Pawsome Pups Dog Training

Group classes include Puppy Kindergarten (5 sessions, open enrollment, Mondays/Thursdays), Elementary and Intermediate Manners (5 sessions each), AKC Canine Good Citizen (5 sessions with testing), AKC Trick classes (5 sessions with testing), and Out On The Town (5 sessions in Harpers Ferry, WV). All group classes are currently paused with private training offered instead. Private sessions are available at home or at the facility for behavior modification, basic manners, and socialization. Training is structured around positive reinforcement with individualized plans based on dog and owner needs.

Pricing Summary

Class costs are listed as “$” without specific pricing; private sessions are offered but pricing details are not published. No package or pricing structure is disclosed on the website.

Policies

No explicit cancellation or rescheduling policies are published on the website. Group classes have limited enrollment (6–8 dogs per class) and require advance registration. Private training availability is noted as ongoing.

Bridget Taber, CPDT-KA, is a certified positive reinforcement dog trainer based in Hillsboro, VA, serving dog owners across Loudoun County, Northern Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia. She specializes in behavior modification for dog-reactive and people-reactive dogs, offering both private in-home sessions and group classes at her training facility. Bridget uses only reward-based methods, avoiding choke, pinch, and shock collars, and emphasizes understanding dog behavior through science-backed techniques. She offers Puppy Kindergarten, Elementary and Intermediate Manners, AKC Canine Good Citizen, AKC Trick classes, and an “Out On The Town” public access class. Bridget also provides personalized training for separation anxiety, fearfulness, and other complex behavioral issues, and has successfully rehabilitated severely abused dogs, including Thomas of Romania, who now serves as a training ambassador. Her own dogs are titled in Nose Work, demonstrating her expertise in advanced training methods.

Bridget’s approach is rooted in her background in natural horsemanship and her personal experience with her German Shepherds, leading her to abandon aversive methods after witnessing their negative impact. She continues her education and mentors clients on how to communicate clearly with their dogs using positive reinforcement, helping owners become confident, consistent trainers.

Her facility is located on a 31-acre farm with ample space for training, and she provides detailed directions for visitors. Bridget also shares educational resources, including articles from AVSAB and Victoria Stilwell, and maintains active YouTube and Facebook channels featuring training tips and success stories.

Accomplishments

Bridget Taber is a CPDT-KA certified trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She has titled three German Shepherds in Nose Work NW1 and two in NW2. She successfully rehabilitated Thomas, a severely abused rescue from Romania, who became an ambassador for positive training. She completed a 60-hour college-equivalent course in positive reinforcement dog training and has over a decade of hands-on experience training dogs and horses.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients are encouraged to contact Bridget via phone or email to inquire about availability for private sessions or upcoming group classes. No online booking system is available; initial contact is required to begin the process.