George & Friends Dog Training Portland, Oregon
Ranked #5 in Portland and #10 in Oregon
Service area: Portland, Oregon area
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Barking Excessively
- Potty Training
- Fearfulness
Training Formats Offered
- Private Lessons
- In-Home
- Video Calls
Program Formats
- One-Time Consultation
- Sessions Package
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Positive Reinforcement Only
Private Coaching is offered either at the client’s home or on location, focusing on specific behaviors and issues. Training is available through individual sessions or packages of 3 or 5 lessons. Free phone calls are highly encouraged between lessons to provide continuous support. Former and current students are invited to participate in “Walk with George” events, which are open invitations to practice leadership and communication skills. Additionally, Zach Meynarez provides practice support for lessons at home or other locations, including sessions with a neutral dog if needed.
Testimonials
“Bea has been on her second restaurant outing this weekend, getting multiple downs each place (with no hesitation) and being extremely well behaved. The one pictured was about 3 minutes :). I couldn’t imagine her being this well behaved before we started training.”
-CARA C.
“Risa has a true talent communicating with our German Shepherd, and us her owners. We’re making good progress and am looking forward to getting the most ouT of our training to help make our dog as happy and well behaved as possible.”
-Tim T.
“i had to feed the dogs and Oliver always finishes first and then hovers over Ellie barking. Well, I didn’t feel like hearing it so I told him to leave it and he stopped and turned to look at me. I told him Here and he came over to me and I gave him a treat after I told him yep. He never barked again. My husband was shocked and me too. So things are working. Of course we have only been working on this for a week. He is starting to get it.”
-Francine F.
About the Trainer
George & Friends Dog Training offers private coaching for dogs and their owners, focusing on specific behaviors and issues. They aim to build a strong bond between dogs and their families, utilizing proven, science-based training principles. The business provides individual sessions or packages of 3 or 5 lessons, with free phone calls encouraged between lessons for ongoing support.
They also host “Walk with George” events, which are free, relaxed walks for current and prior students to practice communication skills and dog body language. Additionally, Zach Meynarez offers practice sessions at home or other locations, supporting positive reinforcement training with or without a neutral dog.
Accomplishments
Risa Meynarez is a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer. This certification indicates she has passed a comprehensive exam, accumulated over 300 hours of dog training experience, and received a personal recommendation from a veterinarian.
Her professional background includes experience in radio as a producer and writer for CNN International, and a marketing leadership role for Turner’s entertainment division. Risa’s journey into dog training began after moving to Portland, Oregon, when she was encouraged by a local Unleashed store manager to become a dog trainer.
How to Get Started!
Clients can initiate contact by booking a lesson or scheduling a call through the online booking feature. Alternatively, they can call or text Risa directly with their name and their puppy’s name. The business emphasizes understanding the urgency of client needs.
Contact Information
Availability
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
Certifications
- CPDT-KA
Associations
- APDT
Misc Features
- Women-owned
- wheelchair accessible entrance
- wheelchair accessible parking
- LGBTQ-friendly
- transgender safespace