The Dog Talker – Charleston’s Leading Aggression & Dog Behavior Expert

Ranked #2 in Summerville and #8 in South Carolina

4.9 Stars,31 Reviews
103 Wessex Terrace, Summerville, SC 29485

Service area: For in-person consults, they service Summerville, Moncks Corner, Cane Bay, Ladson, Summers Corner, North Charleston, Hanahan, West Ashley, Downtown Charleston, Daniel Island, Mt. Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, John’s Island, James Island in Charleston, SC. They also offer Zoom consults worldwide. A travel fee applies for other locations in the LowCountry for in-home sessions.

Service Overview

Types of Dog Training

  • Behavior Modification

Specialty Focus Areas

  • Reactivity / Aggression
  • Biting / Nipping
  • Resource Guarding
  • Fearfulness
  • Leash Pulling
  • aggression
  • anxiety
  • noise phobia

Training Formats Offered

  • Private Lessons
  • In-Home
  • Video Calls

Program Formats

  • One-Time Consultation
  • Sessions Package

Dog Training Methodology

Methods: 

  • Positive Reinforcement Only

Equipment: 

  • Clickers
  • Food Rewards

The Dog Talker offers Dog Welfare Packages for all behavior issues, including aggression, reactivity, fear, and anxiety. These packages include 3 x 90-minute in-home or Zoom sessions, a behavior plan, behavior modification as needed, Family Dog Mediation® hacks, basic training if required, full support between sessions, a complimentary clicker and treat pouch, and one month’s free membership to their TDT Club. Individual 60-minute follow-up sessions are also available for budget reasons, for those not ready to commit to more, or for needing additional sessions. Canine Wellness Walks are offered for 1 or 2 dogs, walked separately, focusing on destressing, confidence building, navigating triggers, and nose work, often recommended in combination with other services.

Pricing & Policies

Pricing Summary

The Dog Welfare Package includes 3 x 90-minute in-home or Zoom sessions (valued at $245 each, totaling $735 for sessions) plus a $25 Behavior Plan with recommended resources. Individual follow-up sessions are 60 minutes each. An initial consultation is required for all services.

Testimonials

“Vivi is a treasure! My girlfriend and I went to Vivi, desperate for help with our pets as we moved in together. We had been living separate in our own homes with our respective pets. I have a dog with a history of aggressive behavior and my partner has a friendly dog and two cats. Needless to say, combining our households into a home where all 16 paws could live in harmony was going to take professional guidance. Vivi began working with us before we made the move, making visits to both homes. She continued working with us for several months after we moved into the same house to ease the transition. She was unbelievably flexible and thorough. It was clear from day one and throughout our engagement with Vivi that she was devoted to successfully assisting us. We have relocated to Boston, but Vivi has remained in contact, and has even assisted with additional concerns via zoom. She knows our fur babies as well as we do as the companions, and we will forever be grateful that she came into our lives when she did. If she can help us with the challenging situation we presented her with (and she did!), then there is probably nothing she can’t help with when it comes to training dogs! Miracle worker!”
– Chris & Sheilagh ( & Rooster & Topher) Boston MA

“I contacted Vivi after researching trainers/companies that focused more on dog behavior than pure training. After an initial consultation, we decided to go with her 8 week program to help us with our terrier who was a total embarrassment when walking him around “his” neighborhood. He barked at cars, hated people walking by, and went especially crazy if another dog walked by in the general vicinity. It was immediately apparent that Vivi has a real passion for her work! She helped us understand why Bogey was being so territorial and laid out a process for us to follow to to calm him down and alleviate the triggers making him go so berserk. Working with Vivi was a real pleasure – she works with both the dog and the owners/parents to address the undesired behavior without judgement, and documents the whole process with both pictures and a written plan so that you can refer back to them as needed. For these reasons, I highly recommend The Dog Talker LLC for dog training and behavior issues.”
– Debra, Ron & Bogey, Summerville SC

“Vivi is AMAZING!!! My wife and I have had lots of dogs. We thought we were good at training on our own until we adopted our most recent one. She was not getting along well with our older dogs, and she was exhibiting some bad behavioral issues. We called Vivi late one day because we just could not figure out what to do, and we were panicking. In the very first session Vivi gave us training tools that we will use forever, and we began noticing huge improvements in all of our pets. By the end of the course we were much more confident dog owners, and our dogs were getting along so well. I don’t know what we would have done without Vivi’s help and knowledge. She was absolutely wonderful.”
– Kate, Zac & Tilly, Summerville SC

About the Trainer

The Dog Talker, led by Vivi Myslik Jorgensen, is Charleston’s leading expert on dog behavior issues, specializing in aggression, fear, anxiety, and welfare. They offer a unique, holistic approach that goes beyond traditional dog training, focusing on understanding the dog’s “WHY” and addressing welfare issues to create behavioral wellness.

Their methodology is rooted in Family Dog Mediation®, the L.E.G.S.® model, and Vivi’s own Umbrella Framework (Dog Training Unplugged). They emphasize real communication, trust, compassion, empathy, non-judgmental support, and relationship bonding, using 100% fear-free, science-backed methods and positive reinforcement. They explicitly state they do not use rigid commands, military-style training, training collars, or dominance-based “Alpha” methods.

The Dog Talker provides customized, signature behavior programs with unique package options. They also offer resources like ebooks and a podcast to help dog owners understand their pets better and achieve long-term behavioral change.

Accomplishments

Vivi Myslik Jorgensen is Charleston’s first Licensed Family Dog Mediator® and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP). She has over 7 years of experience working with behavioral issues such as aggression, fear, and anxiety in dogs. She is the owner, CEO, and founder of The Dog Talker LLC and hosts The Dog Training Unplugged Podcast. Vivi works from a holistic approach using the L.E.G.S.® model and her own Umbrella Framework (Dog Training Unplugged).

How to Get Started!

Clients can get started by booking a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss their needs. An initial consultation is required before committing to Dog Welfare Packages or Individual Follow-up sessions.

The Dog Talker – Charleston’s Leading Aggression & Dog Behavior Expert featured image for this Dog Trainer
  • 7 Years Experience

  • Free Consultation

Certifications

  • LFDM-T
  • KPA-CTP

Languages

  • English
  • wheelchair accessible parking
  • LGBTQ-friendly
  • transgender safespace

Other Services Offered

  • Dog walker
  • Pet trainer

Location

103 Wessex Terrace, Summerville, SC 29485