High Peaks Canine

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A little bit about me and how I got into dog training 🩶
09/02/2026

A little bit about me and how I got into dog training 🩶

When families come to me and feel like they are struggling with their dog, even after training, this is almost always th...
08/24/2026

When families come to me and feel like they are struggling with their dog, even after training, this is almost always the reason.

As a dog trainer, I can’t make your entire family be on the same page. But I will be honest with you from the beginning about the need for consistency in your home.

Weekend recap with Koda & Stetson, my retired service dog of 10 years & my service dog in training!Our Sunday resets are...
08/16/2026

Weekend recap with Koda & Stetson, my retired service dog of 10 years & my service dog in training!

Our Sunday resets aren’t exactly “resets” when you’re caring for dogs 24/7 but I wouldn’t have it any other way

Everybody’s got choices
08/14/2026

Everybody’s got choices

08/13/2026

While our goal per session might differ, our overall goal stays the same. Helping dogs navigate the world with confidence since 2022!

Three weeks with Petunia. 👏Petunia is a pretty typical dog for my training program.She already knew obedience. She’d wor...
07/28/2026

Three weeks with Petunia. đź‘Ź

Petunia is a pretty typical dog for my training program.
She already knew obedience. She’d worked with another trainer. She could sit, down, heel, and recall.

But she was still reactive.

Her reactivity wasn’t rooted in aggression—it came from overstimulation and excitement. And unfortunately, that overarousal led to a few bite incidents with people.

Does that automatically make her an aggressive dog? No. But I take every bite seriously because an overaroused dog can absolutely make unsafe decisions.

The first thing I noticed was her state of mind.

The second we stepped outside, she was scanning everything. She could walk in a loose leash heel and respond to obedience, but mentally she wasn’t with me.
She was constantly looking for the next thing to react to.

I also realized our normal walking drills weren’t helping.
Why? Because Petunia had started to pattern the drills.

Every time we changed direction or started working, she anticipated there must be a trigger nearby. Instead of helping her decompress, the drills actually amped her up.

So we stripped everything back.

We focused on building engagement around my house first. I used my own dogs and put her through every scenario I could think of—dogs moving, dogs holding place, dogs walking past, dogs working while she had to stay calm.

Another challenge? She’s not particularly food motivated.

After a lot of experimenting, I found treats she’ll happily take. But here’s the important part: She’s not working for the food. The food is just information.

For Petunia, reacting has been far more rewarding than eating a cookie. So our job has been changing what she finds valuable while creating crystal-clear expectations.

Last Thursday marked three weeks with Petunia.

Now we’re taking all of those foundations into real life.
• Busy parks.
• Walking trails.
• Dogs passing by.
• People moving around.

Because the goal isn’t perfect obedience. The goal is a dog who can exist in the world calmly.

A dog who can see another dog or person.....and choose not to lunge...choose not to bark...choose to stay connected.

That’s where real behavior change happens.

07/09/2026

Your dog is more capable than you think!

This is Kya, and for the past five years she’s been lifted into most vehicles.

That doesn’t necessarily make her stubborn, but rather unsure of whether she could do it or not.

With her being over 100lbs and her owner being the same height as me, we wanted to show her she COULD do it.

So, I broke it down into smaller steps:
• Jumping into the vehicle with leash pressure
• Going in and out of a crate on the ground
• Then transferring the picture to the crate inside the vehicle

Confidence isn’t built by avoiding hard things.
It’s built by working through them.

As owners, it’s easy to step in because we want to help. But sometimes the best thing we can give our dogs is the opportunity to struggle a little, think through the problem, and discover that they’re capable.

Guide them. Support them. But don’t always do it for them.

P.S. I look like a nerd with my socks over my jeans but it’s to prevent ticks!

If you asked me what type of training I do, here’s what I’d say:I’m not a “one size fits all” trainer.Every dog requires...
07/01/2026

If you asked me what type of training I do, here’s what I’d say:

I’m not a “one size fits all” trainer.

Every dog requires something a little different depending on genetics, breed, age, personality, history, and environment.

What works for one dog may completely overwhelm another. One dog may need confidence building and gentle guidance. Another may need clear black-and-white accountability to fully understand right from wrong.

I train all dogs with marker words and leash pressure because communication comes first. But the tools I use may vary depending on the dog in front of me. Some dogs may work best on a slip lead. Others may need a prong collar, slip chain, or eventually an e-collar for clarity and reliability.

Yes, I’m considered a balanced trainer. I will correct a dog when needed. But I also use food, play, praise, environmental rewards, and fulfillment. Because training isn’t just about obedience — it’s about the whole dog.

Their confidence.
Their emotional stability.
Their ability to exist calmly and neutrally in our world.

I care deeply about getting dogs outside. Hiking. Exploring. Swimming. Existing in nature. Engagement toys are great, but they will never fully replace the fulfillment many dogs get from simply being outdoors and using their instincts appropriately.

Yes, I expect my dogs to listen.
Yes, I want boundaries and accountability.
But I also understand dogs aren’t robots. They have bad days too.

I don’t want shut down dogs.
I want dogs that are fulfilled, confident, clear-headed, and still allowed to be dogs.

I’m a huge advocate for calm dogs — but calm doesn’t mean lifeless.

Dog training is not black and white. Good training requires being willing to ebb and flow your approach based on the dog standing in front of you.

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64 Main Street
Cortland, NY
13045

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