Virginia Dog Trainer LLC

Four board-and-train tracks:

Personalized Obedience Training, an on-leash and off-leash obedience program built around the bond between you and your dog and reliable responses in real situations.

Puppy Paw-Sitive Start, a puppy board and train covering basic obedience, potty training, leash walking skills, and early socialization.

Hard-Core Extreme Board & Train, a 3 to 4 week program structured for aggression, severe reactivity, resource guarding, and dogs with a bite history, aimed at lowering systemic stress and desensitizing triggers safely.

Advanced Program, a shortened, specialized board and train to work a single problem area or sharpen one skill set.

The standard 3 to 4 week program includes 21 or more days of in-home care, off-leash reliability work on recall, heel, place, and threshold control, and comprehensive family hand-off coaching.

Policies

Dogs stay in the Davis household, not an outside kennel facility, which allows progress to be monitored around the clock. Every program ends with an intensive, hands-on family turnover session covering equipment handling, household boundaries, and how to maintain the dog’s new skills at home. Davis is direct that lasting results take long-term commitment from the whole family.

Virginia Dog Trainer LLC is a board-and-train specialist based in Stephens City, serving Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Owner and lead trainer Paul Davis brings 26 years as a canine professional to every dog that comes through the program.

Davis began as a police canine handler with the Bristol Police Department, working accelerant, explosives, narcotics, and patrol disciplines, and served there as a Master Police Officer and canine handler/trainer. He has since worked, trained, and instructed canines in 46 states and 7 countries, contracted with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service on mobile diplomatic missions in the Middle East, delivered canine services for the Central Intelligence Agency, and most recently served as a Lead Instructor and Lead Trainer for accelerant and explosives detection canine training with the ATF.

That background shapes how he works with family dogs. The approach is balanced and real-world: reward good choices, set fair and consistent boundaries, and match the tools to the individual dog rather than running everyone through the same system. In his own words, dogs learn through clear guidance, patience, proper timing, repetition, and short but structured sessions, and a trainer has to understand the difference between willful disobedience and a lack of clear understanding.

Programs are board and train only, not private lessons. Dogs live inside the Davis family home rather than a kennel block, which is where doorway manners, crate routines, counter-surfing, and calm living alongside people and other dogs actually get worked on. A 3 to 4 week stay covers 21 or more days of in-home care and daily immersion, foundation work for reliable off-leash recall, heel, place, and threshold control under real distractions, and an intensive family hand-off session so the household can hold the progress.

Davis takes cases many programs turn away, including severe leash reactivity, resource guarding, human and dog aggression, and documented bite histories. Puppy owners have their own track for basic obedience, potty training, and leash walking skills.

Accomplishments

26 years as a canine professional. Former Master Police Officer and canine handler/trainer with the Bristol Police Department across accelerant, explosives, narcotics, and patrol disciplines. Contractor for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, conducting mobile diplomatic missions and canine services in the Middle East. Delivered canine services globally for the Central Intelligence Agency. Most recently Lead Instructor and Lead Trainer for Accelerant and Explosives Detection Canine Training with the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Federal Law Enforcement Instructor, Professional Canine Trainer, E-Collar Instructor, and E-Collar Instructor Trainer. Holds professional certifications from the International School of Dog Trainers, including the E-Touch Course, the Advanced Obedience Concepts Course, and the Professional Dog Training Instructor Course. Active member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. Has worked, trained, supervised, and instructed canines in 46 states and 7 countries.

How to Get Started!

Book through the booking page at vadogtrainer.com, send the form on the contact page, or call (826) 280-8098. Paul follows up by phone to answer questions, then does a behavioral assessment on your dog and talks through your goals and the biggest issues you are facing at home. First sessions generally start with a long line session to gauge how hyper, reactive, obedient, or fearful the dog is.

Their Training Philosophy

Dogs learn through clear guidance, patience, proper timing, repetition and short, yet structured training sessions. Knowing this, as a trainer, you have to set the dog up for success and the trainer must understand the difference between willful disobedience and a lack of clear understanding.

A Tough Case They Solved

Luka (4 year old German Shepherd). Came in with severe aggression towards people and animals, with 3 bites on his record. The goal, total behavior modification.

First step was building a bond and a trust between myself and Luka (took 2-3 days). Began with feeding him out of my hand, playing fetch, taking short leash walks. Proper leash-walking skills begin and end every day.

Next was basic foundational obedience on the training floor, with Cato Boards, Klimb Boards and Cots. Next was confidence on the obstacle course, A Frame, etc. Next was general manners through thresholds, in and out of vehicles, crates, etc. Next was immersion training at Lowe’s, Petco, PetSmart, and Home Depot with public interaction.

Next was the off-leash phase. Began with simple obedience, then moved on to advanced off-leash obedience using boards, cots and the A-frame. Next off-leash recall down pat. Next off-leash walking, then off-leash walking with distractions. Finally, doing off-leash obedience while other dogs and people play on and around him and having Luka remain calm and focused.

What New Clients Can Expect

I offer Board and Train Programs, not private lessons. So, my first session is generally always a long line session to gauge how hyper, reactive, obedient, fearful, etc. a dog is. When I initially meet a client, I typically do a behavioral assessment on the dog, and talk to the client about their goals with dog training and inquire about the biggest issues that they face with their pet.

More From the Trainer

Behavior Modification. 26 years working and training dogs in law enforcement. Federal Law Enforcement Instructor, Professional Canine Trainer, E-Collar Instructor, E-Collar Instructor Trainer.

Specialize in off-leash obedience, and behavior modification for aggression or dogs with a bite history.

I offer a Board and Train Program for on/off-leash obedience, a Hard-Core Board and Train Program for on/off-leash obedience specifically for dogs with aggression, a Puppy Board and Train where I teach basic obedience, potty training and leash walking skills, and finally I offer an advanced course which is a specialized shortened Board and Train to work on singular problem issue areas or to enhance singular skillsets.