From Tension to Trust, Real Change Starts Here
If your dog lunges, growls, or bites, you're not alone, and you're not out of options. With humane training methods rooted in modern behavior science, we help dogs in Northern Virginia overcome fear, aggression, and reactivity, while guiding owners with clarity and compassion every step of the way.
Together, we’ll replace conflict with connection, and build the trusting relationship your dog was always meant to have with you.
Client Testimonials
Danielle M. & Ginny
“We spent 25 years rescuing greyhounds and then did a complete 180 by bringing home a standard poodle puppy. Even with all our dog experience, we were not prepared for puppyhood — yikes! Thankfully, we found Mary. She guided us through everything: socialization, leash walking, recall, and later the big adolescent challenges like barking and reactivity.
Ginny absolutely explodes with joy every time she sees Mary, which says a lot. We also appreciate Mary’s deep knowledge of positive-reinforcement training, her thoughtful lesson planning, and her calm, professional, genuinely caring approach.
Ginny is now 2, and we understand her — and what she needs from us — so much better thanks to Mary. And the best part? What I thought was a long shot came true: Ginny passed her behavioral tests to become a nursing-home therapy dog and now brings joy to so many people. Mary helped make that possible.”
Cristina R & Ava, Basil, and Fawn
“When my husband and I got our first puppy, Ava, I struggled with puppy blues and anxiety of giving her the best life. We scheduled a consultation so that we could bring her to a puppy socialization class, and Mary went above and beyond with our conversation In just a short time, she gave me a lot of insight and helped me understand how to support my new puppy and didn’t end the conversation until I understood everything. “
Allison S & Snickers
“Mary’s training and the "slo-mo" exercise is something we use with Snickers often. The self-soothing techniques are critical for Snickers to better adjust to different environments and adapt more easily. His stress level and understanding how to lower his energy level has been super helpful. Snickers also has great "door manners" now because of her. He sits and waits for people to enter the door and does not "rush" them. Great and simple techniques made such a difference. We loved working with Mary!
Chelsea & Stevie
We came to Mary because we wanted to better understand how to support our high-energy cattle dog, Stevie. Mary gave us practical guidance on how to meet her needs in a way that actually works for her. She showed us how to build enrichment into Stevie’s routine, introduced games that safely tap into her herding instincts, and helped us recognize early signs of overstimulation so we can prevent it instead of reacting to it. Her advice made a real difference in how we approach Stevie’s care, and we’re genuinely grateful for the clarity and confidence she gave us. We’re excited for everything Stevie will keep learning thanks to Mary’s guidance!