Pawsitive Beginnings Dog Training

Pawsitive Beginnings is a life changer for me and my 3.5-year-old rescue pup, Coffee. Coffee was extremely fearful when I adopted her 2 years ago. Although she made some progress, she’s remained very anxious in new environments, making it difficult for me to bring her on outings, go on trips which would require her to stay with someone else, or even have friends over. When I finally had to board her for the first time, she struggled at the kennel which made it an extremely stressful situation for both of us. Needing to find a better situation for the future, I came across Pawsitive Beginnings and reached out to Lateria. Lateria immediately responded and offered a free, 30-minute video consultation that same day. During the call, Lateria explained her training philosophy, background working with fearful dogs, and formal in-home training program which we determined would be a good fit for Coffee’s needs and prepare her for successful pupcation stays. A few days later, Lateria came out for what would be a major turning point in Coffee’s life. When Lateria came to the door, Coffee went crazy – preventing me from getting to the door, needing to be lifted away from the entryway, and barking and lunging in protest. Lateria wasn't fazed in the slightest; she came into the house with confidence, ignored Coffee’s outbursts, and sat down with me, immediately jumping into the training plan – starting with different ways I could interact with Coffee to prevent the chaos that had just unfolded. While she explained the importance of giving Coffee a job to do and the training process that would lead to Coffee staying on her mat while I make my way to the door and let a visitor in, Coffee settled down and even began to nap! I couldn’t believe that she was already so at ease with Lateria’s presence. We discussed the house set up, Coffee’s feeding routines, ways to make Coffee’s toys more interesting, and crate training. Lateria introduced herself to Coffee and began taking us through door manners training– demonstrating first herself and then watching as I implemented her instructions, correcting my body language and guiding me through the exercises to ensure that I was confident and effectively communicating with Coffee. Outside, Lateria took Coffee’s leash and demonstrated several unique walking techniques to prevent Coffee from pulling on the leash, calm her in new environments, and practice training with distraction. She showed me how to position Coffee when someone is approaching, and I was shocked to learn that the way I had been handling Coffee for the last 2 years had been communicating that I was uneasy and needed her reinforcement! By the end of the 1.5 hours, I was amazed at how much I had learned and the changes I was already witnessing in Coffee’s behavior. Lateria gave us many things to practice – always explaining the reasoning, purpose, and longer-term goals for each exercise and what it was communicating to Coffee. In the following weeks, Coffee continued to make dramatic improvements that I never thought would be possible. She is already adjusting to new environments with greater ease and less anxiety and improving on her door manners and reactivity around other people. I can tell that she is so much happier overall and our bond has gotten even stronger. We’ve had a 30-minute follow-up video chat with Lateria, during which she observed Coffee’s training and offered additional tips and next steps. I’ve signed Coffee up for a pupcation stay so that she can get more time with Lateria and additional training reinforcement. Pawsitive Beginnings training programs are truly unmatched. Though I’ve been through training programs in the past, none have been as detailed, informative, or effective as what I’ve learned from Lateria. Lateria’s connection with dogs and love for training is remarkable and has made a huge impact on our lives. I am so thankful for Pawsitive Beginnings and the future it’s made possible for me and Coffee.

Ms. Hood assisted my family with my 7 month old Goldendoodle, Rambo. While Rambo was a sweet puppy, he struggled with confidence and boredom which sometimes lead to rambunctious behavior. After completing the board and train program, I have seen a complete difference in Rambo. He is fully potty trained, shows confidence around other dogs and humans, follows basic commands, and has techniques to deal with his boredom. I would totally recommend her for assistance and I have already sent her a client.

Pawsitive Beginnings has made life for this first time dog mom so much sweeter! We started with a home visit and instantly connected with Lateria. My puppy, Ellie, now loves Doggie University and Pupcation stays. She has learned manners, to listen and obey commands and how to socialize with other dogs. Lateria is always ready with helpful hints and homework to keep the party going. I highly recommend her for all of your dog training needs!