How Underdogs is different from other trainers you’ve worked with! ✋

At Underdogs Long Beach, our methods are backed by science, and we have the education to prove it!

However, unless you are familiar with the dog training world, you likely don’t care or understand what “science-based dog training” means. That’s okay! Here, we will explore what this means and how we apply it daily in our dog training.

WHY IT MATTERS:

The dog training world is unregulated, meaning anyone, including ‘Uncle Joe’, can call themselves a dog trainer without any training or education whatsoever!

Because of the misinformation out there, we’ve dedicated our lives to learning the most effective and ethical way to help pet parents and their dogs live in our human world.

GOING DEEPER:

It all began when I was 16, with my first two dogs, Holly and Kenai.

Both dogs had bitten many humans and dogs, and I was at a loss for what to do…

I spoke to many dog trainers looking for help…

I was told that they were dominating me, and the solution was to keep her off of furniture 🙄

I was a teenager leading into my early twenties, not exactly the most sound human 😉

Their aggression grew worse, and I struggled to manage and live with it.

At the time, I grew to believe ALL dogs that were “aggressive” had to live like that indefinitely, and that there was no solution.

THE HAPPY ENDING?

Since then, I’ve adopted eight more dogs, fostered HUNDREDS with aggression, trained countless dogs with similar behavioral issues, and helped them all recover!

I started my education on the dominance side of training; sadly I was no stranger to punishment and using it…

After only a year of working on this side of training, I was depressed with what I saw and experienced and left training altogether.

Again, I thought that there was no way to help animals experiencing fear and anxiety without punishment (which didn’t align with my values)

This was when my story changed…

I was invited to a conference where I met a positive reinforcement trainer, Kathy Sdao, who trained dolphins in open ocean tasks for the Navy. Yes, DOLPHINS 🐬

She introduced me to a few people who also trained large, captive animals without using force. My mind was BLOWN 🤯

I was reeling with the possibilities…

 

My Certifications now:

🎓 Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP) – My alma mater, known for Animal Training and behavior, was founded by a pioneer in positive reinforcement and clicker training Karen Pryor.

🎓 Applied animal behavior at the University of Washington (UW-AAB) – The field of Applied Animal Behavior specializes in the behavior of companion animals, the behavior of farm, zoo, and laboratory animals, and studies of the behavior of wild animals when these studies are relevant from an applied perspective and methodological studies.

🎓 Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist (CSAT) – Specializing exclusively in canine separation anxiety, this course utilizes methods that are backed by science.

So, if you’re ready to finally work with a trainer who has helped THOUSANDS of dogs overcome aggression, anxiety, and more…

FOLLOW US for tips to help your dog be the dog they deserve to be 🥰

Questions? Feel free to contact us if you have any questions!