Effective and Enduring Dog Training........

The techniques employed are proven, humane methods from the science of behavior modification and how dogs effectively learn.  Training is off lead, positive and reward based, reinforcers are used to encourage desirable behavior and the methods of extinction and reinforcement of incompatible behaviors and are used to eliminate undesirable behavior.  Training is an active learning process on the part of the dog as well as the client.  Physical prompting and punishers are NEVER used.

Successful treatment of behavior problems and how this differs from dog training alone.......

The difference between obedience training and the successful treatment of behavior problems in dogs is the ability to change the emotions producing the problem behavior, as well as the behavior itself. The emotions producing the behavior must change or the behavior will not. Further, traditional obedience commands often fail behavior problems because the dog is simply too frightened, agitated or aggressive to respond to them. As a dog behavior expert, certified professional dog trainer, canine behavior specialist and canine behavior counselor with over 10 years experience Christina has created her Techniques for Successfully Treating Behavior Problems in Dog (SM) It includes her developed specific commands which physiologically calm and focus your dog and which your dog will able to obey effectively (unlike traditional obedience commands)in situations triggering agitation, fear and/or aggression as well as her effective behavior modification techniques to change your dog's negative emotions and associations fueling the problem behavior into positive, critical to eliminating the problem behavior.

Ms. Shusterich has found that her BA in psychology and thorough understanding of behavior modification techniques including operant conditioning, classical conditioning and counterconditioning very valuable in her training of and treatment of behavior problems in dogs. Her further training and certification as a Dog Trainer, Canine Behavior Counselor and Behavior Specialist through the Animal Behavior Center of New York and The Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors, her certification as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the CCPDT, being an American Kennel Club CGC Evaluator since 2004, her continued study, extensive work with shelter dogs and over 10 years experience has served to finely hone her skills in providing exceptional dog training and successful treatment of all behavior problems in dogs along with the ability to treat multiple behavior problems simultaneously. She has appeared nationally and internationally on TV discussing and demonstrating dog training and the treatment of behavior problems as well as being published natiionally and internationally and quoted in many major publications as described above.