What makes your services different?

We specialize in providing private services in the Washington DC metro area. Our highly qualified and experienced instructor, Veronica Sanchez M.Ed. CABC, CPDT-KA has a unique combination of graduate education, hands on experience and industry specific certifications. She has over 30 years personal experience living with dogs and cats of various breeds, and experience managing multi-animal households. Additionally, Veronica has experience training dogs to a very advanced level including competition obedience, dog sports and working dogs.

Although demand for our services has grown steadily, we have opted to remain small in order to enable our trainer to focus exclusively on her clients' needs. Veronica prepares for each appointment based on a behavioral history questionnaire given before the session, she is highly responsive to client's questions, and is available to support clients by phone or email between appointments.

What training methods do you use?

While specific recommendations are always adapted to the needs of the client and dog, we always use humane methods that emphasize positive reinforcement. We reward desired behavior with treats, toys and other things the dog likes. These techniques are routinely used in training of working dogs such as explosive detection dogs and service animals for people with disabilities. Our training techniques are consistent with the recommendations from leading associations including the American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior.

We often recommend training tools such as no-pull harnesses, martingale style collars, buckle collars and head collars depending on the individual dog's needs. Clicker training is available if desired.

We also place a strong emphasis on helping owners develop a healthy relationship with their pet, educating clients on how to best meet their dog's behavioral needs and teaching owners how to implement non-confrontational strategies to establish leadership.

What type of services do you offer?

We specialize in private lessons that can meet a variety of training and behavioral needs. We can help owners train the basics, address behavioral problems and train advanced obedience or help an owner train their dog to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluation or become a therapy dog.

What are your prices?

We offer training packages, individually scheduled private lessons and behavior consultations. Services are priced according to the type of service we are providing, and we need some basic information about your dog and your needs in order to give you an estimate. Please see the contact us page

What are your hours?

Appointments are scheduled weekdays, Monday through Thurs 10 am - 8 pm. and Friday mornings at 10 and 11 am.

Our schedule fills quickly, often several weeks in advance. Please plan ahead for the best selection of times.

Have you worked with the breed of dog I own?

Our trainer has worked with dogs from all the breed groups as well as many extremely rare breeds. Our clients have dogs from shelters, rescue groups, purebred dogs from breeders, mixed breeds - including many "doodle" crosses. We have even worked with "village" dogs brought in from as far away as Africa, Mongolia and Afghanistan. We probably have worked with many members of the breed of dog you own.

We also have experience working with dogs with disabilities (including deaf/blind) and physical limitations.

Should I work at your home office or have you come to my house?

We see most clients at our home office because we find it is usually in the dog's and owner's benefit to do so. It's easy for most dogs to listen to their owners in the environment that they see every day, going to a new place is where things are more challenging.

Our home office is designed specifically to facilitate training. Your dog benefits from the opportunity to practice around distractions at a level where he or she can succeed and not be overwhelmed. You benefit from having the session at a location where there will not be interruptions. Our home office is a wonderful environment for new puppies to learn how to be confident in a new setting. We are conveniently located close to the 66 Nutley St. exit in the Town of Vienna.

A few behavior problems do need to be addressed at your home. Sometimes, the best bet is a combination of sessions at our home office as well as a session or two at your home. Contact us and our trainer will tell you what is right for your dog.

How quickly can I expect my dog to improve?

Most of our clients report seeing improvements immediately after beginning to implement our recommendations. However, there are many factors that impact how quickly a dog makes progress. Basic training with a dog with no serious behavior problems is usually quick. Of course, if the owner does not continue to practice, the dog will not continue to perform over time. There are no short cuts, to have a well-mannered pet you do have to commit to following through and practicing throughout your dog's entire life!

For serious behavior problems like aggression, fear or separation anxiety, time, commitment and patience are required. Some dogs make significant improvements within a few days, others take weeks or longer. The owner's ability and willingness to follow through has a tremendous impact on how quickly and how much improvement the dog makes.

Please keep in mind, reality TV is created for entertainment - dog training television shows are edited and may not show what has actually occurred "behind the scenes." We want happy clients, but happy clients are also realistic ones.

I have a question that is not listed here?

Please contact us!

Maggie, one of our students, an adolescent English Bulldog, shows off for the camera. Our clients have dogs of various breeds, ages and sizes.

We have personally owned dogs of various breeds and backgrounds. Our Monty is a shepherd mix from a local shelter. He has earned an AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate.

Some dogs can be overwhelmed in a group setting. Our adorable student above, Tiger, learned basics quickly in private sessions.

Drifter, a gorgeous dalmatian (also one of our wonderful students), balances a toy on his head. We often discuss strategies on how to incorporate toys and play sessions in training.

To see more of Drifter and more photos of our students, check out our new "graduates" page.

© 2013 Cooperative Paws Training and Behavior Consulting

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