Why did you get a dog? People often get dogs for companionship, emotional support, and the health benefits of increased physical activity and stress reduction. Beyond these common reasons, dogs provide a sense of purpose, security, and unconditional love that enriches many aspects of a person's life, from mental well-being to social connections. Our purpose is to assist you in reaching these goals and in helping you and your dog enjoy life together.

Companionship - Are you longing for a deep shared connection but aren’t sure how to achieve it? Dogs can reduce our feelings of loneliness, but maybe right now that connection feels one-sided, non-existent, or even claustrophobic! Understanding how to foster secure attachment with your dog will give you the companionship you’ve been craving.

Emotional Support - The emotional benefits that dogs can offer people are obvious. The opportunity for unconditional love, loyalty, and a sense of being needed can boost our self-esteem.    However, today, dogs are often seen as furry humans who are magically expected to produce a continuous supply of warm, fuzzy feelings. This is an unrealistic expectation and diminishes respect for the dog as an animal with its own emotional needs. Your dog can be a fantastic support to your emotional health, and by understanding and valuing your dog’s needs, you can be an outstanding emotional support to them as well. This will enable you to be each other’s allies and a positive resource in healing.

Health Benefits - You may have intended to get regular exercise and improve your fitness, believing you’d be motivated by having a new walking buddy, only to find out that your new buddy is afraid of his shadow or wants to leave you in the dust for everything that catches his interest. Instead of your blood pressure going down, lately it might be going up. Let’s make it fun for both of you to get active!

Security - While you appreciate your new alarm system, is your goal to curb the constant barking so that the neighbors stop giving you dirty looks and your head stops pounding? We’ll provide the solutions to your dog’s hypervigilance by teaching nervous system regulation. 

For each person, the reason you got a dog could be different. Whatever your situation or your goal, we’re here to help you achieve it.