Pack Leader Help is a dog behaviorist and training service based in Alexandria VA, serving Northern Virginia and the DMV area.
We specialize in reactive dogs, dog aggression, leash reactivity, and behavior modification for dogs with serious or persistent behavior issues. With over 15 years of experience, we work with owners to understand what is driving their dog’s behavior and how to create clear, reliable change through structured, real world training.
We offer private dog training, in home training, and behavior evaluations tailored to each dog and household.
Our goal is simple: help you live with a calmer, more manageable dog you can trust in real life.
Training & services
Training goals
Behavior consultationProgram details
Structured training to change unwanted behaviors at the root, including aggression, fear, and reactivity.
Obedience training
Puppy trainingProgram details
Foundational training for puppies including structure, socialization, and early behavior development.
Socialization
Behavior support
Aggression trainingProgram details
Dogs showing aggression toward people or other dogs. Behavior modification training in Alexandria VA.
Reactivity trainingProgram details
For dogs that bark, lunge, or overreact on leash. Serving Alexandria VA and surrounding areas.
Resource guarding
Separation anxietyProgram details
Support for dogs struggling with being alone, including structured plans to reduce stress and destructive behavior.
How training happens
Board and train
Group classesProgram details
Work on your dog's reactivity with dog group class training in Alexandria, VA.
In-home trainingProgram details
Private sessions in your home focused on real world behavior issues and structure in Alexandria, VA.
Online or virtual trainingCustomer-reported
Private training
Dog age
Puppies
Support between sessions
Homework and practiceCustomer-reported
Other listed services
View 2 additional details
Dog BehavioristProgram details
Behavior specialist for anxiety, reactivity, and aggression cases in Northern Virginia.
Dog Trainer Near Me
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Questions & answers
From Google
What people have asked about this business.
How will behavioral training help my dog with reactivity?
Reactivity is a symptom, not the problem. Most training is focused on getting the dog to "heel" or doing obedience while the dog is highly aroused and stressed. We focus on building clear communication and a healthy rapport with the dog parent and more importantly, we address how the dog behaves at home where 90% of behavioral problems start and end. This is often the missing piece to training is not recognizing how all the small day to day interactions at home either make or break a dog's overall behavior. We create training plans that are realistic for both human and dog- not just cookie cutter.
Do you offer aggression dog or reactive dog training focused on behavior?
Yes, all of our training programs are focused on behavior and emotions first. Meaning, we are interested in resolving the root of behaviors like reactivity, aggression pulling etc. Most of the clients who come to PLH have already been through 1 or more failed training program because much of the training was focused on symptom management.
Can you train my dog to become my PTSD service animal?
Hi Harper,
Unfortunately, we do not train service animals we offer rehabilitation and training for dogs with behavioral issues and for puppies to create calm on command dogs.
5/5Brianna and her team have been extremely helpful and patient with the needs of our two young pups. We have a leash reactive pitty mix who is just 2 years old and his brother which is a catahoula leopard breed (working breed) who is about 3 years old. Brianna has helped me and my …Read full reviewClose full review
Brianna and her team have been extremely helpful and patient with the needs of our two young pups. We have a leash reactive pitty mix who is just 2 years old and his brother which is a catahoula leopard breed (working breed) who is about 3 years old. Brianna has helped me and my partner tremendously in just a few sessions in how to help them impulse control both inside and outside the house. She is always professional, on-point and on time!
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Kim Harvey
5/5Brianna was a godsend for us at a time when we had all but given up on finding any help with our reactive, anxiety-aggressive dog. We’ve sought help with many other specialists and services over the years, and Pack Leader Help helped us the most by far. For the first time ever, …Read full reviewClose full review
Brianna was a godsend for us at a time when we had all but given up on finding any help with our reactive, anxiety-aggressive dog. We’ve sought help with many other specialists and services over the years, and Pack Leader Help helped us the most by far. For the first time ever, our dog is actually fully muzzle-trained and we are all feeling more safe and confident. Bri put as at ease immediately, assuring us that our dog was not even close to the most aggressive client she’s had. While others who said they specialized with challenging dogs like ours were tentative and left us hanging, Bri was extremely knowledgeable and communicated everything clearly, directly, insightfully and with a sense of humor. We are so grateful.
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Karly Vockery
5/5I can’t speak highly enough of Brianna and the training she has been providing my husband and I with our new rescue Sadie! We are first time dog parents and are learning just as much as Sadie. My consultations with Brianna have felt so comfortable, and she is so patient and full …Read full reviewClose full review
I can’t speak highly enough of Brianna and the training she has been providing my husband and I with our new rescue Sadie! We are first time dog parents and are learning just as much as Sadie. My consultations with Brianna have felt so comfortable, and she is so patient and full of knowledge about dog behaviors and how to resolve some of the issues we have experienced with Sadie such as reactivity to humans and other dogs, resource guarding, and counter surfing/destructive behaviors when we leave the room. THANK you Brianna for your continued consultations, and I highly highly recommend working with Pack Leader for humane dog training.
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Caitlyn Baker
5/5Brianna is a literal gift to my puppy and I. Training with her feels like hanging out with an old friend. She is practical with her training & asks a ton of questions to ensure she’s helping curate a lifestyle that fits me and my fur baby. She is patient and sensible, I could …Read full reviewClose full review
Brianna is a literal gift to my puppy and I. Training with her feels like hanging out with an old friend. She is practical with her training & asks a ton of questions to ensure she’s helping curate a lifestyle that fits me and my fur baby. She is patient and sensible, I could rave about her abilities forever. After every single session the improvements are immediate and sustainable. Don’t give it another thought - invest in your dog & your life! I am so certain you’ll be happy you did.
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Liz Marshall
5/5
Brianna is awesome—thoughtful, supportive, and understanding! At the beginning of each session, she really took the time to get to know our specific needs and adjusted the training to fit. Throughout the whole process, she was super patient, knowledgeable, and always there to help. You could tell she truly cared about my dog’s well-being in every interaction.
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.