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I’m San Francisco dog trainer Jeff Stallings, accredited by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers since 2013, with over a decade of experience addressing a range of dog training and behavior issues.
I offer private, in-home behavior consultations and training sessions in San Francisco, the Bay Area and the Santa Cruz Area, or we can meet at parks or other outdoor locations.
I also offer Zoom and FaceTime appointments, which work well for many behavior and training issues. Contact me to explore what might work best for you and your dog.
Please visit my contact page to get in touch; I respond to all inquiries within a few hours.
I help my clients train their dogs and puppies using positive reinforcement and other humane methods of behavior modification. This science-based approach considers each dog’s background, temperament and household environment to guide clients towards more gratifying, healthy relationships with their four-footed companions.
Together we’ll explore how your dog perceives the world and communicates, allowing you to build upon and enhance desired behaviors.
After each appointment, online or in-person, I email a customized training plan and then remain available via email and text to answer any questions.
Incorporating positive reinforcement methods to shape behaviors and teach commands, I sometimes incorporate marker training to speed things along. The purposeful use food rewards—and knowing when to use fewer—helps improve command compliance. (Hint: Become your dog’s slot machine!)
Most dogs enjoy having a job to do, so I encourage the Nothing in Life is Free strategy, making every interaction with your dog a training opportunity.
For building leash skills, I tailor collar and harness recommendations to each dog’s body shape and leash issues. I never use aversives (shock, pinch, choke), and often recommend front-clip, no-pull harnesses, head collars such as the Gentle Leader, and the occasional Martingale for those sighthounds out there.
My “new puppy” appointments take the guesswork out of how to start your puppy off on the right, um, paw. The first few months of a puppy’s life impact everything else that follows; I love helping clients socialize, train and bond with their new family member in the best way possible.
My training approach takes advantage of many aspects of dog cognition—the way they perceive the world; how they learn and communicate; their ability to read our emotions; and social behavior—to train dogs and modify behavior.
My focus is on helping you to more effectively interact with and train your dog. After appointments, I am available to answer questions about shaping and improving the relationship between you and your dog.
For more information about my dog training methods, please read through my articles and published magazine pieces.
Contact me more information or to explore a Zoom consultation or in-person appointment.
What better place to take advantage of your dog’s rocket recalls and heeled walks than at the San Francisco Bay Area parks, beaches and preserves that allow dogs off-leash?
I have researched and hiked many gorgeous San Francisco Bay Area beaches, parks and preserves that allow well-trained dogs to be off-leash and provide information about them on my Offleash Adventures page, including directions to the trailheads.
While most national and California state park hiking trails do not allow dogs, there are many options for local off-leash adventures, including regional preserves and beaches.
So take a hike with your best friend while enjoying the Bay Area’s ample natural beauty.
Below are excerpts from recent client testimonials. You can read these reviews and others in their entirety by clicking on the red yelp button.