners, and confidence building techniques for fearful dogs. Tiffany is the Service Dog trainer. KJ specializes in basic manners and general anxiety and reactivity. She also has a special interest in teaching co-regulating skills to dogs and their guardians, along with emphasizing enrichment and nutrition as key components in your dog’s recovery program.
Training Methods
Valarie and her team use positive reinforcement training methods, which involve rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, and other positive reinforcement. They do not use punishment-based methods, such as shock collars or physical punishment.
Customer Reviews
Here are some customer reviews and testimonials:
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Emily Smith:
“Valarie and her crew are all incredible. I use them for their in-home pet sitting services any time I have to be out of town. When I had to go to Maine for a wedding, and the door key broke in the lock on Labor Day, AND the cats somehow flipped a safety catch locking them out of the apartment, they waited for a locksmith and were in general incredible about the whole situation. Their app is easy to use and I love getting updates and seeing photos of my 3 cats. All of their sitters are genuinely great people and I’m so happy I found them!”
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Janet Menko:
“Sits n Wiggles did a great job caring for my two dogs while I was on vacation. Rachel was great and provided me with updates and knowing my concerns about my very senior dog made sure to communicate the things I was concerned about in her updates. Each update helped put me at ease on my trip and having the app to communicate was very easy. They also took care of things around the house like bringing in the mail and taking out trash on trash day. I would never have been able to make my trip without them!”
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Savannah Rolf Chuba:
“Valarie was really great with training our dog to be less reactive on the leash. We noticed a big improvement after our first session. Plus our dog got super excited every time she saw her coming up our driveway. I would definitely recommend sits n wiggles!”
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Jeff Sutter:
“availability, friendliness and compassion for all animals.”
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Anne Burke:
“Their positive reinforcement techniques are the best way to train and they love the dogs!”
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Kyra Hall:
“Have recently gone through positive reinforcement training with Valarie for both my boys. She is so knowledgable and patient, and the training techniques I’ve learned have helped out immensely. One of my dogs no longer pulls on walks and checks in with me constantly. I’d highly recommend their services, and plan to be a long-term client.”
