See Spot Think! dog training
Ranked #3 in East Rochester and #47 in New York
Service area: the greater Rochester, NY area
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Jumping on People
- Biting / Nipping
- Potty Training
- Resource Guarding
- Fearfulness
- Stealing Food
- Recall
Training Formats Offered
- Group Classes
Program Formats
- Sessions Package
Types of Dogs
- Small
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Positive Reinforcement Only
Equipment:
- ✓ Clickers
- ✓ Food Rewards
The business offered group classes structured into “Foundations” and “Continuing Ed” levels. Foundation courses included Puppy Kindergarten (8-16 weeks, 7 weeks long, focusing on socialization, basic obedience, and problem prevention), Puppy 2 (building on Kindergarten skills, 6 weeks long), Adolescent Kindergarten (5-7 months, focusing on socialization, self-control, and puppy issues), Adolescent 2 (building on Adolescent K skills), Basic Manners (for adolescent/adult dogs, focusing on foundation behaviors and canine body language), and Basic 2 (building on Basic Manners skills). All foundation classes were 1 hour per week.
Continuing Ed classes, requiring completion of a Level 1 and Level 2 Foundation course, included “Skill Building Through Games” (team-based games), “Tricks & Clicks” (introducing clicker training and various tricks), and “Village Walk / Go Dog, Go!” (field trips to practice skills in real-world environments, focusing on leash manners, distraction work, and polite greetings).
Additionally, “Puppy Playtime” sessions were offered for puppies under 4 months, focusing on developing social skills, bite inhibition, and appropriate play in a safe, supervised environment.
Pricing & Policies
Policies
The business requires puppies to have a minimum of one round of puppy vaccinations at least 7 days prior to class or playtime, and one round of Bordatella (4 days prior if intranasal). Puppies must continue with age-appropriate vaccinations as determined by their veterinarian. For playtime, puppies should also have been in the home for a minimum of 10 days.
Testimonials
“My puppy and I went to 2 other trainers before finding Cindy at See Spot Think. Our only regret is that we didn’t find her sooner. Cindy is wonderful, engaging, down to earth, and her love for animals and facilitating clear, positive communication with them makes her great at what she does. Cindy’s approach goes beyond “training”—she helps foster connection and trust between animals and their owners. And that just makes for a better relationship and happier life together. I would recommend Cindy and See Spot Think hands-down to anyone looking for puppy-owner training.”
– Michelle & Leila
“As a new dog owner I wanted to make sure that I gave my new puppy the right start in life. Several people recommended Cindy both for classes and for her puppy playtime sessions. I have attended puppy kindergarten as well as puppy playtime and both Porter and I have learned so much. The learning goes well beyond the activities in class; it has helped me understand how to raise a happy, confident dog. Cindy’s ability to observe and provide insightful comments about puppy behavior has helped me become more aware of body language and what my puppy is trying to communicate. Cindy also provides well written summaries of class activities with trouble shooting tips that have been invaluable. Importantly, we also both have a lot of fun. As soon as Porter gets out of the car, he is ‘dragging’ me to get upstairs!”
– Holly & Porter
“Cindy has been enormously helpful with our 10-month-old Goldendoodle, George. She is not just great with dogs– she’s great with people! Cindy listened carefully to the various problems we were having with George and came up with practical, clear advice on how to work with him to get the behaviors we wanted and stop those we didn’t. We had 4 private sessions with Cindy and the improvement in George is enormous! He was running away from us, refusing to give up objects that we didn’t want him to have, jumping all over guests and stealing mittens off my daughter’s hands– just generally being a playful and sweet, but naughty adolescent dog. When I first contacted Cindy, we were all so frustrated that the onset of George’s adolescence seemed to bring so many slips backward in his manners. She helped us find fun ways to burn up his energy with games and tricks and teach him to remain engaged with us even when he gets excited. Cindy has such a patient, gentle way with dogs and was wonderful at modeling positive training methods with our sometimes-nervous pup. Even though we had been working steadily for months trying to teach Georgie to “drop it” by trading treats for “illegal” objects, Cindy was able to trouble-shoot the situation immediately and within a day or two, we had him dropping even his most coveted prizes (kleenex and slippers!) when asked. It has been about 2 months since we started working with Cindy, and the whole family is enjoying George so much more. She helped us rediscover the fun in dog training and helped me as a first-time dog owner understand how a puppy learns.”
– Caroline & George
About the Trainer
See Spot Think! dog training is currently on hiatus. It previously offered practical, kind, and effective dog training and behavior modification techniques, focusing on teaching skills to both dogs and their owners. Their philosophy emphasized building understanding and clarity, using force-free methods, and individualizing training based on the dog’s unique joys and fears.
They had a particular passion for puppies, providing education on developmental deadlines and early socialization to help puppies grow into confident, well-adjusted adults. They aimed to help owners foster sound relationships based on understanding and clear communication. The trainer, Cindy Harrison, received her foundation in positive-reinforcement dog training at the San Francisco SPCA and continued her education with notable trainers. The business prioritized group classes for puppies.
Accomplishments
Cindy Harrison, the primary trainer, received her foundation in positive-reinforcement dog training while working and volunteering at the San Francisco SPCA. She was SF SPCA certified by the in-house Academy for Dog Trainers with instructor Jean Donaldson in 1999. Cindy has continued her education by attending seminars with noteworthy trainers such as Bob Bailey and Suzanne Clothier. She is identified as a Dog Trainer & Behavior Counselor and has years of experience working with young puppies and their new families.
Contact Information
Certifications
- Credentialed
Associations
- APDT