Wholistic Hound delivers family dog training and behavior solutions that are both dog and people friendly. Their clients achieve excellent results in a short time by learning to communicate with their canine companions and integrate effective dog training techniques into their daily lives. Owner and Instructor Sandy Modell is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and has been training dogs for many years. Her philosophy and methods approach training as more than just dog “obedience.” Humane and effective dog training is based on the science of learning behaviors of classical and operant conditioning. The methods and techniques that are used teach your dog to think as they learn new and good behaviors. At the same time, you build a stronger relationship with them. Sessions are positive, motivating, and fun. Private in-home lessons, group classes, and specialized consultations are offered for puppies and dogs of all ages. Group classes are sponsored through the City of Alexandria Department of Parks and Recreation.

We specialize in private lessons, dog behavior consultations, and teaching the owners to understand why their dogs do the things they do. This helps create a strong bond between the owner and dog. We offer e-collar training and clicker training. An “e-collar” is basically a collar with a stimulation mechanism (similar to an electric fence collar). The collar is controlled by a remote that the handler holds. The remote allows you to maintain full control of your dog for up to 400 yards! Therefore, it gives your dog a lot of freedom and it saves you from worrying about your dog running off! It is not used as a punishment or a “shock” as many people assume, it is simply used as a training device for communicating with your dog. It produces a subtle electrical current between two contact points located on the collar. In the old days this type of collar was used as “shock collar” and many inexperienced dog owners tried to use this device to scare their dog into submission. In the proven training method we teach, your dog is never “shocked into submission” or abused. Unlike a shocking device, the e-collar is used to get the dog’s attention and keep it focused on listening to the handler. It is the equivalent of someone tapping your shoulder to get your attention, or setting your phone on vibrate so it will get your attention when someone is calling you. We teach the dog to listen to those “taps” and that the “taps” mean, “I am trying to get your attention.”

Pawz for Health / Training provides an in-home dog and puppy training service. They work closely with dog owners to provide obedience training, as well as address behavior issues, in developing a training program to address the specific needs of each dog and dog owner. They offer a friendly effective service, working with positive reinforcement techniques at all time.

We offer RESULTS that let you live the life you always dreamed of living with YOUR dog! NOW – not in a year, or two or three! We will fix your dog NOW. HUMANE, REAL Dog Training for the REAL world – NO BRIBING – NO FORCE – NO PAIN