Wagging Willow

Wagging Willow offers a three-tiered group class system: Canine Communication 101 (basic obedience and housetraining), 201 (advanced skills with duration, distance, distractions), and 301 (Canine Good Citizen certification prep). Each course is six weeks, one hour per session, with max 5 teams. Private training is available for all ages and includes in-home and public space sessions, behavior modification for fear/reactivity, and service dog training. Puppies 8–19 weeks old receive private training only due to COVID protocols. All programs use positive reinforcement, clicker training, and focus on real-world application.

Pricing Summary

Group classes (Canine Communication 101, 201, and 301) are $190 per dog for a six-week course. Private training is personalized with packages tailored to individual needs. Tuition for CGC includes the certification test. Gift certificates available for any service.

Policies

Group classes are held outdoors with a maximum of 5 handler/dog teams. Private training is the only option for puppies 8–19 weeks old due to CDC guidelines. Gift certificates expire one year after purchase and are non-refundable but transferable to any service. No explicit cancellation or rescheduling policy is stated.

Wagging Willow is a positive reward-based dog training business serving Orlando and surrounding areas, led by certified trainer Susan Vergara. They offer group and private training sessions focused on building trust, communication, and mutual respect between dogs and their owners using clickers, food, toys, and praise. Their programs cover basic and intermediate obedience, housetraining, leash manners, behavior modification for fear-based issues, and preparation for the Canine Good Citizen test. They specialize in puppy training, adolescent and adult dogs, and offer private in-home sessions for puppies 8–19 weeks old and dogs with reactivity or fear issues. Their facility is located in Winter Park, FL, and group classes are held outdoors. Susan has hands-on experience training shelter dogs and is certified by Animal Behavior College, with additional training in scent work, CPR, and first aid. They also provide service dog training and gift certificates for training services.

Wagging Willow emphasizes small class sizes (max 5 teams), consistent positive reinforcement, and personalized attention. They encourage owners to learn how to read canine body language and adapt training to their dog’s motivations. Their training philosophy is rooted in creating a fun, stress-free learning environment for both dogs and humans, with proven success in transforming fearful or reactive dogs into confident companions.

They also offer related services including in-home private training, behavior adjustment for fear-based issues, and service dog training. Their facility supports training for dogs of all sizes and ages, with a focus on real-world skills and long-term behavior change.

Accomplishments

Susan Vergara is certified by Animal Behavior College with a certificate in shelter dog training, completed 16 weeks of hands-on training with force-free trainer Leah Roberts, and volunteered 10 hours at a local shelter. She is Pet Tech certified in Pet CPR and First Aid. Her dog Willow earned a Canine Good Citizen certificate. Susan and Willow are members of the National Association of Canine Scent Work and have trained in dock diving, search and rescue, and scent work.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients must complete a New Student Application form to provide details about their dog’s age, breed, training goals, and behavioral issues. Based on this, Wagging Willow creates a personalized training plan. Clients can then register for group classes or schedule private sessions via provided links or by calling the business.