Hello, I'm Sandra!
Dog training is important to me
and part of my life beyond work.
I love sharing my passion with others
who are trying to do right by their dog.
From the time I was a child, I was drawn to animals — especially dogs. In my work and home life, I have always been interested in and had a keen eye for animal behavior. For 14 years I worked as a veterinary assistant and technician, but I left clinic work to focus more on what I love best: dog behavior.
In 2021, I graduated from the Karen Pryor Dog Trainer Professional Program. As a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy, my education is based in positive reinforcement training, using clicker training techniques. This approach to learning is kind, fast, effective, and lasting.
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What is Positive Reinforcement Training?
In their most simple form, positive reinforcement methods focus on communicating to your dog how you want them to behave, and then reinforcing the desired response. These techniques create eager and motivated dog learners,
as opposed to dogs taught with bribes, coercion, or force. Positive reinforcement also makes training fun!
My personal approach to training dogs is customized for each individual family. We begin where you are and work on the skills needed to build positive behaviors with your furry family member. I love working with puppies and have gained extensive experience with and knowledge surrounding young, developing dogs. I focus on foundational, building block behaviors that all dogs (and especially puppies) need to learn to happily cohabitate with their humans and other pets.
Hello, I'm Bon Bon!
Dog training is important to me too!
Read on to learn how I came to work alongside Sandra every day!
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The small brown homeless dog could be spotted daily, trotting along the sidewalks of Bon Accord, Tobago, with her small brown pup in tow. This mother dog, with her large eyes, wrinkled brow, and patchy fur was invisible to some people.
To others, she was a nuisance, digging in bins, sniffing for food, begging in the supermarket car park.
Luckily, one animal rescuer always noticed her, and happened to be entering the grocery store one day just as a man grabbed the mother dog’s beloved pup, enclosing it in a box. The mother, frantic with confusion, followed the man with the box across the road where he stopped a taxi, hopped in, and disappeared — never to be seen again.
The animal rescuer watched the mother dog that day, grief-stricken, wandering up and down the sidewalks of Bon Accord in search of her pup. The rescuer managed to lure the brown dog to her home, using dog chow and a makeshift leash made of string that was tied to a fence at the roadside. Bonnie (short for Bon Accord) became the rescuer’s foster dog, receiving love, regular food, shelter, and veterinary treatment.
Bonnie’s story warmed Sandra’s heart and she decided to organize and sponsor the transport, foster and medical care for this adorable creature.
Bonnie (now called ‘Bon’ and ‘Tobago’s Petit Bon Bon’) quickly made herself part of Sandra’s pack and charms animals and humans alike with her constantly wagging tail, sweet personality, and toothy smile. The word ‘foster’ quickly flew out of the window as Sandra fell in love with the irresistibly adorable creature. Bon was there to stay. Her aptitude for learning and her love of positive reinforcement made her the ideal candidate for training (agility and tricks are her specialty) and confirmed her as the perfect study partner as Sandra and Bon dutifully completed the Karen Pryor Academy dog trainer professional program together.
Today, as Sandra’s trusted companion, Bon lives a life filled with love and purpose, teaching other dogs by example, and warming human hearts wherever she goes. She has also become a “canine icon” for animal-loving fans back on her birth island of Tobago, inspiring people with the knowledge that even from humble beginnings, bright stars can emerge.
Let's connect!
Your call or email is always welcome.
We look forward to meeting you
and your furry companion!
Sandra Leiser, KPA-CTP
sandra@rightvibedogtraining.com
(413) 575-4768
