Pawsitive Barb

Pawsitive Barb offers several training programs designed to improve the relationship between owners and their dogs. “Puppy Start Right” classes are specifically for pups aged 7-12 weeks, focusing on early training to prevent future problem behaviors and foster communication and trust. The “Early Puppy Board and Train” program provides an immersive 24/7 positive reinforcement training experience at Barb’s home facility, aiming to fast-track a puppy’s learning of basic behaviors and socialization.

“Private Training” is available either in the client’s home or at Barb’s facility, tailored for dogs with established problem behaviors. This method involves identifying the underlying reasons for the behavior, removing factors that reinforce the undesired behavior, teaching a more appropriate replacement behavior, and strategically managing the dog’s environment. Additionally, Barb provides “Therapy and Service Dog Coaching,” where she guides owners to train their own dogs, including evaluating a dog’s suitability for therapy or service work.

Barb, operating as Pawsitive Barb, is a certified Service Dog Coach and a national trainer with Pets for Vets. She specializes in working with young puppies and is passionate about service dogs, applying the same early training and positive reinforcement techniques used with service dogs to all puppies and adult dogs. Her goal is to help owners build a better bond with their dogs through clear communication and strong relationships.

Barb’s classes and programs are created using science-based methodologies and are designed to be fun. She provides individualized coaching, working with clients to establish goals and create personalized plans to achieve them. She also offers follow-up support and remains available between lessons to support the training process.

Pawsitive Barb offers various services including “Puppy Start Right” for pups 7-12 weeks old, focusing on early training to prevent problem behaviors. The “Early Puppy Board and Train” program provides 24/7 positive reinforcement training at Barb’s home facility to fast-track learning. “Private Training” is available in the client’s home or Barb’s, addressing existing problem behaviors by identifying their cause, removing reinforcers, teaching appropriate replacements, and managing the environment. Additionally, Barb provides “Therapy and Service Dog Coaching,” where she trains the owner to be the trainer, including evaluating dogs for service work.

Accomplishments

Barb is a volunteer puppy raiser with Service Dogs of Virginia and serves as a national trainer with Pets for Vets. She holds a Certified Training Partner (CTP) professional designation from the highly regarded Karen Pryor Academy (KPA). Additionally, she earned her Service Dog Coaching credential through Cooperative Paws service dog education course. Barb also brings a background in Program Management and strong leadership skills to her training approach.

How to Get Started!

To begin, clients are encouraged to fill out a consultation request form. This form prompts them to provide details about their dog, including age, breed, personality traits, any current issues they are experiencing, and their specific goals for training.