Tuxedo Dog Training

09/08/2026

After much thought and prayer, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from Tuxedo Dog Training and stop accepting new training and boarding clients.

This is an incredibly bittersweet decision. Tuxedo Dog Training has been blessed with more success and support than I could have ever anticipated, and I am incredibly proud of what I’ve built and the families and dogs I’ve had the privilege of working with.

From the very beginning, Tuxedo Dog Training has been built on a foundation of family first. I’ve always believed that training should fit into and strengthen your family—not require your family to revolve around training. As my own family enters a new season, that same principle is guiding this decision.

I also hold myself to a high standard with every client I take on. When someone trusts me with their dog and invests in my services, I want to know that I can give their program the time, attention, and commitment it deserves. If I cannot confidently give a client 100%, I don’t believe it’s right for me to ask them to invest in a program with me.

All current training programs and previously scheduled boarding reservations will still be honored. I simply will not be accepting any new consultations, training clients, or boarding reservations moving forward.

I don’t know what the future holds for Tuxedo Dog Training, so I won’t say this is goodbye forever. If another season comes when opening my books again makes sense for my family, I’ll happily update this page.

For now, I am incredibly grateful for the support Tuxedo Dog Training has received and for the opportunity to build something I am truly proud of.

Family has always been at the heart of Tuxedo Dog Training, and that same foundation is simply leading me into a new season. ❤️

— Raquel

08/25/2026

Sometimes it's just so hard to contain the WIGGGGGLE 😭😂🐶

07/26/2026

🐾 Chief is Looking for His Forever Home! 🐾

Chief was adopted from a shelter as part of my evaluation process for my own home. As a professional dog trainer, I occasionally bring in rescue dogs to provide them with structure, professional training, and evaluate whether they’re the right long-term fit for my family. If they are, they stay. If they aren’t, they leave with a solid training foundation and are thoughtfully matched with a forever home.

Chief is an incredible dog—he simply isn’t the right long-term fit for our household, and I’m excited to find the family that is.

About Chief

* 🎄 Born on Christmas Day
* 💉 Up to date on all vaccinations
* 🩺 Not yet neutered (his veterinarian recommended waiting until he is at least 1 year old)
* 🏡 House and kennel trained
* ❤️ Very affectionate and absolutely loves to cuddle
* ⚡ Full of happy puppy energy! He’ll thrive with a family that enjoys walks, playtime, and continuing his training.

Temperament

Chief absolutely ADORES kids. He has spent extensive time around children and babies and has consistently been gentle, affectionate, and well-mannered with them.

He also loves other dogs and has completed plenty of structured training around both male and female dogs. He’s social, confident, and enjoys being around other canine companions.

Training

Chief has an excellent obedience foundation and is eager to learn. He knows:

* Sit
* Down
* Stay
* Place
* Bed
* Kennel
* Through
* Under
* Loose-leash walking
* Recall
* Leave It
* Drop It
* Off-leash work
* E-collar conditioning

What Comes With Him

Chief will go home with:

* His kennel
* Food and water bowls
* Remaining food

Included With His Adoption

To help set Chief and his new family up for success, I’m also including a complimentary 3-week follow-up training program at no additional cost.

During those three weeks, I’ll help Chief adjust to his new home, establish your household rules and expectations, strengthen the bond between you and Chief, and ensure everyone feels confident with his training. My goal is to make his transition into his forever home as smooth and successful as possible.

Finding the right family is far more important to me than finding the first family. Because of that, I will be selective in choosing his new home and reserve the right to decline any placement that I don’t believe is in Chief’s best interest.

If you think Chief might be a good fit for your family, send me a message telling me a little about yourselves, your home, any other pets, and the life you envision for him. I can’t wait to help him find the perfect forever family! 🖤🐾

07/17/2026

Expect that if I dog sit I will have a full conversation and get all the tea ☕️ from your dog 🐶

06/28/2026

Max is absolutely crushing it! 👏🏼🐾

It’s hard to believe this is the same dog who used to be a stray with zero leash manners.

Look at him now—calm, confident, connected, and fully engaged. ❤️

This training walk is exactly what we strive for: a dog that’s choosing to focus on their handler, ready to work, ready to learn, and able to move through the world with confidence.

So proud of you, Max! This is what consistency and teamwork can accomplish. The transformation has been incredible! 💙🐶

06/28/2026

Heidi is making such amazing progress! 👏🏼🐾

One thing I always tell my clients is that the beginning of training can feel overwhelming. There are new routines, new expectations, and sometimes you’ll even see a little regression or some serious boundary testing as your dog adjusts.

But that’s a normal part of the process.

If you stay consistent, communicate with me, and we work together to create the best plan for both your dog and your family, something incredible happens…

One day, all of that hard work starts to click, and you’ll see explosive progress. 💥

Training isn’t about overnight perfection—it’s about building lasting habits that create a calmer, happier life together. Heidi is proof that consistency pays off, and I’m so proud of how far she’s come! ❤️🐶

Can you believe Leash work wasn’t even part of her original plan? 🎉☺️🐶

06/13/2026

05/20/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions in dog training is that loose leash walking is just about teaching a dog not to pull.

It’s not. 👏

A truly loose leash walk is often a reflection of the DOG’S STATE OF MIND.

This is Finn weeks after graduation:
✔️ checking in voluntarily
✔️ walking calmly with his owners
✔️ loose leash
✔️ engaged without constant correction
✔️ able to exist in the real world without being locked into the environment

And if you knew where he started… this is HUGE. 🖤

Because in the beginning, Finn struggled with over-arousal, selective listening, environmental fixation, and stress responses that made walks feel chaotic instead of connected.

So we didn’t just teach “heel.”

We worked on:
✨ engagement
✨ nervous system regulation
✨ follow-through
✨ leash pressure understanding
✨ accountability
✨ calmness before movement
✨ learning to disengage from the environment and reconnect with the handler

That’s why good training holds up AFTER graduation.

The goal is never robotic obedience.
The goal is a dog that can think clearly, regulate emotionally, and stay connected to their people even in the real world.

And seeing Finn out succeeding with his family weeks later?
That’s the kind of progress that matters. 💪🐾

Great Job Finn Boy! ☺️🐶

05/20/2026

One of my favorite things in dog training is when people meet a dog after the work has been done and have no idea where that dog started. 👏

Because this photo?
Most people just see three dogs laying in the sun.

What I see is a dog who once struggled with serious resource guarding, door rushing, hypervigilance, and nervous system dysregulation… now calmly coexisting with dog friends during the stress of a MOVE.

That’s not luck.
That’s behavior work. 🖤

And here’s the educational piece a lot of people miss:

Dogs with guarding behaviors are not always trying to be “dominant.” Many are dogs that feel unsafe, overstimulated, over-aroused, or responsible for controlling their environment. When the nervous system is constantly scanning, reacting becomes a habit.

So the goal was never:
❌ “make him like dogs”
❌ “force socialization”
❌ “correct every growl”

The goal was:
✔️ build safety
✔️ create structure and predictability
✔️ lower overall stress
✔️ teach disengagement
✔️ reinforce calm coexistence
✔️ help him learn he doesn’t have to control everything

And eventually… you get this:
A dog relaxed enough to nap near other dogs instead of managing the environment.

THAT is the flex. 💪🐾

Good Job Rudy!! 👏🏼

04/26/2026

POV: You got attacked by an off-leash dog… and instead of letting it define you, you leveled up. 💪🐾

Bear used to see another dog and go straight into survival mode—big feelings, big reactions, no off switch. And honestly? It made sense. He wasn’t “bad”… he was trying to protect himself.

But look at him now.
Calm. Focused. Choosing his handler over the environment. Walking past dogs like, “not my problem anymore.”

This is what real training looks like.
Not shutting a dog down. Not forcing obedience.
➡️ Building confidence
➡️ Rewriting the story
➡️ Giving them a way out that isn’t reactivity

Bear didn’t just learn how to walk nicely… he learned he’s safe again. And that changes everything. 🖤