I'm Rachael, the owner and sole trainer behind Paws Down Dog Training. Here's a little bit about me and why this work matters to me.

I got into dog training the same way a lot of people find their way to it. Through a dog that humbled me. My first rescue was reactive and I struggled with her the way so many owners struggle, feeling frustrated, embarrassed, and honestly a little hopeless at times. I wish I had hired a trainer back then. That experience never left me and it is a big part of why I do this work today. I understand what it feels like to love your dog and still feel completely lost. I started volunteering in rescue and kept seeing the same thing over and over again. Good dogs with good owners who just didn't have the tools or the knowledge to bridge the gap. I knew I wanted to be the person who could help with that.

If I'm being honest dogs have always been my thing. I was the kid dragging my childhood Dalmatian around trying to train her before I even knew what training was. That never really changed. (Except the dragging part.)

Today I am a certified trainer through Method K9 and an AKC certified CGC evaluator. I have spent years working alongside dogs in rescue at Stealing Hearts Rescue, learning from some incredible mentors, and continuously investing in my education through courses and seminars. Dog training is not a field where you ever stop learning and I take that seriously.

My Training Philosophy

I use a balanced training approach because I genuinely believe it is the most honest and effective way to work with dogs. That means I use all four quadrants of operant conditioning, including fair corrections, because dogs need clarity and clarity sometimes means hearing no. A dog that only ever hears yes lives in a confusing world.

I am a dog trainer because I love dogs. Everything I do is in service of that. Nothing I do is ever intended to cause harm, fear, or pain. But I do believe dogs deserve honest communication and that means using every tool available to us when it is appropriate and humane to do so.

A Note on Tools and Equipment

There is a real stigma around certain training tools and I understand where it comes from. Tools like e collars and prong collars have been misused and that has given them a bad reputation. Used correctly and humanely they are some of the most effective ways we have to communicate with dogs who do not speak our language.

Every dog is an individual. Not every dog needs the same tools and I never use anything without purpose. What I use is always determined by what is in front of me, what that specific dog needs, and what will get them the clearest most effective result. If you have questions about the tools I use I am always happy to have that conversation.

If any of this resonates with you, I'd love to meet you and your dog!