The Cooperative Dog

Vera is an amazing dog trainer and has been so helpful to us with our rescue dog. It's our first dog and Vera has been with us every step of the way to support us and help us understand what is normal dog behavior and how to use positive training to help us see results. She truly understands dogs and has a way with them that is so impressive to watch. Her knowledge of dogs is unparalleled. You would be very lucky to have Very work with you and your pup! Highly recommended!

I contacted Vera when I moved from Maine to Boston with my then 6-y.o. large rescue dog in 2018, as she was still grappling with some of her demons. I'd worked with other positive behaviorists before, so I knew what we needed, and wanted to have a reliable support in our new home - the change from a more rural to a more urban, dog-dense neighborhood was stressful, and I was moving in with my partner, who had less experience with my dog. We scheduled an in-person assessment to familiarize my partner with how to manage my dog's behavior and to problem-solve some logistical challenges that came with our new living situation (building and neighborhood). Vera was patient, direct, and appropriately cautious with my dog, who has fear-based reactivity that can manifest as aggression. She helped us develop a meet and greet protocol so we could have guests over to our house (a major issue before!) and accompanied us on a walk to assess our leash walking skills (my dog is super leash reactive), giving us lots of helpful tips on the go. I highly recommend an in-person assessment - you get a lot out of it. After that, we attended her reactive dog class, which gathered 6 dogs max outside in a park every weekend to engage in low-risk training, leash handling, and communication. As the only form of socialization (distanced, at that!) with other dogs that my dog had, this class was invaluable, and I appreciated the opportunity to practice reactivity management in a controlled environment (this is almost impossible to find otherwise). When we moved indoors during colder weather, it provided a novel setting for the same skills. If you are feeling plateaued or stuck with your reactive dog, or want a safe and proactive maintenance class to keep your communication up, OR if you are bringing a partner into your dog's life who isn't as familiar with their issues, I can't recommend this class enough. In summary, if you have a challenging relationship with your dog, practice is the only way to make progress, and Vera is a great coach to have on your side. Training takes time - years - and a good trainer can help your dog retain the good stuff while minimizing the bad.