[Read Colleen's full bio →]
And now, from Colleen personally...
My Philosophy: Positive Reinforcement
Every time you yell at or physically discipline your dog, you undermine their trust in you, fraying the bond between the two of you... and that broken trust is what creates increased unwanted behaviors, not less.
My method is built entirely on positive reinforcement....never fear, force, or intimidation. It's firm, clear, loving communication that rebuilds the bond between dog and pet parent, so the dog wants to please you...because that bond is the most powerful training tool there is.
This isn't permissive training and it isn't soft. It's structured, consistent, and rooted in clear communication your dog can actually understand...which is what makes the results last. Dogs trained this way don't obey out of fear of what happens if they get it wrong. They respond because the relationship itself has become worth responding to and they learn that if they behave, they're rewarded with more love and it becomes the single best thing in their life that they will always seek. Because, let's face it, everyone craves love, including our pets.
This approach works because it addresses the root of the behavior, not just the behavior itself. Fix the bond, and the behavior changes because the dog wants to change it.
What Phone & Video Consultations Address
My remote consultations are built around behavior and relationship work including:
- Anxiety and fear-based behavior
- Sibling rivalry between dogs in the same household
- Behavior changes tied to family grief and trauma
- Destructive behaviors
- New puppy foundations
- Everyday annoyance behaviors
- Potty training
- Nutrition, which plays a central role in nearly every behavior plan I build
**Please note:** Aggression issues and Leash training require in-person sessions and cannot be effectively taught over phone or video.
For clients who want expert guidance without a home visit, a strict weekly schedule, or the pressure of a stranger observing their space, I offer in-depth phone consultations, available nationwide.
This format works for:
-Bringing home a new dog and need expert advice.
-Bringing home a new dog or a new baby with existing pets in the home.
-Not sure what breed is best for you and your lifestyle and need help choosing.
-Looking for guidance on adopting a new dog
-Pet Parents managing anxiety or social anxiety who prefer not to meet a trainer face-to-face
-Busy households, chaotic schedules, new baby, kids and pets in the background... life doesn't need to pause for training
-Anyone who can't commit to in-person weekly sessions but can carve out focused phone time
Clients anywhere in the country, regardless of local trainer availability
You get direct access to a behaviorist with over two decades of experience, from the comfort of your own home, on your own schedule.
Video Consultations - For clients who want me to see the pet's body language, home environment, or multi-pet dynamics directly, video consultations are also available, giving you the same in-depth guidance with a visual component built in.
In-Person Consultations - For local clients, in-person sessions are available and include hands-on aggression and leash work and real-time observation that remote formats can't replicate.
What to Expect
Every consultation, whether by phone, video or in-home, includes a thorough discussion of your pet's history and behavior, a customized plan built around your household, and ongoing support as you implement it. I've worked with nearly every behavior issue imaginable, from the common to the truly unusual, and bring that full range of experience to every case.
[Packages & Pricing]
Phone Consultations
**Single Session** — $350
A focused two-hour phone consultation covering your dog's full history and behavior, plus a customized plan. This plan does not include aggression issues.
**One Month Program** — $500
A two-hour initial consultation, followed by three weekly 1-hour phone calls to guide implementation and adjust the plan as your dog progresses.
**Eight Week Program** — $850
A two-hour initial consultation, followed by seven weekly 1-hour phone calls for extended support on more complex or long-standing behavior challenges.
Video Consultations
**One Month Program** — $1,150
A two-hour initial video consultation, followed by three weekly 1-hour video calls.
**Eight Week Program** — $2,050
A two-hour initial video consultation, followed by seven weekly 1-hour video calls.
Home Consultations (Currently Portland, Vancouver, Seattle only)
**Single Session Lite** — $1,800
A 2–3 hour in-home consultation covering full history, hands-on observation, and a customized plan, including leash work where needed.
**Single Session Intense** — $3,400
A day long 6 hour in-home consultation covering full history, hands-on observation, and a customized plan, including leash work where needed.
**One Month Program** — $4,500
A 2 hour initial in-home consultation, followed by three weekly 1-hour in-home visits including hands-on leash work.
**Eight Week Program** — $9,000
A 2 hour initial in-home consultation, followed by seven weekly 1-2 hour in-home visits, for more complex or long-standing behavior challenges.
After Your Program Ends
Every phone, video, and in-person program includes one free 30-minute follow-up call within 30 days of completion, for minor questions or small adjustments to your existing plan. This isn't for new behavior issues, a different dog, or reworking the original plan... for that, a single-session consultation (phone, video) is available at the rates above, any time down the road.
Grief Support - When Grief and Trauma Show Up in Pet Behavior
Family grief and trauma...a death, a divorce, a major loss...often shows up in a dog or cat's behavior before anyone realizes what's driving it. I've also personally navigated trauma alongside my own dogs (and cats) watching their behavior change and then experiencing the trauma of losing them. As a former Paramedic, I was trained in traumatic family crisis management, and that dual perspective, professional and personal, shapes how I now help families work through this particular kind of behavior change. I feel that I am uniquely skilled in assisting both the pet and pet parent in navigating these highly emotional waters. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to who has experienced the same thing...not a formal diagnosis, not a treatment plan that needs to be sent back to the insurance company for review... just a space to be heard and to vent.
As a widow, a mom and a pet parent to multiples, I don't know what I would have done without the therapeutic support that I was able to lean on during my darkest moments after my husband passed away. It inspired me to learn more about offering grief support to my clients that are navigating the dark and difficult waters of the unfair things life puts us through. So I enrolled as a student of Harvard University online to study cognitive behavioral therapy and mental health, taught directly by the Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Currently, I'm not a licensed therapist or certified grief counselor and these sessions are not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. What I offer is something different: a private conversation that isn't logged, diagnosed, or shared with an insurance company. I'm not knocking conventional therapy but if you want to share your thoughts and feelings with an empath who knows exactly how you feel because she's experienced all sides of trauma between both her personal life and a clinical environment, this may be the space you're looking for. Just coffee or tea in your PJ's and an open ear and heart on the other end.
$175 per one hour session - no time or plan commitment
Dementia Consulting - I also specialize in dementia care households with pets. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, (Regular or Young Onset) Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), Parkinson's or any of the other devastating dementia related diseases and are having a hard time navigating life with one or more pets, please let me help you. I have years of personal firsthand caregiving experience with this and I will offer my phone consulting services free of charge when I can, but any of my packages above will offer you some valuable assistance.
Contact me here and tell me your story, what package you're interested in and someone from my team will get back to you within 48 hours to discuss scheduling or answer any questions you may have.
