Relationship-based behavioral dog training

Building better bonds through behavior. Remote and in-person training for families in and around Reston, Virginia.

Reactivity, anxiety, inter-dog conflict, bite history
Rescue adjustment and life-stage support from puppy to senior
Compassionate, relationship-first philosophy

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About The Family Dog

I help families raise confident, calm dogs through a behavior-first, relationship-based approach. I've worked with puppies through seniors, rescues with big feelings, reactivity, anxiety, inter-species conflict, and bite histories. My goal is a safer, happier home for both humans and dogs.

Experienced with rescue transitions and behavior issues (reactivity, anxiety, conflict)
Relationship-building and trust as the foundation for change
Flexible scheduling — in-person within 40 minutes of Reston, VA, or remote

Services

I offer flexible, relationship-based dog training for families in and around Reston, Virginia. Whether you're dealing with reactivity, anxiety, puppy development, or household manners, I provide both remote and in-person options tailored to your dog’s age, breed, and lifestyle.

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Training Philosophy

My goal is to help families build calmer, safer, and more connected lives with their dogs. Training is not just about commands—it's about understanding who your dog is, what they need, and how you can work together.

Behavior-first, relationship-based: We look at the full picture of your dog's emotions, environment, history, and needs—not just the “problem behavior”. Every visit begins with a full assessment of your dog, your dog's behaviors, likes and dislikes, what is going well, what isn't, how you typically interact, and a review of your current schedule.
Science-informed and compassionate: I draw from modern behavior science and real-world experience to create humane, effective plans tailored to each dog, which considers your capabilities and your schedule.
Skills that fit real life: We focus on skills your dog can use every day—calmness, focus, recall, impulse control, and safe interactions with people and other animals. We also work on increasing novel experiences for you and your dog, so that your relationship strengthens, and your dog gains confidence.
Teamwork with the family: You're a core part of the process. I coach you as much as I train your dog so that the progress sticks.

FAQs

What do I need for training?

Please have a collar or harness on your dog for when I arrive. I recommend you save 1/2 of your dog's kibble to use for training purposes. Why kibble? As we are working on your dog's behavior, we will be marking good behaviors often. By using your dog's kibble, we can reward frequently without worrying about GI upset, or your dog getting fat! If your dog will not work for their kibble, only then should we introduce other treats. Adjust your dog's meals accordingly to match their required caloric intake.

Where do you train?

I drive up to 40 minutes away from my home base at the Avalon at Reston Landing. Typically we will meet at your home to train, although sometimes I will recommend that we travel to areas with more frequent exposure to your dog's triggers.

What are your thoughts on training tools (head halter, prong collar, e-collar, etc)?

Tools have their places, but are not typically used for daily training purposes. It is my belief that practice, and correct communication with your dog can fix nearly all issues. If you prefer to use tools, then we will discuss the appropriate way to use them in training sessions so that everybody stays happy and healthy.

Why is play so important to training?

It is important to acknowledge your dog's individuality as we work on difficult skills tied to obedience. Play allows us to recognize all the things that makes your dog, your dog. Recall, stay, sit, down, impulse control are all counter-intuitive to your dog's nature. While training can be fun, it also can be frustrating for your dog. Play allows us to tell a dog when it is okay to be impulsive, race around, and overall be a goof! By incorporating play with training, we can make progress much faster than without it. It also can prevent redirection behaviors that can come about with obedience training only such as biting, barking, wining, and failing to listen.

Have a different question? Email me and I’ll be happy to talk about your dog’s situation.

Meet Jessica, Your Trainer

I've worked with over 100 dogs throughout my time as a dog professional. I began walking and pet-sitting from an early age, then added dog training for families that needed it. I have rehabilitated dogs who faced abuse, or otherwise had other extreme behavioral problems, such as biting and killing other animals. I have worked with many other professional dog trainers whose expertises range from service animal training for seeing-eye dogs and allergy alert animals, to working dog trainers for hunting retrieval, to behaviorists who specialize in anxiety and destructive behaviors. I find this line of work incredibly rewarding - especially when I see families quickly tackle problems they have been struggling with for years.

Get in Touch

I’m here to help you and your dog build a calmer, happier life together. Reach out anytime to schedule training, ask questions, or discuss your dog’s unique needs.

📞 Phone: 517-283-1680

✉️ Email: thefamilydogva@gmail.com