Dan is the former co-owner of Denver Dream Dog and after almost a decade is starting A Better Way to Board. Dan has completed Karen Pryor Academy foundational coursework, as well as a lengthy apprenticeship with Carie Grant. Dedicating his practice to helping young puppies get started on the right paw in a board and train setting. He lives closely with a small number of dogs, knowing each one intimately.
His solid understanding of learning theory combined with an intuitive and engaging style of teaching led to the nickname given to him from one of his students: “Sensei”. Almost 10 years and helping hundreds of puppies, Dan crafted and tailored his program.
Expert at bringing shy puppies out of their shells, he helps little ones develop confidence in the big world. Conversely, he teaches the enthusiastic dog how to focus on the task at hand. With a calm, consistent hand, Dan integrates new pups into the group. The reason for that is that each socialization experience is critical for a puppy compared to an adult dog with a longer history. Mistakes made, particularly when pups are small, or at certain developmental stages, can carry forward into their adult life. So introductions must be handled sensitively, and Dan’s years of experience in puppy handling pays dividends.
The training goal is a deep partnership between a dog and his family. First, his dog training skills are second to none. But the dog is only half of the team! In order to facilitate the partnership upon graduation, Dan makes sure the owner feels complete comfort using the dog’s new skills before they go home. You will leave with the ability to continue learning together long after they have graduated the program.
Dan employs clicker training, and the latest in learning theory and science-based methods. Continuing education is vital to remain on the cutting edge of dog training methodology. He most recently attended seminars with Dr. Susan Friedman, PhD, pioneer of Applied Behavior Analysis; and Kathy Sdao, MA, Applied Animal Behaviorist and author of “Plenty In Life Is Free”.
