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Our Training Philosophy

Training inspired by kindness, informed by science, & designed to be fun!

Meet the Trainer

Owner and head trainer Jen Boyd-Morin (she/her) uses reward-based, humane, & effective training methods, along with a bit of humor to help pet owners achieve their training goals. 

 

Jen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, and obtained her Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT1) status as a top-scoring graduate of her Peaceable Paws Academies. Jen has also completed multiple intensive Operant Conditioning Workshops led by world-renowned animal trainer Bob Bailey, where she fine-tuned her hands on skills while training chickens. 

 

Jen is committed to training and caring for animals without fear, anxiety, stress, or pain. To that end, she is in the process of obtaining her Fear Free Boarding and Daycare & Trainer Certifications.

 

Prior to starting Play & Train Dog Behavior, LLC, Jen worked for The Coventry School for Dogs & Their People, Inc. and was heavily involved in working with several local organizations, including Greyhound Welfare, Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW), and Prince George’s County Animal Services. When she’s not training, Jen can be found outdoors, working in her garden or hiking, playing, & training with her “Kentucky mutt” Skye. 

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Training inspired by kindness:
Behavior change can be accomplished efficiently without the use of fear, pain, force, or intimidation. Therefore, we will never ask you to hurt or scare your dog. Instead, we coach you to:

  • reward desirable behaviors to increase their likelihood in the future

  • make adjustments to the environment to increase your dog’s chances of making desirable choices

  • address fear, aggression, and other behavior issues by changing your dog’s associations and emotional state from negative to positive

We also collaborate with veterinary professionals to address contributing medical factors when needed.

 

Training informed by science:
We are committed to using the most up-to-date, evidence-based training and behavior modification techniques. In order to stay informed, we regularly take professional courses, attend conferences & seminars, and read recently published literature. 

 

Training designed to be fun:

Training dogs (and their owners) brings us joy! We want training your dog to bring you both joy as well. Focusing on “real life” skills rather than traditional obedience cues, meeting your dog’s needs through play and games, and offering your dog choices when it’s safe to do so will give you the skills to have a rewarding life with your dog! 

 

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Our goal is to communicate clearly and effectively with you, as well as to teach you to communicate clearly and effectively with your dog, always through a lens of empathy and compassion. We look forward to being a part of your journey with your canine companion!
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